cd sound quality

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filmguy
Ist häufiger hier

#1 erstellt: 11. Apr 2005, 15:53

hi
i dont know if this is an off topic or can be posted on this section, but i think its to do with stereo, so pls forgive me if iam wrong...

i was wondering if has anyone else noticed this -
original cd's which i have bought from different parts of the world have different sound quality. what i mean is the cds that i have bought from western countries, say UK or USA are much sharper and better and 'cd-like' whereas cds i have bought from SE asia and india are much duller and overall sound less impressive and less 'cd-like' comparatively. it cant be a coincidence that those cds which i got from the west had better sound recording and/or mastering.
BTW, i am speaking only abt english cds in all cases (mainly pop/r&b); hindi cds are of good SQ usually -'taal' i thnk IMO is one of the best mastered hindi cd.

Aniruddha
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#2 erstellt: 11. Apr 2005, 16:54

Hi,

You hit the right button.

CDs of old Hindi movie soundtracks are horrible( of course with some exceptions).

Listen to an old song on a CD and an LP back to back and you will know the difference.

Just today, I was listening to the unforgettable 'Jindagi Khwaab Hai'( Mukesh/Jaagate Raho/HMV).They have not even
bothered to check the speed of the song!

HMV is taking people for a long ride and we won't be able to do anything about this vanishing treasure,unless we preserve the vinyl...

Aniruddha.

Manek
Inventar

#3 erstellt: 12. Apr 2005, 06:47

film guy....
It also depends on the pressings(transfer processs), I guess. Some cd's for SE asia may be pressed in asia. The pressings for europe and USA might be done by a different company. A lot of the pressings done nowadays is mostly OEM.

I'll give you an example, Simon and garfunkel central park concert. I had a cd which my brother brought for me.
Another friend bought the same for me from Mumbai. The cover was identical with the same text and stuff. The one from USA sounded better. The one locally bought sounded to thin in the midrange. I was aghast at first when a friend who was working with the music industry told me about the OEM pressings.

Nowadays, atleast the western music cd's(pop/rock) are all standard across the world I think. They must all me manufactured in asia to save on costs. Excepting the audiophile labels like chesky, XRCD, telarc etc.

Manek.

ani
Stammgast

#4 erstellt: 12. Apr 2005, 07:41

Hi,

I have noticed difference between European Union and Indian releases of some not all. The some pressings were bit more rough sounding, more CD like :)and the soundstage had gone haywire. I wont say that Indian pressings were bad at times EU pressings was not as good as indian ones.

Roger Waters " Amused to Death " and Beegees "one Night live" are examples, you have to hear the cd's to belive that there can be this big a difference between pressings. The Indian pressing was poor compared to EU pressing, the soundstage depth was almost gone when the Indian version was played.

So Filmguy, yes I have heard difference between pressings but I cannot categorically state that Asian or Indian CD's are inferior to EU or US made ones.

Another but related subject I would like to bring up is EMI's copy protected CD. I felt the copy protected ones were sounding poor compared to non copy protected one.

big-ears
Stammgast

#5 erstellt: 12. Apr 2005, 07:53

Depends upon the transfer quality.

I have had the misfortune to pick up some Pop/Rock Cds made in some Eastern European countries which made the humble cassette sound like a SACD in comparision.

Jeeves
Stammgast

#6 erstellt: 12. Apr 2005, 08:45

A lot of cds currently are being remasterted with "high resolution 20/22/24bit digital transfer from original tapes". I have a fairly large no. of such cds and the sound is truly exceptional. I have bought most of them here in India. My fav shopping plaaces for cds are in order of preference:
1) Landmark at Forum, Bangalore.
2 Planet M, beginning Brigade rd., Bangalore
3)Rythm House, Mumbai
4)Habitat, Church Street, Bangalore
Of course its like being addicted and I walk into most music stores I pass by, and do find gems in unexpected places!
I also admit that I do not buy any Jazz/rock pop cds that are manufactured in India. I have always felt that they are too bright.

[Beitrag von Jeeves am 12. Apr 2005, 08:50 bearbeitet]

Prithvi
Stammgast

#7 erstellt: 12. Apr 2005, 09:05

Guys ,
If you ever get a chance listen to a XRCD from JVC or from FIM, then you will know what true audiophile recording is all about.

Even the MOFI SACDs are fantastic.

Finally my OPUS3 RECORDS SACDS, CDS & LPS have been cleared by customs, will have them shortly in hand.

Rgds

Prithvi:D

PS: check the review in the last AVMAX of the opus3 sacd.

Manek
Inventar

#8 erstellt: 12. Apr 2005, 10:00

Yes I find XRCD's quite amazing. Telarc recordings are also extremely well done.

My favourite XRCd till date has been "Charade". Oh man, I get goosebumps every time I listen to it. the music and the recording quality is absolutely superb !

manek.

Arj
Inventar

#9 erstellt: 12. Apr 2005, 18:03

Apparently US pressings are the best followed by Europe then APAC (Japan pressings are also very good especially the xrcds).
From what i understand its got to do with the quality of the pressing machines, quality of the CD media (I found thicjker cds play better to my ears!) which is the best in the US , perhaps as most artists are there as well as the huge market !