Rage Against The Machine - XX (20th Anniversary Special Edition) ???

[media-mogul]

Hi,

I'm wondering about whether to download this album or not. I have the original album already and this is a remastered version. However, I've seen a comment on amazon that has me wondering:

 

"Everything else aside, this was an album that apparently set a standard for how good production could be. So why exactly would you remaster it? It appears that Vlado Meller, infamous for his over-compressed and clipped mastering of Red Hot Chili Peppers' "Californication," remastered this album, and, judging by the waveforms, we now have a CD that's a victim of the loudness war... in 2012."

 

I'd be interested to hear people's opinions on this. Seeing as I already own the 1992 version I don't want to download a remaster that may actually be worse than the original.

 

Regards,

David

[thrand1]

Hi,

I'm wondering about whether to download this album or not. I have the original album already and this is a remastered version. However, I've seen a comment on amazon that has me wondering:

 

"Everything else aside, this was an album that apparently set a standard for how good production could be. So why exactly would you remaster it? It appears that Vlado Meller, infamous for his over-compressed and clipped mastering of Red Hot Chili Peppers' "Californication," remastered this album, and, judging by the waveforms, we now have a CD that's a victim of the loudness war... in 2012."

 

I'd be interested to hear people's opinions on this. Seeing as I already own the 1992 version I don't want to download a remaster that may actually be worse than the original.

 

Regards,

David

 

Looking at the DR rating alone, it does not look encouraging. The original 1992 release had an album DR of 9, minimum of 8 maximum of 10. The 2012 release has an album DR of 6, minimum 4 maximum 8. The DR of that album has been basically destroyed...

[media-mogul]

Looking at the DR rating alone, it does not look encouraging. The original 1992 release had an album DR of 9, minimum of 8 maximum of 10. The 2012 release has an album DR of 6, minimum 4 maximum 8. The DR of that album has been basically destroyed...

 

I assume you've taken these figures from the dynamic range database. Wow, I didn't even know such a thing existed. based on this the album definiitely seems overly clipped. I think I'll pass:)

 

However, this does beg another question. Should dynamic range be used as a gating criteria for purchasing remastered and/or hi-res albums?

 

 

Regards,

David

[Boris75]

However, this does beg another question. Should dynamic range be used as a gating criteria for purchasing remastered and/or hi-res albums?

 

That's what I do myself for remastered albums. For new albums, when there is no choice and I really like the music, then I can buy some very dynamically compressed albums. For instance, I recently purchased Pharrell William's GIRL in high-res despite its poor DR rating.

[media-mogul]

That's what I do myself for remastered albums. For new albums, when there is no choice and I really like the music, then I can buy some very dynamically compressed albums. For instance, I recently purchased Pharrell William's GIRL in high-res despite its poor DR rating.

 

Shame. RATM was a well produced album in its day but can be improved upon imho. I'm definitely gonna remember the dynamic range database though - useful tool:)