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Originally Posted by Karl J  O.K. So I get this artist's CD back from replication, and in the middle of listening to the first song (on my stereo), I notice a tonal difference between the pressed CD and the masters I was used to hearing. After getting the master used for replication back, we loaded a song off of each (yes, the same song) into WaveLab and there was a noticeable visual difference as well.
I did some searching in the archives, but didn't find a satisfying explanation as to why.
So, if it's a normal thing to have happen, then WTF? Is this the price we pay for a medium that doesn't degrade with playback like vinyl or cassette (remember those)?
Do mix/mastering engineers prepare their product to compensate for this? Is it even possible? If not, then why the hell am I sweating over my sounds I'm recording, or my mixes for that matter, if they're giving you back something that sounds noticeably different? Then, to make matters worse, the kids go and turn it into an Mp3. Does it really still sound like I was using my API pres? Or if I had a Neve? Why shouldn't I just use my board's pres? They capture the sound accurately.
I thought digital was supposed to be what goes in is what comes out. A one is a one and a zero is a zero. |
First thing to do is do a null test, ie, line up a track from the production master and a production CD sample accurate on 2 stereo tracks and invert one of them.
Play them together and if you hear anything, it means there is a difference.
Manufactured CDs should be identical to the Production Master. They may sound a little different, due to one being a CD-R, but when subjected to the null test, they should be the same.
If it fails the null test, then someone at the plant did some processing to it. No reputable plant will do this so it will be interesting to hear the outcome of this story.