Is lossy outdated in 2019 & onwards?

[BillG]

producing a recording is an ART

I'd say it's both a science and an art really, with the "art" portion being the engineers knowledge, skills, and specific tastes being applied to produce a recording that should sound reasonably good on the vast majority of playback systems. However, expert systems and artificial intelligence are making strides at being very useful tools in the studio:

https://thenextweb.com/plugged/2019...rding-studio-and-now-im-on-the-machines-side/

 

[Robin L]

I think producing and recording is an art that requires quite a lot of knowledge to do it perfectly.
Sometimes hindered by specific wishes of certain individuals/companies going against their personal best practice.

A really fine example was Herbert von Karajan, a conductor who wanted his classical records to be produced with the same sort of recording techniques that would be found in rock recordings. There's a mid-seventies HvK/Berlin Philharmonic/DGG recording of Berlioz' "Symphonie Fantastique" where an oboe is panned from hard left to hard right, like something out of a Led Zeppelin record.

 

[Sal1950]

I think producing and recording is an art that requires quite a lot of knowledge to do it perfectly.

Considering the loudness wars. the even extra compression of digital sources, etc; I'd call it more of a butchery than an art.

 

[solderdude]

The art of butchery ?

There are still a lot of audiophile recordings in certain music genres where I genuinly feel the recordings are skillfully made.
A lot of popmusic sure isn't but does sound nice on its target application (phone speakers, car stereo and cheaper BT speakers)

 

[ernestcarl]

The art of butchery ?

There are still a lot of audiophile recordings in certain music genres where I genuinly feel the recordings are skillfully made.
A lot of popmusic sure isn't but does sound nice on its target application (phone speakers, car stereo and cheaper BT speakers)

I have modern albums (pop/alternative/indie) that I only ever listen to on portable speakers or headphones when commuting e.g. in the bus or the train/working in the garage. Playing them on my more accurate speakers makes me want to cry with regret. These are albums bought on iTunes while in the middle of boring commutes, so no surprise. My enjoyment of such music is highly dependant of the environment in which it played. Likewise, quite unlikely to ever listen to a violin or piano solo while riding the bus — regardless of a 5-star “audiophile” grading of such album/track.

 

[Robin L]

The art of butchery ?

There are still a lot of audiophile recordings in certain music genres where I genuinly feel the recordings are skillfully made.
A lot of popmusic sure isn't but does sound nice on its target application (phone speakers, car stereo and cheaper BT speakers)

The HIGH art of butchery, or, "we don't need no stinking' science":

This is a living-room recording, ultra-lo-fi. And it sold. Which is what really matters.

 

[Sal1950]

This is a living-room recording, ultra-lo-fi. And it sold. Which is what really matters.

OMG, that's horrid. A computer making a fake bass beat and a couple guys screaming.
Music has musicians playing musical instruments..

 

[BDWoody]

The HIGH art of butchery, or, "we don't need no stinking' science":

This is a living-room recording, ultra-lo-fi. And it sold. Which is what really matters.

Wow...that just made me feel sad...

 

[Soniclife]

A computer making a fake bass beat and a couple guys screaming.

You're making Beck sound much more interesting than he is .

 

[Robin L]

OMG, that's horrid. A computer making a fake bass beat and a couple guys screaming.
Music has musicians playing musical instruments..

I love this album. Stockhausen joins up with the Three Stooges with a boost or two from the Beastie Boys.

 

[Robin L]

Wow...that just made me feel sad...

What? You don't like Schubert?

 

[Robin L]

You're making Beck sound much more interesting than he is .

Hey—anybody making a Harry Partch tribute album is alright with me.

 

[Robin L]

I think producing and recording is an art that requires quite a lot of knowledge to do it perfectly.
Sometimes hindered by specific wishes of certain individuals/companies going against their personal best practice.

You mean, like, the Beatles/Geoff Emerick?

 

[Sal1950]

Back to the OP, I believe the days of downloading "pay for" lossy files should be behind us.
I can see no reason to pay and store lossy files with todays low cost and easy access of storage and bandwidth.
After that, downsampling to smaller sizes for use on older portable media is understood but the days are growing short for those needs also.

 

[Blumlein 88]

No, I claimed good enough. He responded:



OK, he also came with all sorts of silliness against double blind tests...

Hey, DBT's are the fire. But good enough is also good enough.

Recording in the purist manner is an incredible rarity for any commercial recordings.

Analog done well is effectively perfect enough it tremendously eclipses the overwrought over-processed norm in digital recordings. It pains me to see how we have gear good enough to be fully transparent except for transducers at each end, and instead we get brain damaged processing making it worse than ever.

Now do purist recordings with excellent digital gear all the way and we have results only dreamed about previously. But those are as rare as hen's teeth and almost unavailable commercially.

 

[Julf]

Analog done well is effectively perfect enough it tremendously eclipses the overwrought over-processed norm in digital recordings.

"Perfect enough" is of course an oxymoron - either it is perfect, or it is good enough despite not being perfect.

Anyway, you are talking about the actual recording, I am talking about reproducing it. Analog does it in an imperfect way (adding distortion, coloration and noise at each step), but the result is still good enough for most of us.

 

[Robin L]

Recording in the purist manner is an incredible rarity for any commercial recordings.

"Purist" recordings aren't commercial.

 

[FrantzM]

"Purist" recordings aren't commercial.

I don't understand. They are not for sale? It these are sold, that's a commercial endeavor. One can debate about their profitability or lack thereof... 'nother matter.

 

[Robin L]

I don't understand. They are not for sale? It these are sold, that's a commercial endeavor. One can debate about their profitability or lack thereof... 'nother matter.

They are for sale, but they don't actually sell. In other words, the people have spoken—they don't care for purist recordings. The example I gave, Beck's "Odelay" was both a commercial and critical success. It is the opposite of a "purist" recording, as are all the other recordings that are popular/selling [or streaming].

 

[solderdude]

It is the opposite of a "purist" recording

Audio Lomography