Whats is the worst mastered CD [your opinions] ? Options

[Acid8000]

Staind - Break the Cycle

[skamp]

Garbage - Bleed Like Me. It's so compressed and so badly mastered that I had to check my cable connections because I thought I was getting only mono audio... Album gain: -11.78 dB. Track gains: from -7.1 dB to -13.2 dB.

I also have to add Lemon Jelly - '64-'95. Not only is it compressed, it also sounds like it was mastered with 96 kbps MP3 samples.

[Xenion]

while talking about all those bad mastered albums i want recommend you some healing for your ears: Thomas Newman - Road To Perdition Soundtrack

albumRG level: -1,86db
well recorded
good dynamics
sounds stereo and not mono like many albums these days do

[Klyith]

Sleater-Kinney, "The Woods": Album gain is -13 db, and the album peak is 1.31. When foobar is set to scale down tracks that clip after replaygain it gets even more reduction.

This is actually the first album I've bought that has this kind of extreme compression... I don't buy much "mainstream" rock. It's ugly; I can't listen to it with headphones. On speakers it isn't as bad.

The funny thing is that I think this was another one of those "conscious choice" things, because there is a heavy layer of distortion on even the quiet parts. I'm sad though, I like them because there are so few girls doing real rock, and it's a shame that her voice gets so distorted.

[TedFromAccountin...]

My Chemical Romance - Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge definitely does not sound all that great, sounds very flat, especially compared to hearing them live. Kind of a shame really since their first CD sounds a hell of a lot better and is not nearly as loud.

RHCP Californication is horrible, Oasis Morning Glory is pretty bad, Powerman 5000 - Transform is pretty loud and distorted, Slipknot Vol 3, most of System of a Down's stuff... the list goes on and on.

Its too bad artists are ruined by poor mastering.

[Digisurfer]

My wife bought Avril Lavigne's album "Under My Skin" recently. Easily takes top spot in our collection, lot's of clipping and distortion.

[krazy]

Is there anyone who has a copy of Jack Johnson -In Between Dreams? I haven't checked the RG value for this album, but it has to be the LOUDEST album I've ever listened to?...If anyone has it, could you post the value, thanks

Jack Johnson's albums:
AG -5.29 dB: Brushfire Fairytales (2002)
AG -7.93 dB: On And On (2003)
AG -6.85 dB: In Between Dreams (2005)

So his latest album really isn't that bad compared to many new albums, or even his previous ones.

My pet hate in the loudness race is remastering destroying the sound of older albums.

[Grey]

This has become so bad, that I'm now wondering if there are any newer releases from mainstream artists that aren't clipped or over-compressed.

That could be the topic of a very short thread.

The newest release I've heard that was recorded and mastered by people who took pride in their work is Five For Fighting, "America Town" in 2000.

[Farpenoodle]

Sleater-Kinney, "The Woods": Album gain is -13 db, and the album peak is 1.31. When foobar is set to scale down tracks that clip after replaygain it gets even more reduction.

This is actually the first album I've bought that has this kind of extreme compression... I don't buy much "mainstream" rock. It's ugly; I can't listen to it with headphones. On speakers it isn't as bad.

The funny thing is that I think this was another one of those "conscious choice" things, because there is a heavy layer of distortion on even the quiet parts. I'm sad though, I like them because there are so few girls doing real rock, and it's a shame that her voice gets so distorted.

Yeah this is true. The distortion is really bad. But it's an amazing record nontheless. I kinda just accepted it and listened to the rockingness. All I did was imagine that they did it for artistic effect. Or something stupid to that effect. But I can enjoy it at least.

I do the same with pretty much everything I listen to though, so I guess that doesn't count for much.

[Dilby©]

Gwen Stefani's latest, whatever its called?

[ToS_Maverick]

System of a Down - Mezmerize
AG: -11.6

especially on "Radio/Video" you can very easily hear clipping....

[esa372]

Tie:
Audioslave - Audioslave
Rush - Vapor Trails

...Vapor Trials was easily the worst mastered album of 2002. Their albums have always tended to be poorly mastered but Vapor Trails was a new low.

Their 2004 EP, Feedback is perhaps a hair bit better, but I'd say that it sounds pretty similar in terms of production/mastering to Vapor Trails. So, the trend continues

I'd say that Rush In Rio worse than Vapor Trails and Feedback... so, yes - the trend continues.


