Audio compression is a killer

post brought to you by: dyson

I’m an audio nerd who can’t help but be bothered by what’s happening with records and videos these days. We are using WAY too much compression on albums and getting hurt by upload quality that makes video look OK but causes the audio to suffer.

I get flustered and instantly thrown off if I can hear compression. Compression is a tool that should never be heard by the listener. But most of you  have suffered from it.

It’s kind of like taking depression pills when you don’t need them.

The Beatles used it to create an effect on Ringo’s cymbals. THAT sounded cool because it was run through a piece of gear that every audio geek drools over. It added amazing compression that gave those cymbals an effect we can all only dream of.

But in this day and age, compression is about things loading faster, file sizes getting smaller, and making things for radio louder. This SUCKS.

As I always can, I could go on and on about why this is bad for the listener. But you need to experience it for yourself.

This Fleet Foxes performance was one I will remember forever. They came out to the general public with ‘Mykonos’. REALLY? That takes some balls. And Robin doesn’t hold back. His face gets red like a tomato when he really gets into it. I was floored when I watched this. I thank you to Dave George who gathered this performance for us to enjoy.

But I can’t help watching it and missing the days it was shown to us in SUPER HD that took my browser forever to load but made it all the worth it when it did. Watch this performance and try to hear the compression. I gather most of you will but I’m curious to hear if it’s my picky ears or the downfall of the upload. (Look out for 2:20 in then wait for 3:15)

Fleet Foxes – “Mykonos” from Dave George on Vimeo.