Interesting decision from Nine Inch Nails to release two different audio versions of their new album.

NIN enters the 'loudness war' with multiple versions of new album

Iconic band offers two mixes to make audiophiles happy

Nine Inch Nails is offering its new album, Hesitation Marks, in two different ways: a standard mix for the CD, iTunes, and other digital stores, and a different mix catered to audiophiles available through the band's website. This second "audiophile master" mix is the latest salvo against the overbearing loudness of pop music today, and, according to the band, it's the first time that anyone has mastered the same album twice for different audiences.



Here's the rest of the article:

[www.theverge.com]

A slightly different take on the release.

[www.theatlanticwire.com]

Yeah, why not just release the 'better' version!?

PS: Trent looks so much like Russ Abbott.

I downloaded 2 hours of tour rehearsal from June. Lot of new songs on it. They are sounding really good. I'm picking up the cd Tuesday. Anxious to hear what Trent has Lindsey Buckingham playing on!

Hilarious (not) how brickwalling has become the "standard version" of mastering an LP.

I'm curious enough to get the alternative ie not-brickwalled version, which I'm sure would scare me into NOT getting the "standard" edition.

Paul McCartney did this a few years ago when he had released two remastered versions of "Band on the Run". There were limited and unlimited versions available.
[en.wikipedia.org]

Neil Young recent albums also come with two different masterings, one for CD/mp3 release and one for DVD/blu-ray audio releases. The CD version being a little louder than the high resolution version.

This said it's good news for music...

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kowalski
Paul McCartney did this a few years ago when he had released two remastered versions of "Band on the Run". There were limited and unlimited versions available.
[en.wikipedia.org]

Neil Young recent albums also come with two different masterings, one for CD/mp3 release and one for DVD/blu-ray audio releases. The CD version being a little louder than the high resolution version.

This said it's good news for music...

That's good information to have. It's good to know that some artists are taking a stand and at least making it available sans whatever bullshit the record labels are saying. Hopefully will be a good thing. Perhaps what is now brickwalling can be advanced to be not brickwalled? I mean, maybe they can figure out a way to still have the "volume" they like to do nowadays without the crunch? Dare I say it? An evolution/adapting of the medium?

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GasLightStreet

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kowalski
Paul McCartney did this a few years ago when he had released two remastered versions of "Band on the Run". There were limited and unlimited versions available.
[en.wikipedia.org]

Neil Young recent albums also come with two different masterings, one for CD/mp3 release and one for DVD/blu-ray audio releases. The CD version being a little louder than the high resolution version.

This said it's good news for music...

That's good information to have. It's good to know that some artists are taking a stand and at least making it available sans whatever bullshit the record labels are saying. Hopefully will be a good thing. Perhaps what is now brickwalling can be advanced to be not brickwalled? I mean, maybe they can figure out a way to still have the "volume" they like to do nowadays without the crunch? Dare I say it? An evolution/adapting of the medium?

Some albums are made this way. Neil Young's albums on CD are a good example of "loud" mastering but that manage to keep some life in music. Still the high res versions available on blu-ray sound much better.

I don't understand the deal with the Blu-Ray editions vs CD versions. Is it because there is more room to operate?

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GasLightStreet
I don't understand the deal with the Blu-Ray editions vs CD versions. Is it because there is more room to operate?

It's just the CD versions are a bit louder. They're made from a louder mastering with a reduced dynamic range.

The blu-ray versions have the unlimited mastering with better dynamic range.

I got the blu-ray of Psychedelic Pill & it sounds phenomenal. + you get Horse Back, a 30 minute "song" of Crazy Horse jamming. Included in that is a stellar version of Cortez the Killer. Nuff said.

Trent always had tons of integrity... on top of being a gifted song-writer!

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dcba
Trent always had tons of integrity... on top of being a gifted song-writer!

He's one of my favorites. Admittedly it is exploring the dark side but he take's a lot of chances musically. Incredibally gifted. I've got tickets for NIN in November. I also enjoy his soundtrack work & the How to Destroy Angels project.

Why don't they just release a proper version on cd? In spite of the current trend of having a loud version on cd is there really ANYONE in the world who prefers that?

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Adams
Why don't they just release a proper version on cd? In spite of the current trend of having a loud version on cd is there really ANYONE in the world who prefers that?

Trent Reznor for one. From my reading they it seems they aren't saying the Audiophile version is "better" in any way (in fact the hot mix was chosen as the definitive mix because it had more bite and edge which Trent wanted), they are just putting it out as an "alternate experience". I haven't heard it yet, but Trent feels the hot mix is the proper version, which is why it's the one on the CD. They said they wouldn't release some inferior product to the masses even though the other product is being released for free. Trent likes some things about the audiophile mix, but it's not what he wanted for the definitive mix. So in other words, they are releasing, in their opinion, a proper version on CD.

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kowalski

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GasLightStreet
I don't understand the deal with the Blu-Ray editions vs CD versions. Is it because there is more room to operate?

It's just the CD versions are a bit louder. They're made from a louder mastering with a reduced dynamic range.

The blu-ray versions have the unlimited mastering with better dynamic range.

The first blu ray audio I every purchased was GRRR! and I can attest to the fullness of the sound. Little Red Rooster is mind blowing.

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treaclefingers

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kowalski

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GasLightStreet
I don't understand the deal with the Blu-Ray editions vs CD versions. Is it because there is more room to operate?

It's just the CD versions are a bit louder. They're made from a louder mastering with a reduced dynamic range.

The blu-ray versions have the unlimited mastering with better dynamic range.

The first blu ray audio I every purchased was GRRR! and I can attest to the fullness of the sound. Little Red Rooster is mind blowing.

So none of it is brickwalled on the Blu-ray? And you play it/them on your Blu-ray player that you watch movies etc on?

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GasLightStreet

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treaclefingers

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kowalski

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GasLightStreet
I don't understand the deal with the Blu-Ray editions vs CD versions. Is it because there is more room to operate?

It's just the CD versions are a bit louder. They're made from a louder mastering with a reduced dynamic range.

The blu-ray versions have the unlimited mastering with better dynamic range.

The first blu ray audio I every purchased was GRRR! and I can attest to the fullness of the sound. Little Red Rooster is mind blowing.

So none of it is brickwalled on the Blu-ray? And you play it/them on your Blu-ray player that you watch movies etc on?

Doesn't sound brickwalled to me. There is however a distinction between the early cuts though and post Brown Sugar...more compression on the newer stuff.

I think they use the 2002 ABKCO SACD remasters for the 60s material on that. Fantastic stuff. Yes, I do listen through my blu ray player and through my TV surround system. It's not too bad a Yamaha 5.1 with Polk Audio speakers, centre channel and sub.

On GRRR! blu-ray, he 60's tracks use the good old 2002 remasters. From Brown Sugar on, it's the 2009 remasters. They're not as brickwalled as on the 2009 CD releases though.

The new cd is brilliant. This song is just one of the highlights. Scary good!

Too bad the so-called "audiophile" master is very far from a real audiophile release though.

One of the worst mastered CDs in recent history was Vapor Trails by Rush. They are finally re-mastering it for release this fall and fully admit that it was their @#$%& up in not ensuring it sounded good in the first place.

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kowalski
Too bad the so-called "audiophile" master is very far from a real audiophile release though.

Really? That's sad...

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dcba

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kowalski
Too bad the so-called "audiophile" master is very far from a real audiophile release though.

Really? That's sad...

Good explanation on why it shouldn't be called "audiophile" : [www.metal-fi.com]

And also an interesting video wondering whether it's an audiophile release or an "audiofail" : [productionadvice.co.uk]