Touchstone - Wintercoast - (Update: Pre- orders now closed)

[Rob Cott]

In the mix I asked that those sub-bass thuds were taken down to avoid the 'taking over the sound' issue, and in the mastering all was fine, and indeed mastering helps to smooth out the peaks.

Being objective - I listened to it through various media sources - all of which make it sound 'different' of course - but no distortion noticed, and of course each CD is a perfect 'red label' copy ie as good as the master itself, so it should not be the CD.

I can only think (as you say) it's a bad rip or something wrong with the media through which you are listening? FYI - after release, it will be on iTunes, so may be interesting to compare...

Let me know how you get on with re-ripping - the music or dynamics one can love or hate, but we pride ourselves on sound production (thus Mr Turan mastering {as used by Frost*}), so don't want anyone unhappy with that - please feel free to PM me if you still have issues, Mr LivingForever. We want you to be a happy Frost*ie!

[LivingForever]

Hey Rob, thanks for taking the time to reply to my inane whinging...  

First off, I'll say again what a great album it is, I reckon you've picked it up a notch since the last. No 'Difficult second album syndrome' here!

Anyway, I did re-rip my CD to iTunes and it sounds the same on my iPod - but I'm now playing the CD at a 'decent' volume on my stereo, it's definitely less noticeable.

I'm going to shut up now, anyway, in case I start sounding like an "audiophile".... (spit!)

[landslug]

I havent noticed anything abnormal in the sound quality.. I've been playing it regularly (rather loudly, I might add!) on the Bose system in my car, and it's clean as a whistle.

Digital clipping like you would get from a bad CD is a very different animal from analog.. once the signal hits the max and tries to go over, the sound basically turns to an electronic static screach.
I spent a few years as a mastering engineer myself, and something like that would immediately make my hair stand on end  

Perhaps the level of your mp3 files might be too hot for whatever you might be playing it on?

[gr8gonzo]

No noticeable distortion on the computer or in the car, though I did have one odd occurrence with it.  I accidently put the CD in upside down and it played "Summerland" by King's X.  I would have turned the CD back over immediately, but I like that song.