rio wrote:
Marasmus wrote:
I'll just have to throw this album in the trash since it's completely unlistenable, even though the music is great.
How so? It sounds fine to me... Sounds slightly clearer than the last one.
It may be that better equipment was used to record the new one, while it's also louder at the same volume, but in my opinion Sphynx has a better production as there's no clipping (digital distortion) on it (that I've noticed) and it seems to utilize the dynamic range better so that certain instruments that should stand out do so without compromising the rest of the instruments in the mix.
Unfortunately excessive dynamic compression is found on almost every new metal album released (sad), and so called remasters are usually good recordings messed up with dynamic compression to make them seem louder and "clearer".
It also makes them sound better through poor speakers, but horrible through good ones.
Emissaries is probably the worst album I've heard lately in regard to digital distortion. Analog distortion = good, digital distortion = real horror show (in a bad way).
I'd recommend
www.songview.org and searching for the words "loudness war" on youtube for better explanations.
I only have poor speakers, so I guess that's why I didn't understand why you said that
