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Conference cookie::notes$archive:cd_v1

Title:Welcome to the CD Notes Conference
Notice:Welcome to COOKIE
Moderator:COOKIE::ROLLOW
Created:Mon Feb 17 1986
Last Modified:Fri Mar 03 1989
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:1517
Total number of notes:13349

700.0. "Too Much High Frequency Information" by USRCV1::THOMPSONP (Paul Thompson) Tue Mar 31 1987 09:01

    I have a few CDs in my collection which seem to be recorded with
    an overly bright balance.  That is, the high frequencies seem to
    be recorded at a much higher level than the low frequencies.  Among
    these are Meatloaf's "Bat Out of Hell", Van Halen's "5150" and the
    most recently acquired "Heart" by Heart.  The imbalance is to the
    point that I find it difficult to listen to these disks.  Has anyone
    else found problems with the recording balance on these disks?
    
    To a lesser extent, I find that Stevie Wonder's "Innervisions" seems
    to have less low frequency information than the record has, but
    the music is still listenable.
    
    Most of the CDs I've purchased, about 40 to date, sound fine.  I've
    read reviews of the player I own (Mission DAD 7000R) which say that
    it is deficient in the low end, but I find it's low end acceptable
    on these other discs.
    
    Any suggestions?
T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name		DateLines
700.1DROID::EDRYTue Mar 31 1987 09:1512
    
    	Don't forget these albums were originaly recorded for a non-disc
    medium.  They artists frequently would over-compensate for the fact
    that the medium (tape) they were using has high frequency drop-off,
    coupled with the fact that when you blast that thru an FM tramsmitter
    and receive it in some guys factory Delco radio...
    
    	They bottom line is they over-compenstated on the highs so as
    to overcome some of the aformentioned problems.  When an album is
    released on CD and digitaly remastered, they usualy reduce the highs
    if they seem to be too bright.  Most likely the albums you are most
    disappointed with are the ones that were not remastered.
700.2DeJa VuNSSG::KAEPPLEINTue Mar 31 1987 15:228
    This reminds me of the caca spewed forth to explain why the first
    CDs and players sounded so bad.  About how us consumers arn't used
    to hearing high frequencies through primitive vinyl.  How new recording
    techniques were needed for the ultra high resolution and dynamic
    range of CDs.  And lastly, our systems may not be digital ready.
    
    I vote for the theory that the Producer/Engineer screwed up or wanted
    it that way.
700.3possible re-vecotr?BLUTO::SEAGLEI'm a bouncer at a salad barTue Mar 31 1987 18:356
    re: .0, .1
    
    This sounds like it might be related to the RIAA pre-emphasis stuff
    discussed in 86.2 in this conference.
    
    David.
700.4Thriller It Ain't!!RSTS32::VMILLERWhat you don't mean can't hurt youWed Apr 01 1987 00:3420
    Re: .3
    
    I think most CD players switch in a filter to compensate for
    pre-emphasis if it's there (wonder how it knows?).  I even borrowed
    a player (for an at-home test) that had a little light on it marked
    "pre-emphasis"; if you played a disk that was munged in this way,
    the little light would come on.  Only one of my test disks caused
    this light to light up ("James Newton Howard and Friends" from
    Sheffield).
    
    I also have some CDs that are just plain nasty sounding in the high
    end.  My worst example was Michael Jackson's "Thriller"; I can barely
    stand to listen to it, because the highs are so piercing.
    
    I agree with Mark in .2.  A lot of popular records are equalized
    assuming that the average listener has a $3.95 stereo system, and
    they use the same tapes to master the CD...
    
    				Vernon
700.5They should almost say it !CEDEX::BIJAOUISurf and DestroyWed Apr 01 1987 00:5114
    Humm, yeah, it seems some CDs are pre-emphasized, and if you don't
    have any corrector, your sound will seem with two much high frequencies.
    Fortunatly, I own a CD player which shows this, and did notice
    on two CDs I bought in Germany, and 1 in France, and these CDs were
    not very popular (Journey - Frontiers, Asia - Asia, Laurent Voulzy
    - Greatest hits).
    
    I just like to point out that this new amount of high frequencies
    doesn't take off others. Correction should then be applied.
    
    What is to blame, is that nothing says on the box that this CD is
    pre-emphasize.
                     
    Pierre
700.6NSSG::KAEPPLEINWed Apr 01 1987 11:453
    ALL CD players properly handle pre-emphasized disks.  They add an
    extra resistor-capacitor filter in the audio path but get theoreticly
    lower noise in the high frequencies.
700.7TRY EQUILIZATIONJACOB::RADLERFri Apr 03 1987 14:2315
     
     I own a Mission DAD 7000R. I find no low end deficiency. The player
    has a very bright high end. It is and excellent piece of machinery.
    I have compared it too many in its price range and find it as good
    or better than most. When comparing discs to albums. I find always
    a cleaner high end. With this cleaner high end sometimes it may
    seem that the low end is weaker but it is really not. I'm not always
    happy with the overall sound of a disk especially older ones that
    have not been remastered. So I use and equilizer to shape the exact
    sound that I enjoy. You can cut back unwanted high frequecies or
    push up the low end. In most cases I don't use the equalizer because
    I find the discs sound great without it but for those that need
    it the equalizer does the trick. 
    
                                                Rich
700.8NEXUS::GORTMAKERWed Apr 15 1987 21:026
    Paul, I have noticed the same thing on my copy of innervisions it
    must be they way they recorded it. Still sounds better than my
    worn out lp version.
    
    -jerry