Re: Dave - Sound levels


"ChrisM" <chris_mayersblue@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:w4GdncMCU6FEVdzanZ2dnUVZ8uqdnZ2d@xxxxxxxxx
In message 24GdnWlybpgnWNzaRVnyhgA@xxxxxx,
John <none@xxxxxxx> Proclaimed from the tallest tower:

"Dave Plowman (News)" <dave@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:4f443f1d3ddave@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
In article <NKKdnYJcE9jy5dzanZ2dnUVZ8qeknZ2d@xxxxxx>,
ChrisM <chris_mayersblue@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Besides, a lot of the problem is not the peak levels, its the
compression used to make some parts sound loud.


Would you mind explaining that please?

Does that explain why some adverts sound louder than others (and
louder than the surrounding programmes - despite the fact that they
are not supposed to be?) The worst culprit at the moment being for
somthing I can't remember, but it involves lots of wild animals running
round in an office and the (eternally irritating) 'buzz
buzz, buzzy bee, buzz if you like but don't sting me' song...

There are no 'machines' which can assess relative loudness as heard
by the ear and compensate correctly. One reason being one person
might consider something they don't like to be louder than another
who likes it. Think teenagers and their music...

Also commercials and presenters have voices designed to punch
through and use mic techniques which make the most of this. Drama
etc often demands softly spoken acting. In other words there's a lot
more to it than just levels. But so saying getting those right would
be a start. ;-)

It seems to me that technology has taken a backward step here. First
of all though, I don't understand how *compression* can make
something sound louder? When I think of compression, I think of
something like WinZip that compresses files to make the file smaller.
When it's uncompressed, it's not bigger than the original size, it
*is* the original size, ergo, when advert sound is uncompressed it
must go back to the original level, ie, *too bloody loud*

Think it is to do with compressing the sound(??) rather than the file, but
I don't understand it either...



As for technology going backwards, I remember getting a portable
reel-to-reel tape recorder about 40 years ago (and later on, a
cassette tape recorder) that had a "Recording Level" control on. If
things were recorded at the same level, ie, "4", then there was no
change between different recordings and I didn't constantly have to
fiddle with the volume control.
Surely, with all the modern technology we have, programmes and
adverts could all be recorded at sound level "4" and let the end user
turn the telly sound up if they are a bit deaf, down if they are a
bit sensitive, and not change anything if they are in the middle?

John

Trouble is, if you recorded something at level 4 on your tape recorder,
then gave the tape to someone else, and they added something using THEIR
tape recorder also at level 4, if their recorder was a different
make/model to yours(or quite possibly, even if it was the same) then
there's a good chance the levels would be slightly different...

Different programmes/adverts/links all come from different suppliers using
different equipment, recording techniques, encoding methods etc. etc. etc.

Ah yes, I hadn't thought of that Chris, good point. Mind you though, when I
take individual music files, say a couple of Led Zeppelin tracks, a couple
of Jethro Tull etc., etc., and burn them onto a CD for use in the car CD
player, even Nero has a facility to make all tracks the same level so that
you're not constantly fiddling with the volume control of the player so - I
don't know what - but I'm sure that *something* could be done to make things
better.

John


.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Dave - Sound levels
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