When it comes to badly recorded CD's, I'm more likely to listen to them in the car instead of my home system. I agree about "Layla" and I always thought the Blind Faith album also sounded terrible.
I recently read Richard Barone's (Bongos) autobiography: "Frontman, Surviving The Rock Star Myth" and it contained the following:
"There was now a difference in mixing an album primarily for CD (even though "Primal Dream" would also be issued on cassette and vinyl). In the past, when mixing primarily for vinyl, one had to exaggerate the effects a little. Tape or digital delay effects, and especially reverb, would often be eaten up by the vinyl surface noise. So we would always add a little extra. That's why, when you hear CD's of albums made pre - 1987 or so, they sometimes sound a bit too "wet." Those mixes were intended to be heard on vinyl. Digital reproduction gives a much more "literal" reading of the mix when played back.
When recording for a CD or any other digital format, we use the actual amount of effect that sounds right at the time of mixing. Paradoxically, when recording digitally, it is wise to add a little natural ambience or room sound when tracking, because the digital recording seems to eat up, or discard an unnecessary, much of the "natural air" in a recording (the way vinyl did with effects on playback). It seems to seek just the signal, ignoring the "space" as undesirable. The sound is often more "in your face" and, again, more "literal" than you would want. In my opinion, many current recordings are spoiled by this effect. For that reason, I make lavish use of room mics. Remember, when making a recording, we are creating an illusion. Use your ears and know the rules so you'll know when to ignore them..
The mastering, at the recommendation of Lou Reed during a lengthy and wonderful phone conversation about guitar tones, was by the legendary Bob Ludwig, and raised the end result to a new level for me. At one point, Bob even came downtown to my Perry Street apartment in the middle of a session uptown to hear how it sounded on my home system. That kind of dedication to one's work is what inspires me most." [Page 134]
I recently read Richard Barone's (Bongos) autobiography: "Frontman, Surviving The Rock Star Myth" and it contained the following:
"There was now a difference in mixing an album primarily for CD (even though "Primal Dream" would also be issued on cassette and vinyl). In the past, when mixing primarily for vinyl, one had to exaggerate the effects a little. Tape or digital delay effects, and especially reverb, would often be eaten up by the vinyl surface noise. So we would always add a little extra. That's why, when you hear CD's of albums made pre - 1987 or so, they sometimes sound a bit too "wet." Those mixes were intended to be heard on vinyl. Digital reproduction gives a much more "literal" reading of the mix when played back.
When recording for a CD or any other digital format, we use the actual amount of effect that sounds right at the time of mixing. Paradoxically, when recording digitally, it is wise to add a little natural ambience or room sound when tracking, because the digital recording seems to eat up, or discard an unnecessary, much of the "natural air" in a recording (the way vinyl did with effects on playback). It seems to seek just the signal, ignoring the "space" as undesirable. The sound is often more "in your face" and, again, more "literal" than you would want. In my opinion, many current recordings are spoiled by this effect. For that reason, I make lavish use of room mics. Remember, when making a recording, we are creating an illusion. Use your ears and know the rules so you'll know when to ignore them..
The mastering, at the recommendation of Lou Reed during a lengthy and wonderful phone conversation about guitar tones, was by the legendary Bob Ludwig, and raised the end result to a new level for me. At one point, Bob even came downtown to my Perry Street apartment in the middle of a session uptown to hear how it sounded on my home system. That kind of dedication to one's work is what inspires me most." [Page 134]