Is the Vinyl better ?

beano.79

darthvedder said:

This thread makes me feel a whole lot better. I bought the HDTracks Hi-Res download and couldn't believe how bad the mix was. The production is downright criminal on this album. They want us to play it loud? I had to turn the volume way down just to stand it.

I agree, I listened to the vinyl loud for my first listen, the song I like most (Stevie) sounds the worst, that snare! And squeezed the life out of the bass on that track.

I listened again when the Family were upstairs, quietly this time and it sounded better!

pjpjpaul

The band opted for a producer they knew used a lot of compression on his work and who uses digital means of recording. This is not inherently a bad thing given that they did so to save time and capture that lightning in a bottle energy together in the same room but it does so at the expense of the analog warmth and the dynamic range our ears grew accustomed to with earlier PJ records. Part of the issue with modern music is that it has to be mastered in such a manner that it can be played back on multiple analog and digital formats. And while less dynamic range and more compression may help our speakers and headphones by keeping them from extreme sounds on the spectrum, it unfortunately also takes some of the magic and life out of the sound. I’m not knocking the band for using Andrew as a producer because I love Dark Matter and I’m glad he was able to get what he got out of the band. But at the same time, the end result of the sound is a modern trade off we have to live with. I’d love it if they went back to all analog with a more dynamic sound but that’s just not feasible for the band these days when they can just go in with Andrew and knock out a record in a much shorter time and still sell a bunch of copies why would they labor for months when it could only take a few weeks? They can save that energy for touring and family now. 

chicagojammer06

Im digging the new album but it’s pretty harsh listening on my dac/amp planar setup.   Speakers not so bad but I got a newborn in the house so my head fi setup is my only option.   It’s too bad, some tracks are worse than others, Waiting for Stevie is particularly harsh and that’s one of my favorite tracks.   This reminds me of the Metallica St. Anger album.

edit… ok not as bad as St. Anger after I loaded that up lol

covered in bliss

sSickmann said:

I actually love these songs so much, but my ear can't listen to the mixes I have got (deluxe CD edition) .. The parts are all fighting each other for space and cut each other out .. I noted this the first time when I heard the first single .. I was hoping I was wrong, but I can't take it. It's giving me the sensation of being ill.

Can anyone tell me that if I buy a turntable and the vinyl version will it sound any better?

Thank you for asking this!  I'm going to try an mp3 download. Music is 👌. Very exciting times!

WhyNotSweden

Tim Simmons said:

I see the tri colors are pressed as CZ (Pass). I believe the US pressings are at Furnace (which is fine).

My RSD was pressed in CZ as well 

Benz

It is really sad that such a beautiful album is mixed that badly. I cannot understand how this can happen.
I have played it to some friends and family and they all agree that it sounds really bad.
I have the Vinyl, CD and Atmos Apple Masters version. Only Atmos is OK but not great. 
Here is me hoping for a remastered/remixed reissue 1 day after the release.

Tim Simmons

Got a Chicago Cubs copy. 

woof. 

Sounds thin. Has all the hallmarks of a non MOV CZ pressing. bummer.

bicyclejoe

I'm listening to the RDS vinyl. Yes, it is better than the high-res digital mix. The mastering and mix seem to be better on the vinyl.

tylerj

Got the standard black vinyl pressed by Furnace. They did a good job. Flat and quiet.

But the mix and mastering are lifeless. Wreckage, and more quieter songs, are better but whenever all three guitars are going big it's a wall of flat sound.

This was mixed by Serban Ghenea, who does Taylor Swift, Demi Lovato and other big pop stars. Why PJ picked this guy to mix a rock record, I'll never understand.

Big step backwards after the Vault Series and recent VS and Yield reissues, which all blow this out the water.

Haven't listened to the Atmos Blu Ray yet. 

mookeywrench

48 minutes on a single LP won't do it any favors.

aurynsdad

Anyone using Spotify, make sure to go into settings and under "Audio Quality" make sure it's on the highest setting under wifi. On this setting, the album actually sounds pretty damn dynamic to me, and there is no wall of noise to hurt my ears.

Looking forward to hearing my vinyl (10C red version) when it arrives.

tylerj

aurynsdad said:

Anyone using Spotify, make sure to go into settings and under "Audio Quality" make sure it's on the highest setting under wifi. On this setting, the album actually sounds pretty damn dynamic to me, and there is no wall of noise to hurt my ears.

Looking forward to hearing my vinyl (10C red version) when it arrives.

