The sound of new Foo Fighters CD

[spigotsaol.com]

(I know this has been touched on elsewhere, but I couldn't find the thread.) I've never heard anything sound this bad. It sounds like someone took a recording, ran it through a half ass limiter and just crushed the f***ing s**t out of it with out ANY regards to sonics. It's UNLISTENABLE. I'm into the fourth song and I have a f***ing headache!! I can't believe this. I just paid $15 for this. I'm not kidding, I LITERALLY AM GETTING A HEADACHE. And I'm monitoring SOFTLY, through Genelec 1031a's in a properly tuned room. Every single time the kick drum hits, it splatters. I've opened the CD, so now I can't return it. But it's an inferior product, so do I have any recourse to get my money back? Does anyone want to help me file a class action suit to get these "louder = better" products off the market? Damn it, I'm pissed off!!! Frank

[Rita]

They must have the "NONE-compressed, limited version of the album at home for themselves. Ask'em!! :D

[coxnvox]

[quote]Originally posted by spigots: [QBI've never heard anything sound this bad. It sounds like someone took a recording, ran it through a half ass limiter and just crushed the f***ing s**t out of it with out ANY regards to sonics. [/QB][/quote]Yeah, but the MP3 of it sounds killer... ;) Later, kc

[Jeff Klopmeyer]

Huh. I kind of [i]like[/i] it, but I'm listening to the songs more than the production and mastering techniques. But that's just me, of course. YMMV. - Jeff

[Duhduh]

Is it just me or does it sound distorted?

[spigotsaol.com]

[quote]Originally posted by Jeff, TASCAM Guy: [b]Huh. I kind of [i]like[/i] it, but I'm listening to the songs more than the production and mastering techniques. But that's just me, of course. YMMV. - Jeff[/b][/quote]Jeff, Where are you listening to it? It is literally PAINFUL to listen to on a decent system. I can't make a judgement on the musicality of it yet because I can't even listen to it. And I was blown away by the single on radio, which makes this even more frustrating. I first played it on a Sony CDP-2700, which is an older player, so I figured that the converters couldn't handle it. So I tried it on a boom box, Not as apparant because of the weakness of the speakers. Then I played it on brand new Masterlink (which is a f***ing brilliant machine for the money, BTW) and the results were the same. OUCH. If anyone knows anyone in the FF camp that could steer me towards a desk copy (pre mastering), PM me. I'm willing to pay. I want to hear this CD the way it was recorded, not the way it was basterdized by some idiot in A&R. Frank PS As I re-read this before posting, I ask my self, "This seems to be happening alot" ("Vapor Trails" has been discussed at length, as have some others). (I've got to quit talking to myself) Is the problem in manufacturing? Maybe it sounds great at mastering, but the manufacturing equipment can't handle the level? I have zero knowledge about the manufacturing process, so I'm probably totally off-bass here.

[Jeff Klopmeyer]

[quote]Originally posted by spigots: [b]Jeff, Where are you listening to it? It is literally PAINFUL to listen to on a decent system.[/b][/quote]I'm listening in my car, so far...a stock CD/stereo in my Nissan. And yeah, it's a [i]very[/i] loud disc. But that's been the mission of rock/pop mastering engineers for the last few years...make everything as loud as possible, use up every last bit right up to 0dBfs, but include no actual dynamics within the dynamic range. I blame Waves L1! :) [quote][b]Then I played it on brand new Masterlink (which is a f***ing brilliant machine for the money, BTW) and the results were the same. OUCH.[/b][/quote]Masterlink is great...I was still at Alesis a few years ago when it was introduced. But there's no reason it would sound more or less loud on that deck than any other. I have to turn this disc down a bit compared to the others in my CD changer, but I'm not getting the unlistenable distortion you report. Huuh. - Jeff

[artnoiser]

Same here...I was really excited to listen to their new stuff (I had seen theri video on MTV, and I thought it sounded ok there), and was happy as I was listening to the first two songs, but during the second song inside I felt like "dangit...that's just too bad...dangit!" As the 3rd song started, I felt like I needed a rest or listening to something else, or TAKE IT EASY ON THE LIMITER, ME! The Colour and the Shape already sounded extremely loud to me at the time. art

[Dylan]

I don't have any problems with how the CD sounds. I extracted a few tracks into Sound Forge just to see how everything looks and the song "One by One" actually has some amount of dynamic range and isn't just a big wall of sound. I don't see any clipping either. The rest of the track and album in generally does have that loud and punchy sound, but I wouldn't go as far as saying that it's overcompressed.

[spigotsaol.com]

[quote]Originally posted by Dylan W: [b]I don't have any problems with how the CD sounds. I extracted a few tracks into Sound Forge just to see how everything looks and the song "One by One" actually has some amount of dynamic range and isn't just a big wall of sound. I don't see any clipping either. The rest of the track and album in generally does have that loud and punchy sound, but I wouldn't go as far as saying that it's overcompressed.[/b][/quote]Dylan, please check your Private messages.

[D_dup3]

I haven't heard it---they're ok but not really my cuppa tea---but I wonder about the relative levels of certain consonants in the vocals ;) ...

[Steve Presley]

Another classic case of try before you buy. :p