In article , Arny
Krueger
wrote:

"Jim Lesurf" wrote in message
...

But it brings me back to my main question, which I've left unsnipped
above. I am wondering if others have already experimented and formed a
view wrt what kind of alteration may be systematically beneficial for
various classes of material?

Most of the work that you describe, namely equalizing audio feeds to
improve their listenability, is one of the canonical functions of live
sound mixers, of which I am one. I mix about 4 hours a week of live
performances with 120-300 people in the audience. I serve at another
2-4 hours of full-staff rehearsals per week. I generally work with
about 32 concurrent active sources, mostly microphones and electric
instruments on direct boxes, and with 2-4 channels of digital media
players (audio and video).

So - with my primary question in view - have you examined CD releases of
old EMI classical material that was originally released on LP back in the
days pre the 1980s? And did your impression agree with mine, that the
spectral balance tends to often be different from the LPs in a systematic
pattern? And that EMI classical also often tended to be low LF shy?

I'll add a new question to that for you and others, just in case, although
maybe not many people have the Box (as yet).

I have - on a fairly brief trial so far - had the feeling that the new
Mercury Box set actually is simply the same transfers as they released more
than a decade ago on individual CDs. This is good in not being level
compressed. But bad in that some CDs were transferred at too high a level,
so are distinctly clipped. And they seem to have made a 'bragging rights'
issue of having done no alterations at all - when perhaps in reality some
of the recordings would benefit from either tweaking the spectral response
or altering the center to left-right relative levels.

Note I'm not asking because I want to push a conclusion I have already
decided upon. But because I am not sure and wonder if anyone else has
explored the EMI issue and formed any views on it. From past experience,
trying to get useful feedback from the relevant companies is a waste of
time. They either ignore you or feed you PR fluff from people who have no
idea what was done, and may know nothing about the 'technical' side.

Slainte,

Jim

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