#recording quality

A Tale of Real World Records and Bowers & Wilkins Today, I was listening to the Bittersweet album from David Rhodes. It’s No. 16 in the Society of Sound Music series I once subscribed to, released in 2009. In the quiet corners of the audio world, where the hum of amplifiers and the whisper of vinyl meet, there exists a fellowship not of musicians, but of listeners. This is the story of the…

Willie Dixon would have his doubts, no doubt. Yet, these two found blues compilations were intriguing. Would these old recordings turn out to be the thin, noisy, shrill, distorted, unbalanced sound I don’t want to listen to, or something special? It seems that Dixon missed the Marketing 101 class, ‘cos he don’t get that the cover is exactly what the seller wants you to judge the product as…

Walter Becker, the late co-founder, guitarist, and bassist of Steely Dan, was renowned for his meticulous approach to music production, which heavily leaned into what can be described as an “audiophile” philosophy. He and Donald Fagen, his creative partner, were legendary for their pursuit of sonic perfection in the studio. So, what was Walter Becker’s relationship with audiophile hi-fi? The…

My collection of Phil Coulter albums is growing easily as there seem to be lots discarded to the opportunity shops and for sale for very little. My wife is from an Irish family, so there’s a heritage connection to some of the songs, and I enjoy most Celtic music. I do not identify with “easy listening” music generally and tend to avoid what’s so labelled. Phil Coulter’s music is enjoyable.…

Music producers generally have mixed views about hi-fi audio systems, depending on their priorities and context. Producers mostly prioritise accuracy in sound reproduction during recording and mixing, using equipment that faithfully represents the audio without colouration. Hi-fi systems, while capable of high fidelity, may not always match the precision of professional studio monitors used in…

Given the way I think of recording playback sound quality in my home listening situation, I thought about recording engineers evaluating sound quality based on several criteria to ensure the best possible audio experience. Spatial and Stereo Impression: assessing how well the sound creates a sense of space, including depth, width, and accurate placement of sound sources within the stereo field.…

Following my recent post on CD and streaming sound quality, this presentation explains that audio recording techniques that create different versions of a recording are far more determinant of sound quality than are the delivery medium or playback format. Again, just as CDs and many downloads carry details of mastering and remastering, it would add value to the streaming service to be provided…

Jazz at the Pawnshop is revered by audiophiles for its impressive sound quality and clever musicians with imagination, sensitivity, and a feeling for nuance. Recorded live as Gert Palmcrantz preferred, and direct to two tape tracks, he wanted the recording to be a method of documentation where the path from the musicians to the recorder is at its most direct, with few intermediaries and no cuts,…