[linux-audio-user] (no subject)

[Mark Knecht]

On Mon, 2004-04-12 at 10:14, Steve Harris wrote:
> On Mon, Apr 12, 2004 at 09:53:06AM -0700, Mark Knecht wrote:
> > Steve,
> >    I wonder if you have any info on something I was reading in Bob
> > Katz's book recently, that many A/D converters actually have compressors
> > or other sorts of non-linear circuits built into them which effect the
> > use of the converter when it gets anywhere near maximum value anyway. 
> > 
> >    I found some of his comments about what happens with A/D's in these
> > regions interesting. Do the spec sheets you've looked at imply anything
> > like this?
> 
> They might have but I dont remeber, you can find the spec sheets by
> googling for the part numbers.
> 
> Thats interesting information. I wonder how consistent the compression is.
> 

My guess would be not at all consistent. However, I think it's germane
to Ron Parker's thread about getting things louder. Katz, in his book,
pushes you to see this as one problem in getting to the next level
sonically. It's not only a problem in the A/D, but apparently also in
some mix buses inside of DAWs too.

As I've sort of soaked up all the information he has to offer in that
book, (and it's a lot,) it's led me to understand that there are a lot
of reasons to potentially keep the tracking volume pretty far down, but
it does lead to more problems when people want loud on the final CD.

As an example of how good things can get when you don't make a CD loud,
check out MyCoy Tyney - New York Reunion. Katz won a Grammy for this
recording. Granted, I have to turn my stereo up, but sonically it's one
of the best I've found in a long, long time. (Available as a hybrid for
you SACD listeners out there.)