Why would a cd sound distorted on only some cd players?

dfuruta · Post by **dfuruta** » Fri Dec 16, 2011 1:03 pm

Some years ago I received a copy of a Yo-Yo Ma cd as a gift. At the time, I didn't listen to it. Yesterday, while digging through some boxes, it turned up again. Upon popping it in the computer and pressing play, here's what I got: http://soundcloud.com/dfuruta/10-chiran-bushi. Turn down your volume before you press play! This is super loud.

I think it sounds gorgeous, like a collaboration with Merzbow. But, clearly, this isn't what CBS intended to release. I tried playing it in another computer, and it sounds the same; super fried. However, when I tried playing it in a cheap boombox, it sounded normal (no distortion, normal level, normal sound).

What could be causing this? I haven't experienced problems playing any other cd in either computer I tried, and the sound is consistent each time. For this specific cd, Japanese Melodies (1984), I found one person complaining on amazon that their copy was just noise. No one else seems to have mentioned this problem, though. Could it be some weird sort of data-rot?

Brett Siler · Post by **Brett Siler** » Fri Dec 16, 2011 3:50 pm

I can't tell you the problem but I do like the way it sounds! I'm wanna start making distorted versions of some classical albums I have.

MoreSpaceEcho · Post by **MoreSpaceEcho** » Fri Dec 16, 2011 6:36 pm

likewise i have no idea what's causing this but it sounds awesome.

it's really weird that it sounds normal on some players and not others. like, really really weird. i would think it'd either work or not work. but it sounds like it's really bit-reduced, like you're only getting about 4 bits worth. dunno how that could be.

the sound of this is kind of right up your alley furuta.

Gregg Juke · Post by **Gregg Juke** » Fri Dec 16, 2011 7:22 pm

Cool. I remember that show. Iron Butterfly, 1969.

But seriously, folks, that's odd... I've had lots of problems with computers and older CD's, but I almost always get the futzzzing/clipping/digital distortion thing. Weird, because the most robust CD players do seem to be any Discman-type player or boombox; the higher-end models and computer drives are very, very picky. But I've never heard the Acid Fuzz-tone Psychadelic Freakout thing before; kind of neat.

Is there anyone on-board that's been mastering CD's since 1982?

GJ

Andy Peters · Post by **Andy Peters** » Fri Dec 16, 2011 7:35 pm

dfuruta wrote:Some years ago I received a copy of a Yo-Yo Ma cd as a gift. At the time, I didn't listen to it. Yesterday, while digging through some boxes, it turned up again. Upon popping it in the computer and pressing play, here's what I got: http://soundcloud.com/dfuruta/10-chiran-bushi. Turn down your volume before you press play! This is super loud.

I think it sounds gorgeous, like a collaboration with Merzbow. But, clearly, this isn't what CBS intended to release. I tried playing it in another computer, and it sounds the same; super fried. However, when I tried playing it in a cheap boombox, it sounded normal (no distortion, normal level, normal sound).

What could be causing this? I haven't experienced problems playing any other cd in either computer I tried, and the sound is consistent each time. For this specific cd, Japanese Melodies (1984), I found one person complaining on amazon that their copy was just noise. No one else seems to have mentioned this problem, though. Could it be some weird sort of data-rot?

Mastered within an inch of its life? I wonder if this is the phenomenon known as "inter-sample overs" manifesting itself.

a-

dfuruta · Post by **dfuruta** » Fri Dec 16, 2011 7:48 pm

I'm pretty sure it's not a pre-mastering problem. On a cheap boombox and on my roommate's MacBook, it sounds normal?fairly quiet, even. But it has this crazy sound on two different computers, both of which haven't had any problems like this in the past.

This is totally up my alley

. Trying to decide if I should copy this sound for something in the future...

MoreSpaceEcho · Post by **MoreSpaceEcho** » Fri Dec 16, 2011 10:08 pm

i could redo your records with a bitcrusher plug on there...

wren · Post by **wren** » Sat Dec 17, 2011 6:10 am

MoreSpaceEcho wrote:i could redo your records with a bitcrusher plug on there...

Don't use a plugin, use outboard gear. So much warmer...

Z-Plane · Post by **Z-Plane** » Sat Dec 17, 2011 8:26 am

wren wrote:
MoreSpaceEcho wrote:i could redo your records with a bitcrusher plug on there...
Don't use a plugin, use outboard gear. So much warmer...

Yes, I'm a big fan of the analog bitcrusher.

dfuruta · Post by **dfuruta** » Sat Dec 17, 2011 8:28 am

Got to use an analog bitcrusher for that vintage sound...

MoreSpaceEcho · Post by **MoreSpaceEcho** » Sat Dec 17, 2011 9:29 am

yeah, let me get out my abacus to help me design the world's first analog bitcrusher.

Andy Peters wrote:Mastered within an inch of its life? I wonder if this is the phenomenon known as "inter-sample overs" manifesting itself.

most definitely not. intersample overs don't make things sound like a chainsaw. and as the cd is from 1984, i'd be amazed if it even peaks at -1.

drumsound · Post by **drumsound** » Sat Dec 17, 2011 11:52 am

It's sounds more like Melora Kreiger of Rasputina than Yo-yo Ma. Of maybe a Yo-You Ma collaboration with the Flaming Lips.

I'd guess the program playing the CD has some sort of 'level match for all songs' or some other processing running in the background.

It's freaking cool.

dfuruta · Post by **dfuruta** » Sat Dec 17, 2011 3:24 pm

Ok, so it seems like this is a problem with iTunes. When I play the music from the cd, using Quicktime, it sounds normal. But when I play it in iTunes it does this distorted sound. "Sound Check", "Sound Enhancer", auto-crossfading and the EQ are all turned off. Is there something else that iTunes is doing in the background that could be affecting the sound to this degree?

This is still pretty strange, because I haven't experienced this with any other cd in iTunes (before or after). Haven't done an update recently or changed any settings...

digital eagle audio · Post by **digital eagle audio** » Sat Jan 07, 2012 12:09 pm

i really enjoyed this, thanks for sharing!
my only comparable experience was when Mastodon's Leviathan came out we played it on the living room stereo and the record had no vocals! it sounded normal everywhere else, but on that cd changing POS, it was an instrumental record . . .

wren · Post by **wren** » Sat Jan 07, 2012 5:31 pm

digital eagle audio wrote:my only comparable experience was when Mastodon's Leviathan came out we played it on the living room stereo and the record had no vocals! it sounded normal everywhere else, but on that cd changing POS, it was an instrumental record . . .

Once I was tuning the sound system at a venue that had a 1/8" stereo input on a wall panel somewhere - plugged an mp3 player into it, and got a vocal-less phase-y mess. Turns out the install people had wired it like they wired the XLR/TRS ins rather than as a stereo in.

That doesn't sound like what you're talking about at all, though; just the one CD in just the one location? That is really weird...

Message Board

Why would a cd sound distorted on only some cd players?

Why would a cd sound distorted on only some cd players?

Re: Why would a cd sound distorted on only some cd players?

Re: Why would a cd sound distorted on only some cd players?

Who is online