Re: The Absolute Sound

[Jennings_Richard/pinewood_lab_hpopd@hpopd.hp.com]

> From: katefans@world.std.com (Chris'n'Vickie of Kansas City)
> Subject: The Absolute Sound


Interesting, nobody seems to have mentioned the grotty mastering on the UK
(analogue) LP.  I went through 3 different pressings until I realised what
I could hear was a mastering fault.

It sounds like digital distortion, the kind that happens when you exceed the
level limits imposed by the number of bits you're using to encode the
signal.  It's most obvious during the second half of TWW; listen for loud
bass notes making the top end go ... kinda ...  ``crunchy''.  Exactly the
same problem is present in the 12" as well.

As for the comments made in the review, I wonder if Michael Fremer got
a dodgy pressing?

And yes, I do prefer LP sound quality to the (IMHO, and to my ears) bland,
take-it-or-leave-it sound that comes out of current CD players.  I'd be
interested to hear what people have to say about PWM or PDM converter-
equipped boxes though, but then this isn't rec.audio, is it?

Cheers,

richi.