Re: SNR on Sensual World vs Hounds of Love

[brownfld@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu (Kenneth R Brownfield)]

scott@psy.uwa.OZ.AU (Scott Fisher) writes:

>Did the CD users of Kates music notice that the Signal to Noise (SNR) ratio
>on the "Sensual  World" CD got worse in comparison to "Hounds of Love".
>In other words, there seems to be more hiss on Sensual World vs Hounds of love.
>Anyone know if/how the production/technical/mastering side of these CDs differ?

     There was a discussion along the lines of "Del Palmer had a larger part in
this album."  I listened to the CD with _good_ headphones, and the songs that
were engineered by Del seemed to a bit better, if different at all.  Also,
Straight Down The Middle, which was engineered _and_ recorded by Del seemed to
be among the better sounding, both EQ and S/N wise.
     Whoever recorded or mixed Rocket's Tail and turned the drums into mush
should be shot.  It almost sounds compressed.
     The problem I think with TSW is that there was an incredible amount of
mixing and dubbing as compared to Love Hounds (compare The Ninth Wave songs to
The Sensual World, the song, and you can imagine the mixing differences.)  She
_is_ mixing in analogue, so tape hiss (even 24-track, or whatever she uses)
adds up, as well as any other flutter, etc.  This is more of an educated guess,
so no flames, please.  If she went ADD, I think the problem would go away.
Suzanne Vega is similar.  Her newest album has a lot more mixing and dubbing
than her last, and especially her first, but it's ADD, and it sounds better to
me than any of her AAD recordings (assuming the same mixers/engineers, I
haven't looked.)  DDD would be nice, but Kate is pretty dedicated to analogue.

>Thanks in advance Scott.
>Scott Fisher [scott@wapsy.uwa.oz.au]

     You're welcome in advance!
-- 
                                                        Ken.
Kenneth R. Brownfield                            brownfld@uiuc.edu
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