Yes - Close To The Edge - Any Good Obtainable Releases?

[par4ken]

I still believe that most of the difference that I'm hearing is due to the higher resolution of the 24bit audio, I concede perhaps not all of it. I shouldn't always say that it's a huge difference more that's its a noticeable difference. It makes sense to me that higher resolution which involves the use of more bits (smaller steps) to describe the same signal will produce a more accurate result. It's not just about maximum dynamic range.

 

[JulesRules]

I'm surprised by the talk about The Yes Album, as I never bothered to look at the DR values for that one. Lo and behold:
https://dr.loudness-war.info/album/list/year?album=yes+albumIf even a mastering from 1994 goes down to DR7 on one song, then I guess it really is in the recording.

 

[par4ken]

I'm surprised by the talk about The Yes Album, as I never bothered to look at the DR values for that one. Lo and behold:
https://dr.loudness-war.info/album/list/year?album=yes+albumIf even a mastering from 1994 goes down to DR7 on one song, then I guess it really is in the recording.

The most surprising thing about that is the MFSL version is only an 8! HD-Tracks does well at 11!

 

[ssully]

I still believe that most of the difference that I'm hearing is due to the higher resolution of the 24bit audio, I concede perhaps not all of it. I shouldn't always say that it's a huge difference more that's its a noticeable difference. It makes sense to me that higher resolution which involves the use of more bits (smaller steps) to describe the same signal will produce a more accurate result. It's not just about maximum dynamic range.

Correct, it isn't-- it's actually about increasing signal vs noise, with follow on effects on dynamic range. It isn't about doing what you think it's doing.

Try this:
https://www.soundguys.com/audio-bit-depth-explained-23706/

 

[ssully]

The most surprising thing about that is the MFSL version is only an 8! HD-Tracks does well at 11!

Or HD tracks does poorly, because its high DR is actually due to changing the intended EQ of the album.

Take your pick.

 

[par4ken]

Or HD tracks does poorly, because its high DR is actually due to changing the intended EQ of the album.

Take your pick.

It's fine to add some base but not to compress the signal! A lot of todays HD-Tracks are brick-walled, which will lower DR regardless if it has added bass. Black Sabbath albums tend to have somewhat low DR values in spite of having loads of bass even those versions that are not brick-walled. I do however often find a bit of bass heavyness with a lot of the HD-Track releases, more in the upper bass region.

The surprise here is the low DR value of the MFSL CD. I know that you will say that's because it's a flat transfer, but most MFSL and AF releases have DR values comparable to vinyl. I think that Supertramp Crime of the Century clocked in with an average DR value of 16!

While DR value doesn't tell the whole story it's an invaluable tool in my books!

 

[par4ken]

The low DR value of the MFSL release of The Yes Album has been bugging so on finding a copy, I decided to investigate further. Checking the DR values with Foobar, my favorite track "I've Seen All Good People" has the lowest DR value, only 6. I opened it up in Isotope and see that the second half "All Good People'' is heavily compressed. The compression is of the analogue type however it's not brick walled! I then experimented by adding bass about 6dB boost with a turnover of 200 Hz. After normalising the track level back to zero I ran the DR meter again. This time the DR value rose by one point to 7. Listening to the equalised version along side the original the equalised version was much lower in level. I would conclude that equalisation can and will raise the DR value a bit but not so much as to make it a useless tool.

One track "The Clap" has a very good DR value of 12. Analogue compression sounds much better than the digital brick-wall type.

Devices like the DBX dynamic range expanders would still have something to work with analogue compressed signals but can do nothing if the sound is squashed as flat as a pancake!

 

[JulesRules]

The compression is of the analogue type however it's not brick walled!

That's essentially what I meant by saying it's in the recording.