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Why Do Some Recordings Sound Great and Others Dead?

I listen to Radio Paradise MQA on my NODE 3, SMSL M400, B and O Beolab 8000’s and Hsu 15in sealed sub.  The acoustics in my room are poor.  I’ve noticed that some recordings sound very realistic. For instance the vocals on a Stabat Mater dolorosa hymn sounded great.  But a Nora Jones recording was terrible.  Her voice was lost in back of some murky instruments.  I’m familiar with this recording listening to it on my iPod, where her voice shines out and the music is good.  I’m wondering why the big differences?

128x128tcotruvo

Showing 3 responses by mastering92

mastering92
870 posts
 

Too much compression (dynamic range), overuse of limiters, microphones not set up properly, bad mixing engineer, bad recording engineer.

Or it could be the (most likely) Wolfson DAC chip in your iPod. Many people agree that Wolfson DAC chips are on the sweeter side of neutral, rather than clinical sounding.

[Verse 1]
Sunrise, sunrise
Looks like mornin' in your eyes
But the clock's held 9:15 for hours
Sunrise, sunrise
Couldn't tempt us if it tried
'Cause the afternoon's already come and gone

[Chorus 1]
And I said
Hoo-ooh-ooh-ooh
Hoo-ooh-ooh-ooh
Hoo-ooh-ooh-ooh
To you... 

great song

mastering92
870 posts
 

@tcotruvo

Which Nora Jones song was it? I could check my redbook audio collection...cd rips.

Now I want to listen...and maybe I’ll have an answer to your question.

mastering92
870 posts
 

what @fuzztone said ✔

I don’t know about the other 2, but "light as a feather" is a great song and I’ve heard it many times before.

Her vocals are clear and forward. Her voice peaks quite a bit, but her voice is balanced. Instrumentals take a backseat The track moves at a slow pace, like a light feather falling! Sound character overall is slightly warm. Not too bright.

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