bob wrote:
Steven Sullivan wrote:
RobertLang wrote:
Clearly, the dynamic range of recordings must be ?managed?. However, I
have found that in recent years, especially with originally recorded DSD
SACDs, the expansive dynamic range really hits the mark. Significantly
more so than one hears on almost all CDs that I?ve heard. The best ones
keep the quiet passages just above the noise floor with little compromise
on dynamic range.

This was true for classical (and most pop) CDs prior to 1990 or so as well.

So what happened in 1990 (or thereabouts)? Did recording/mastering
engineers just lose their heads?

Theres' an article about the Loudness wars in the latest issue of
Mix that gives some historical insight.

http://mixonline.com/mag/audio_big_squeeze/