Most modern recordings have a lot of compression applied in the mixing process. This will make them louder, but will compromise the dynamic range.
Some older recordings were captured at lower levels, because they were afraid to approach the 0dB limit of the CD. Nowadays, most recordings hit this limit.
If you rip any of these older recordings, they can be normalized and dithered to make them hit the 0dB limit, so in other words, they can be fixed. However, many of these older recordings were also lacking in bass, which can also be fixed digitally, but harder to get right.
Steve N.
Empirical Audio
Some older recordings were captured at lower levels, because they were afraid to approach the 0dB limit of the CD. Nowadays, most recordings hit this limit.
If you rip any of these older recordings, they can be normalized and dithered to make them hit the 0dB limit, so in other words, they can be fixed. However, many of these older recordings were also lacking in bass, which can also be fixed digitally, but harder to get right.
Steve N.
Empirical Audio