Other recent "dis-honorable mentions":

The Mars Volta - Frances The Mute (2005); Deloused In The Comatorium (2003)
Owsley - The Hard Way (2003)
Prince - Musicology (2004)
U2 - How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb (2004)
Audioslave - Out Of Exile (2005)

the list could go on and on...........

[Slacker]

Staind - Break the Cycle

Agreed.

For You has such an annoying clipping and distortion, what makes it worse is that it starts right after a track with a soft ending and then the distorted guitar comes in and nearly breaks your ear.

[shadowking]

Fozzy - All that remains (2005)

Album gain: -10.50 db

Very scratchy, crowded, annoying with headphones. Songs are not bad at all. Shame.

[nickhead]

Immediately coming to mind are:

Audioslave - Audioslave
RHCP - Californication
Queens of the Stone Age - Songs for the Deaf
Metallica - St. Anger
and Pearl Jam's Binaural sounds pretty bad, but for different reasons.

[legg]

Audioslave - Audioslave

But at least Like a Stone is a really good song and sounds wayyyy better than the rest of the songs.

[Destroid]

Slayer - South of Heaven (remastered @199x-200x)

Maybe not the worst, but harsh treble and obvious artifacts. Ex: the bass drum in the first track makes the other instruments "breathe" because of over-compression.

P.S. I just ordered a used copy of the 1988 version for 2 bucks More on this later

[krabapple]

Prince - Musicology. Replaygain values are ~ -10 dB throughout.

This post has been edited by krabapple: Aug 19 2005, 00:00

[rajas]

When It Falls - Zero 7

This is supposed to be chillout music, but thanks to the overcompression is anything but. I regret buying this. Unfortunately I bought it at a store closing, so can't even return it.

-Rajas

[Doktor_Lorenz]

I'm shocked that my old 11 month old post has recently generated some vigourous discussion, I should be honored but since I dont have golden ears and unfortunatley I dont have the time to really find out what a badly masterered CD sounds like or how to abx etc etc but my philosophy is if it sounds good to my ears then is doesnt matter too much wot setting i use, unless i did illegal sharing [as if, why share decent rips with muppets that cant be arsed to make a decent rip themselves. Also yes its illegal because i'm denying artists [greedy record labels] money but heck i actually buy CD's but if i cant rip with my pelxtor[with EAC] its goes back to the shop and i tell em too ]

There is one thing I really appreciate is HA.org because you guys collectively have taught me more in 1yr than anyone can appreciate, I don't always follow exact guidelines but I do follow what's right for me and this is what marks out HA from the rest, I can follow others experiences and use my own judgement [It was one reason i donated]. So keep up the high standards and i'll try not to post something that ends up being discussed 11 months later LOL.

[patricklang]

Wow, so its not just me - I can't stand listening to When it Falls, either. It just sounds wrong.

Sleater-Kinney - The Woods is my current favorite example of overcompression. I'm all for fuzz when its supposed to be powerful rock, but this just sticks out as digital clipping. If this was mastered on analog, it probably would have been bearable. Its sad, wonderful album at that.

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned Radiohead - Hail to the Thief. I've had people argue both ways with me, but to me, I can't stand the lack of dynamics in 2+2=5 especially. The drums might as well be tin cans.

[dnewhous]

Iron Maiden "A Real Live One." Even fans think it sounds awful.

[sacriste]

Other recent "dis-honorable mentions":
U2 - How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb (2004)

Wow this a Recording Of The Month in Stereophile!!! With four stars in sound... Are you sure?

Check this

Well, is your opinion, I would also add REM's Reveal maybe for the antipiracy system they used...

[sacriste]

I should be honored but since I dont have golden ears and unfortunatley I dont have the time to really find out what a badly masterered CD sounds like or how to abx etc etc

Just for educational reasons, describe your sound system. You don´t need golden ears to know what a bad sounding record is, specially if you hear a good one first...

[bug80]

Well, is your opinion, I would also add REM's Reveal maybe for the antipiracy system they used...

What kind of antipiracy system? I have that album too and succesfully ripped it with EAC.

edit: By the way, I'm listening to U2's How to dismantle.. again and I agree with esa372 that it is over-compressed and I think I hear clipping in the last part of Miracle Drug for example. This album is a great example of a good mix, recording and performance that is harmed in the mastering stage.

This post has been edited by bug80: Aug 19 2005, 21:54