Hawkwindforum

graham wrote:Maybe bands should be encouraged to release uncompressed versions of albums on vinyl.

Then audiophiles with tarty hifi gear can enjoy it as much as people playing MP3 files through their earbuds...

---

When a friend complained, a few days ago, I said to him: "But you like compression?"

And he said, indignantly, "I like compression when it adds production gloss to something like a Petshop Boys album. I don't like it when it turns an album into a hard-boiled egg!"

I've never heard Hawkwind being compared to a hard-boiled egg before.

I think having a master with no compression at all would sound a bit crap for a rock record.

Used properly compression is a good thing, just a shame that it gets abused in the mastering process. The irony is that CD has a potentially wider dynamic range than vinyl, something that caught the attention of audiophiles when CDs first arrived in the 80's, but then got lost in the ridiculous trend of squashing mixes to make them 'louder' which I believe started in the mid 1990s.

Just checked - Onward is number 75 on the OFFICIAL album chart! Happy days!

The more I listen the more I'm enjoying, a good follow up to BOTE.

graham wrote:Maybe bands should be encouraged to release uncompressed versions of albums on vinyl.

Then audiophiles with tarty hifi gear can enjoy it as much as people playing MP3 files through their earbuds...---

When a friend complained, a few days ago, I said to him: "But you like compression?"

And he said, indignantly, "I like compression when it adds production gloss to something like a
Petshop Boys album. I don't like it when it turns an album into a hard-boiled egg!"
I've never heard Hawkwind being compared to a hard-boiled egg before.

Etherealise wrote:I think having a master with no compression at all would sound a bit crap for a
rock record.

Used properly compression is a good thing, just a shame that it gets abused in the mastering
process. The irony is that CD has a potentially wider dynamic range than vinyl, something that
caught the attention of audiophiles when CDs first arrived in the 80's, but then got lost in the
ridiculous trend of squashing mixes to make them 'louder' which I believe started in the mid 1990s.

agree. nearly all production-masters (copies of the original used for mass duplication) have some
degree of compression - it is part of the finishing process. how skillfully it is applied will affect the
overall fidelity. amplitude modulation (AM) broadcast requires compression for a "squeezed-up"
sound, while frequency modulation (FM) allows more range to be broadcast effectively. perhaps
part of the reason music tends to be heavily compressed these days relates to what jamun said in
his analysis post, that compression enhances the music when transmitted in a noisy environment.
people just don't have as much time to sit in a noise-free environment with their music.
compression makes it easier for the human ear to separate elements of the music from the
background-noise of traffic. we then become accustomed to hearing music in this way, like an old
comfortable pair of well-worn shoes. in addition, music that lacks subtlety and nuance relies on
compression for bombast and pretension in place of substance ( referring to much of today’s pop
styles)

mad cyril wrote:The Drive By reminds of something, but I can't quite put my finger on it..... yet.

I have it now. It reminds me of The Charlatans "The Bell & The Butterfly".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzD4u5QRVlM&noredirect=1

psygazebo wrote:Well after living with the album for a while I have to say it's really rather good... I do find the musical credit listing in the booklet rather interesting as the balance of input is quite unexpected. I always expect a high Brock writing content and, this is very apparent. But, excluding the three tracks labelled as bonuses leaving 14 tracks Tim only plays on 4 ? I would have thought tim and Brock would have done the lions share with the others taking occasional duties ? If you listen to blood then Tim appears to be really involved with his production and synth work - thoughts please fellow spacers ??This is Gaz over and out..

in the interview posted recently in Hawkwind Chat : http://www.mixcloud.com/POEM/episode-6- ... -hawkwind/

someone (who?) mentions Tim has been living in France, that may have something to do
with his diminished participation (?)

vikmarlo wrote:

psygazebo wrote:Well after living with the album for a while I have to say it's really rather good... I do find the musical credit listing in the booklet rather interesting as the balance of input is quite unexpected. I always expect a high Brock writing content and, this is very apparent. But, excluding the three tracks labelled as bonuses leaving 14 tracks Tim only plays on 4 ? I would have thought tim and Brock would have done the lions share with the others taking occasional duties ? If you listen to blood then Tim appears to be really involved with his production and synth work - thoughts please fellow spacers ??This is Gaz over and out..

in the interview posted recently in Hawkwind Chat : http://www.mixcloud.com/POEM/episode-6- ... -hawkwind/

someone (who?) mentions Tim has been living in France, that may have something to do
with his diminished participation (?)

He's been living in France since 1970.

oh, I see now that its the Poitou region - perhaps 60 years has taken
some of the fun out of travelling , though there are workarounds ...

Tim's got a new album due out any time now. That may have something to do with it? Maybe it felt right to put his energies there and let the other Hawkwind people do the synth stuff on the band album.

Good points Vikmarlo re compression and lack of substance.

P.s has anything changed with the quote function? It doesn't seem to work for me anymore...

I PM'd Davemod five days ago inquiring about the change in the quote function.
the message is still in my outbox, which means he hasn't read it yet.
there's been a change in the way attachments display as well

vikmarlo wrote:I PM'd Davemod five days ago inquiring about the change in the quote function.
the message is still in my outbox, which means he hasn't read it yet.
there's been a change in the way attachments display as well

Quoted for truth, but apparently not properly.

barnetquark wrote:

vikmarlo wrote:I PM'd Davemod five days ago inquiring about the change in the quote function.
the message is still in my outbox, which means he hasn't read it yet.
there's been a change in the way attachments display as well

Quoted for truth, but apparently not properly.

He's on holiday at the moment, only dipping in to make sure there's no problems I'd think.

He's active on Facebook !

Finally had my physical copy of the limited Edition delivered today. Nice.