Hesitation Marks - Audiophile or AudioFAIL ?

Nine Inch Nails have released an "audiophile" version of their new album "Hesitation Marks" - but does it sound any better ?

For information on the "Perception" plugin:

[RealHomeRecording]

"Why squash the CD so much anyway?" - A question many of us have been asking for years now.

[thrdrdkroovy]

Trent has been compressing the shit out of his music since Broken. I hate to be an apologist, but it's really part of his sound :\

[lernswim]

Information left out of this video: the album is absolutely great.

[lachlanlikesathing]

This is a good analysis, but I don't really subscribe to the basic premise of this video - the automatic 'audiophile' argument that 'more dynamic range = better BECAUSE MUSIC'
 
This is literally the same as saying 'all photos should have colour saturation X because it looks better' or 'all movies should have white balance Y because it makes it a better movie'.
 
I find it condescending to suggest that Trent Reznor did not sit there and make an aesthetic decision to aim for a specific dynamic range.
 
I am entirely for people suggesting that they LIKE the sound of more dynamic range more. I personally like the sound of most albums with more dynamic range! But I entirely object to the tone of the argument that implies there is an objective measure by which we can judge a piece of work as 'good' as long as it has a certain dynamic range.
 
In the case of Hesitation Marks, it's clear that Trent Reznor is not some idiot with a recording booth twiddling dials randomly. He has thought about the issue. This is what he feels happy to release. In fact he doesn't really feel happy about it because he released two versions - but he is hedging his bets, and it is sad that he feels the need to do this from an artistic perspective.
 
There has been a historical, aesthetic trend towards a particular production style. People's tastes change and so production is changing. There is nothing objective about this. We don't sit around arguing that black and white photography is objectively flawed because they don't use enough colours.

[duprie]

I like the audiophile version. Meters and analyses notwithstanding it just sounds more dynamic and interesting to my brain.

[TheJohdu]

square and sawtooth heavy music gives low dynamic range measures - shocking news.

[batman.darthmaul]

By the way, I just found out NIN has a new EP out, "NOT THE ACTUAL EVENTS." (Yes, I do mean EP, not LP. It's 5 tracks.) Interestingly, it's not available on CD. You can get mp3's from I guess iTunes?....I didn't look since I don't like iTunes. However, if you prefer a physical copy, Trent wants you to experience it on vinyl and vinyl only. The vinyl also includes hi res digital downloads. You can get them on the official NIN.com store; I don't know about other outlets. Several other NIN titles are also available as 2017 Definitive Editions on vinyl with hi res digital downloads.

As Trent says in his Vinyl Mission Statement:
"DIGITAL FORMATS AND STREAMING ARE GREAT AND CERTAINLY CONVENIENT, BUT THE IDEAL WAY I’D HOPE A LISTENER EXPERIENCE MY MUSIC IS TO GRAB A GREAT SET OF HEADPHONES, SIT WITH THE VINYL, DROP THE NEEDLE, HOLD THE JACKET IN YOUR HANDS LOOKING AT THE ARTWORK (WITH YOUR !@#$% PHONE TURNED OFF) AND GO ON A JOURNEY WITH ME." (The all-caps are from Mr. Reznor.)

[auld_boy]

Good review and comparison. I'm currently studying music tech at university and as someone growing up into the industry this loudness war debate is a very central point of focus at the moment. As you also said when Trent announced the Audiophile version I too was very happy, after watching through your comparison I can see the subtle differences. I really need to compare the both for myself on a decent sound system before passing any judgement myself.

[the.brad.thomas]

Hey Ian - that was a great coverage of the album and thanks for pointing out the difference between the CD and the Audiophile version.

The Canadian band The Tea Party recently rereleased their album The Edges of Twilight (remastered)... Was wondering if you would be able to do a write up on that? Get your thoughts on the probable remastering session - thanks!!

[FuurPrf]

I own the vinyl, and would be interested to know about the dynamic range differences. Since apparently vinyl is mastered differently than CD

[tobyhawkins]

Thanks for the video (which I found after being disappointed with the production on hesitation marks - although still like the album a lot). I can only hope feedback like this is making its way back to Trent Reznor and Co.

[SWOgottaGO]

It sounds brighter on the cd version on my M50's. There is a difference that I not see you pointing out and I wonder why?

[PANDRIUX]

Pleae make a comparison between the downward spiral CD standard vs remastered (2004) vs definitive edition vinyl

[Ars]

I listened to both CD and Audiophile versions from my laptop in headphones, The difference was clear in favour of the Audiophile version. But when I plugged it in the audio system (jeff rowland + b&w speakers) it sounded more generic. More like the cd version, but still better. A lot of bass though. Especially in "While I'm still here".

[fleshtonegolem]

I master with 8-12db DR minimum. It sounds like they mixed in the vox using stems during the mastering phase because it's so low in the audiophile version, obviously that's in part due to compression. I would have mixed the vox higher overall in lots of the audiophile tracks. It's SO FAR behind the percussion that it feels buried. 

[adamblister]

I think Trent explained in detail why he released a separate CD version and audio file version back in 2013. Someone needs to pull that up. I'm too lazy lol

[BuzzaB]

Thanks for the info Ian. disappointing really I was expecting a bigger difference, as both Trent and Alan (moulder) really do know their stuff. makes you wonder, who else in the committee got a say, and would it have been better if he wasn't back on a record label? who knows

[GnCFilms]

Very interesting and enlightening. Sadly, this -- and worse -- is becoming more commonplace in the audiophile world. To name but two examples, HDTracks are selling 48khz masters upsampled up to 192khz in some cases (The Dark Knight Rises soundtrack has nothing above the 24khz mark) and Roisin Murphy's 96/24 release of Hairless Toys on Quboz is also an upsampled and heavily brickwalled 48khz master (with visible distortion/clipping spiking up into the dead frequencies above 24khz or so). How on earth are these being approved and marketed for sale as audiophile/hi-res versions? Keep up the good fight, Ian.

[tafrohberg]

Can you comment on the vinyl release compared to the audiophile release? Could you do a comparison between the two and discuss the frequency range content as well as the dynamic range? The vinyl version received an 11 rating over the 6 that the audiophile version received. A 24/96 version of the vinyl is out there right now.

[AllAboardWithNico]

I have a question that I can't seem to find an answer to... how does the iTunes "mastered edition" compare to the regular download and audiophile download?