Blue Pill or Red Pill ? Is there really that big a difference ?

So the new Peter Gabriel album 'i/o' is finally here - and everyone is talking about the fact that there are three alternative mixes of this album - not just a dedicated Atmos mix (as is becoming more and more common) but also two alternative stereo mixes. The 'Bright Side' mix by Spike Stent, and the 'Dark Side' mix by Tchad Blake.

So what's the difference ? Why are there three versions ? And which is the best ?

I couldn't resist, so started comparing one of the songs that I'd already heard - the first on the album, 'Panopticom'. And the results were fascinating, so I made a video.

To hear what I heard for yourself, plus some observation, comments and wild speculation - check out the video above.

And then let me know which mix you prefer in the comments - and why !

Wow, I really messed up this time.

Not only did I criticise the sound of the new Beatles single (gasp) and not only did I say it wasn’t a mastering issue (sharp intake of breath) but I used numbers to describe what I heard ! (Appalled silence, wolves howl in the distance etc...)

Oh, the horror…

People really didn’t like it.

I managed to upset people from every side of the debate, and they made that very clear in the comments on Facebook.

I made a deal with myself, in the years after my blog posts about the loudness of Metallica's "Death Magnetic" went viral. (They ended up being reported in The Guardian and Wired magazine, and with me being interviewed by the BBC about how loud it was, and why Metallica fans were complaining.)

The deal was - no more negativity and moaning about extreme loudness. I would always look for positives - I'd celebrate great-sounding new releases with decent dynamics instead. That's where the idea for the Dynamic Range Day Award came from, and I've stuck to it ever since.

Until now, because this is one I really care about.

Hopefully you already know about Paul Frindle. He worked at SSL, on the legendary G-Series console amongst other things (you know, the one with THAT bus compressor !) Later he worked on the equally legendary Oxford Digital console, and several tools you may be aware of by now in plugin-form - like the (yes!) legendary Oxford Inflator for example, and more recently the unique DSM v3.

So as you may have gathered by now, Paul absolutely knows what he’s talking about - and he’s a really nice chap to boot. He can often be found on audio forums generously sharing his wisdom and experience with anyone who asks, and has helped me personally expand my understanding (and correct some errors !) on multiple occasions, as he has for many others.

As a perfect example, he was recently part of a discussion on the Gearspace mastering forum after I shared my videos about inter-sample peaks and True Peak limiting there, and that conversation is what has prompted this post.

Because the thread broadened to a much wider topic - namely the incorrect use of technical terms when we’re talking about audio, and more importantly the confusion and problems this can cause.