Huge dynamic ranges on classics

[csuzor]

How loud do you play classics?

I am sure many of you have noticed that the dynamic range on hirez recordings (esp sacd) is huge. For example, the series from the San Francisco Michael Tilson Thomas recordings of Mahler symphonies: you have to turn up the volume dial higher than any pop or jazz recording for an average listening level. At some point the loud sections get very loud, but the soft sections are so quiet that I can hardly tell what instruments are playing (so quiet actually, I can hear the drive of the player itself!)...

So I can turn up the volume some more, but I cautious about inflicting damage to my ears during loud sections... I don't have a sound meter, but I am guessing that prolonged exposure at these levels would not be good...

Does anyone have this same problem? Is this dynamic range representative of the live performance? It is not a problem on the CD version, which is probably compressed... sad as it would be, it may be a good idea to have dynamic compression on sacd as well!

Has anyone tried "calibrating" the volume level so that the loud sections are still acceptable, and at what dB should the loud sections be to reproduce a classical live performance?

[JazzGuyy]

I live symphony orchestra in a hall can have very large dynamic swings. Differences of 60db or more between loudest and softest passages and peaks greater than 100db are not uncommon, especially for someone like Mahler whose music usually calls for a very large orchestra.

The thing with most classical music is that these are generally not sustained levels and thus less likely to affect your hearing on any long-term basis. As long as you are not finding the levels unbearable, you should be all right. This is not the case for music like a lot of rock where there is often only a 3 or 4 db swing between the loudest and softest parts of the music. Playing that at high volume would hurt you because there is no respite from the high volume levels so your ears don't get to recover.

[ThomasW]

http://www.hei.org/news/factshts/nihlfact.htm

[Ovation]

The wide dynamic range of orchestral music is precisely what makes it so expressive and interesting. Finally, SACD (and DVD-A) have come along and given us a chance to reproduce that range at home. I would be EXTREMELY upset if rampant compression became the norm in hi-res, as it is already in CD. Create a DRC switch for hi-res music, much like exists for Dolby Digital soundtracks, if you must, BUT DO NOT COMPRESS the masters. Compression should be at the discretion of the listener, NOT FORCED UPON US.

[Kevin P]

Compression should be at the discretion of the listener, NOT FORCED UPON US.

:agree:

This is something that should have been done in the CD format's design phase. They could have provided a way to do dynamic range compression on the fly. Provide it standard (or switchable) on boom boxes, car stereos etc. and allow an uncompressed playback on quality gear. Then music of all kinds (including the mainstream stuff) would sound a lot better on decent gear.

It's a shame that CD allows a 90dB dynamic range but most CDs nowadays have less dynamic range than prerecorded cassettes did in the 70s... just to appease the boom box crowd. :roll:

[JürgenW]

I'm reading this thread while music is playing by I Fiamminghi (Telarc) on a cd.
And in the booklet is a 'Playback Warning', reading: 'Caution is suggested because of dynamic contrasts'.
The composers are Hovhaness, Pärt, Corgiliano, Górecki, Vasks, Kancheli.

[Patt]

I have one CD that takes the dynamic range to the extremes, I have to make sure the volume is set just right or it is startling sometimes....Stravinsky..The Firebird Suite.