It seems to me that the biggest difference in sound quality between a
released CD or DVD and an analog stereo TV or radio broadcast is the
sometimes severe DRC applied to the broadcast. I can understand it if the
form of transmission makes it necessary, but I don't understand why cable TV
channels do it. For example, the Ovation arts channel in Australia transmits
orchestral music with _extremely_ severe DRC. They also seem to artificially
increase the proportion of high frequencies during the "loud" parts, I
suppose to give the listener the illusion that it's really getting louder.
The DRC alone is bad enough, but in addition it's as though someone is
winding the treble knob up and down throughout. The result is truly ghastly.
These days people are paying a fortune for hi-fi home theatre systems, but
the channels continue to transmit pure crap. Why do they do it?

David