What am I hearing?

Headphones Headphone Discussion / Help
1

I have no idea what category my question falls under so this seems as good as any. I’ve noticed hearing a sort of “distortion” on some songs in the bass area. Now, this distortion is there regardless of the equipment (cans, amp, etc.) used or the volume I listen to. It’s usually only in one channel but always the same channel for a given song. So some songs where this happens, it’s always in the right channel. On other songs it’s the left channel. I’m pretty confident this is not a problem with the equipment - again, multiple cans, amps, DACs, sources etc. It’s something in the recording. So my question is: what is this distortion? Is the dynamic range compressed during the recording process? Is it distortion in the mic or something else in the recording rig? Wtf is it?

For reference, you can hear it in this track starting at ~42 secs in the left channel:

2

bad master / recording?

3

That’s what I figured. I can’t believe how prevalent it is…I hear it on so many different discs/artists/songs :man_facepalming:t2:

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4

The grain boundaries in the wire conductor. Should have gotten that 20N cable instead of the 15N.

5

I know rite? Stupid me :face_with_symbols_over_mouth: :rofl:

6

are these songs you ripped or a friend ripped?

7

But yeah I hear stuff like that on a lot of songs once I started paying attention more.

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8

These are songs on CD recorded by major labels.

9

have you tried a different CD player?

10

It’s not the equipment, trust me. Multiple sources, DACs, amps, cans, cables. It’s in the recording. I’m just curious what exactly in the recording process causes it.

The above song that I gave as example, does the same thing on Youtube, Spotify and CD (I have 3 transports and they all do it).

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