Originally Posted by NoTLaDStyle
I honestly have no clue what specs the CD recording voltage is referenced to, but I know they are recorded high to retain the wide bandwidth of low bass and highs in the recording.
if the rms recording voltage was 8v then the peak volts would be something like 11v which is really high so the measurement may be off. I do know they are recorded at much higher than 2v though and when the signal is normalized you do lose detail and clarity.
The question then becomes how do they record them high? If they do it with more sensative mics, etc., then it might be ok. If they boost it through post production, like the link I posted describes, that would be a bad thing. I'm thinking its the latter, since live recordings usually play back quieter.
I have a program that normalizes volumes of MP3's. While doing so, it will identify the ones that are 'clipping'. I never really thought about what that meant, but it now seems that it is when the music, through post production, exceeds the gains on the mastering equipment. These songs sound 'edgy' even at low volumes. I remember that Guns n Roses and Biff Naked were some of the worst for clipping. Now that I listen to them, I can hear it. The highs just seem to garble together.
Interesting.
Toby