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Topic: Examples of mastering differences (Read 5442 times) previous topic - next topic
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Examples of mastering differences

In response to discussions on removing duplicates from collections, and discussions about different masterings, I thought I'd start this thread to post some examples of surprisingly large mastering differences.

If anyone else is interested, feel free to add your own examples where the sound is significantly different even after level matching (but don't level-match what you post - just straight rips please).



Enya - Orinoco flow

1st version is from Enya's album Watermark. It's probably the first release of this album (1988). If anyone knows how to ID that for certain, I'll take a look at the actual CD.
[attachment=7868:07._Orin...ark_EDIT.mp3]

2nd version is from Greatest Hits of the Eighties (3 CD set), released in 1989. It's a different edit (presumably the single edit), but the sound is also completely different. Is this a remix, or just different mastering?
[attachment=7869:1-08._Or...ies_EDIT.mp3]


Heavy D and the Boyz - Now That We Found Love

1st version is from The Greatest Hits of Dance (3 CD set), released in 1992.
[attachment=7870:1-02._No...The_EDIT.mp3]

2nd version is from Now 1991 (2 CD set, the millennium series), released in 1999. Different EQ, more compression. Same edit and mix (AFAICT).
[attachment=7871:1-09._No...991_EDIT.mp3]


What amazes me is that I've listened to these versions separately over the years (different times, different stereos, different cars!), and only been vaguely aware of differences in mastering. It wasn't until I listened to them on the same mp3 player or car stereo, days or weeks apart, that I suspected there was something really different - but the differences are dramatic when you listen to them back to back.

It makes me even more suspicious of people who claim to have compared audio quality (equipment, mixes, formats, etc) weeks apart in different locations.

Cheers,
David.

Examples of mastering differences

Reply #1 –
Quote from: 2Bdecided on
Heavy D and the Boyz - Now That We Found Love

1st version is from The Greatest Hits of Dance (3 CD set), released in 1992.

Missing de-emphasis? Just a guess.

added: And maybe Enya - Greatest_Hits as well.

Examples of mastering differences

Reply #2 –
Quote from: 2Bdecided on
In response to discussions on removing duplicates from collections, and discussions about different masterings, I thought I'd start this thread to post some examples of surprisingly large mastering differences

In both examples, big spectral differences between tracks (mastering EQs ?)  can easily explain listening differences.




De-emphasis could be explained in Enya's Greatest hits : here it is added and spectral differences are much smaller.

Examples of mastering differences

Reply #3 –
I'll go back and check pre-emphasis. I'm fairly sure that most tracks on those compilations don't have pre-emphasis, but it's possible that these do. As you probably know, even if it's not flagged then it's still up for debate.

Quote from: jlohl on
Quote from: 2Bdecided on
In response to discussions on removing duplicates from collections, and discussions about different masterings, I thought I'd start this thread to post some examples of surprisingly large mastering differences

In both examples, big spectral differences between tracks (mastering EQs ?)  can easily explain listening differences.
Yes, EQ and compression. I know it's not magic  it's just interesting to hear it being used so heavily.

In both cases, you could take the first version, and make it sound like the second pretty easily. It would be harder to perform the trick in reverse, because of the compression.

Cheers,
David.

Examples of mastering differences

Reply #4 –
Checked with cdda2wav -J. No pre-emphasis in TOC or subchannel on either disc.

Examples of mastering differences

Reply #5 –
A year and a half ago, I took three Dark Side of the Moon pressings and uploaded Money clips at
http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index....ost&id=7137
http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index....ost&id=7138
http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index....ost&id=7190

Who dares listen blindly and identify pre-emphasis or not? 

Examples of mastering differences

Reply #6 –
Spoiler (click to show/hide)


Cheers,
David.

Examples of mastering differences

Reply #8 –
We just lately had a similar Zeppelin sample that sounded very much brighter for being a newer Remaster. On this new Remaster, falsely in this case, applying de-emphasis also makes it sound similar to an older version.
http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index....102391&st=0
Must be easy to hefty push the treble button when doing some mastering.
Is troll-adiposity coming from feederism?
With 24bit music you can listen to silence much louder!