TT Dynamic Range meter "lies" about vinyl's dynamic rang
Reply #10 –
Since I posted that thread (one of two that was linked to earlier) I think I also learned quite a bit about the TT DR Meter. I even learned in that thread from 2Bdecided that some excessive phase-nudging can dramatically change the measurement.
I noticed that Ian Shepherd (a person I've come to respect) mentioned in that video that it was a "blunt instrument." Beyond my initial impressions I think I've always viewed it as such. The problem is is that it's the best (though imprecise) instrument I"m aware of. Obviously I can't tell anyone here that I hear or perceive more dynamic range or something because, within this forum, that is rightfully irrelevant and considered subjective.
I've understood (rightly or wrongly) that phase-nudging, EQing, etc can have a moderate effect on that DR score. I'm not totally convinced that more than 3 or 4 decibels is just chalked up to some cartridge or whatever. I could be wrong.
The only way we can be certain that a vinyl master is different is if the record company gives us such info. When I've requested it in the past some always do (and don't always give me the answer I want to hear either) but many others don't even respond to such emails.
...but then again: some brief reply from a record company saying something to the effect of "we understand that the engineer submitted a separate master for the vinyl. Thanks for your interest in our products!" could very well mean "yeah, the engineer EQed the same brickwalled recording slightly differently for the vinyl." Really all we have is subjective observations when comparing to vastly different mediums like CD and LP. (And yes: CD will obviously always win in precision against an archaic but still loved format like vinyl records.)