I need to listen to the streaming + CD again for comparison, but, as someone also, said the 48 mins on 1LP is really hurting the sound quality of the record. 24 mins on 1 side is really pushing it. 

beano.79

tylerj said:

aurynsdad said:

Anyone using Spotify, make sure to go into settings and under "Audio Quality" make sure it's on the highest setting under wifi. On this setting, the album actually sounds pretty damn dynamic to me, and there is no wall of noise to hurt my ears.

Looking forward to hearing my vinyl (10C red version) when it arrives.

I need to listen to the streaming + CD again for comparison, but, as someone also, said the 48 mins on 1LP is really hurting the sound quality of the record. 24 mins on 1 side is really pushing it. 

And I believe side B is over 24 mins.. it has 6 songs including the 3 longest on the album.

2 disc, music on 3 sides like gigaton would have been perfect 

Edit: having checked it's closer to 28 mins for side B 😬

tylerj

beano.79 said:

tylerj said:

aurynsdad said:

Anyone using Spotify, make sure to go into settings and under "Audio Quality" make sure it's on the highest setting under wifi. On this setting, the album actually sounds pretty damn dynamic to me, and there is no wall of noise to hurt my ears.

Looking forward to hearing my vinyl (10C red version) when it arrives.

I need to listen to the streaming + CD again for comparison, but, as someone also, said the 48 mins on 1LP is really hurting the sound quality of the record. 24 mins on 1 side is really pushing it. 

And I believe side B is over 24 mins.. it has 6 songs including the 3 longest on the album.

2 disc, music on 3 sides like gigaton would have been perfect 

Edit: having checked it's closer to 28 mins for side B 😬

Yikes. Makes sense since Setting Sun is worst sounding on the vinyl. 

efroten2

beano.79 said:

tylerj said:

aurynsdad said:

Anyone using Spotify, make sure to go into settings and under "Audio Quality" make sure it's on the highest setting under wifi. On this setting, the album actually sounds pretty damn dynamic to me, and there is no wall of noise to hurt my ears.

Looking forward to hearing my vinyl (10C red version) when it arrives.

I need to listen to the streaming + CD again for comparison, but, as someone also, said the 48 mins on 1LP is really hurting the sound quality of the record. 24 mins on 1 side is really pushing it. 

And I believe side B is over 24 mins.. it has 6 songs including the 3 longest on the album.

2 disc, music on 3 sides like gigaton would have been perfect 

Edit: having checked it's closer to 28 mins for side B 😬

Better yet, cut Got to Give off the album. 

beano.79

efroten2 said:

beano.79 said:

tylerj said:

aurynsdad said:

Anyone using Spotify, make sure to go into settings and under "Audio Quality" make sure it's on the highest setting under wifi. On this setting, the album actually sounds pretty damn dynamic to me, and there is no wall of noise to hurt my ears.

Looking forward to hearing my vinyl (10C red version) when it arrives.

I need to listen to the streaming + CD again for comparison, but, as someone also, said the 48 mins on 1LP is really hurting the sound quality of the record. 24 mins on 1 side is really pushing it. 

And I believe side B is over 24 mins.. it has 6 songs including the 3 longest on the album.

2 disc, music on 3 sides like gigaton would have been perfect 

Edit: having checked it's closer to 28 mins for side B 😬

Better yet, cut Got to Give off the album. 

😂 You spelled something special wrong.

Seriously though it's a really good album and it a shame it doesn't sound as good as it deserves 

beano.79

So we have a 20min 28min split.

Surely 26/22 would have been a better split. Still too much though

Vedd Hedd

Yeah, now I hear what you are hearing. It's a little compresssed. Messing with the equalizer helps a bit. But the youtube videos sound a bit more dynamic.

dudeman

The CD sounds pretty good to me but the way the drums were recorded sound at odds with how Matt Cameron should sound, IMO. His style begs for big, gut punching dynamics like on Soundgarden albums. 

There is compression to the point where each snare hit has a harsh leading edge to it and the reverb on the drums feels more like it belongs on a Motley Crue record than a Pearl Jam record.

The drum sound gives the rest of the mix a bit of an artificial feel. It's too bad because it's a really great record! I agree with those who have said it is their best effort since Avocado.

halv

I’m loving this album but am very disappointed with the RSD vinyl and from what I’m reading it sounds like the cd will be the same. I got caught up in the Record Store Day excitement and paid way too much for the vinyl. If it sounded amazing I could justify it. But it’s so compressed it gives me a headache. I’ve been listening to it on Spotify and shockingly prefer that.