Before speaking about audio, which I put so much interest in.... let's imagine Mona Lisa painting made by Leonardo da Vinci.. Looks dark, and she doesn't look as fashionable. So here some people made a "REMIX" of the original Mona Lisa. Have a look; the first one is the original da Vinci's Mona Lisa.
What do you think about the 2020 version of Mona Lisa?
The second one has a bit more bling cos back then, there's no GLAM life like today, perhaps, cos she's a world-celeb.
Third picture, maybe a bit of a make-up, she's a feminine lady. And back then, there's no make up like today, I presume.
And last picture, maybe a little bit of a 2020 hipster vibes on her. There must not have been hipster community back then.
If I'm artsy enough and could edit that well, I'd also blur the background, just like it was taken by HUGE camera sensor and good lens, and probably adjust the colour because the skin must not be that yellow.. But would I???
WHAT ABOUT APPLE'S "SPATIAL AUDIO"?
Disclaimer: I don't know much about digital recording ownership nor copyrights (in this regard).
I was extremely excited when I heard that Apple Music will have lossless audio files! GOOD MOVE, GOOD MOVE!!
Then now, spatial audio.... They said it's a big leap just like we did from mono to stereo... Hmmmmm, I dived into it.
And... "Yea, nah, Mate..! - that means NO, if you're wondering :) hah!
What Apple is doing, is basically REMIXING the audio and the tuning. More peaks on the lower register, and higher register in the EQ settings with much reverb level, plus a bit of a recess in the vocal register (perhaps to create more 'roominess'. Nothing really wrong with EQ, right? RIGHT! IT'S A PERSONAL TASTE!
However, I think Apple should say that this Spatial Audio thing is just another REMIX they're doing to original recordings.
Imagine the artists, imagine the sound engineer, imagine the mixing and mastering guy! They were sooo meticulously picking details in the recording; making all the atmosphere, and the whole experience, and now Apple is sharing the recording to world-wide people with their 'REMASTERED EQ' aka spatial audio, BY DEFAULT. That's is basically undoing the mixing and mastering done on the original recording. That's the art of audio recording!
I've researched online a little bit, for a few minutes, and I also found out that, unfortunately, so many music engineers aren't happy with it.
Many many many headphone brands are trying so hard to fine tune their expensive headphones to sound JUST LIKE THE ORIGINAL; how it is intended to sound like, set by the artist and the sound engineers behind the curtain. They even spend billions of $$$ for their research, and generating thousands-of-$ headphones for that, too.
I was once thinking about Dolby Atmos as well (which I turned off, always, if you're wondering). Then, now comes Apple introducing the artist's pieces / songs with their 'remixed'-version, masked-titled as the "Spatial Audio", BY DEFAULT!
It's just like I'm teaching kids about Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa, but I'm showing the remixed version, cos I think the original isn't good enough, and kids needs to get up-to-date with tech & lifestyle.
Oh, Apple :(
It's ON by default, but you could turn it off if you want...
Moreover, I think that it has to be the other way, though; It should be on JUST IF you want their remix-version..
Though, I'm really looking forward to see where and how this kinda technology leads us in the audio world.
But for this Spatial Audio stuff, my personal opinion would say PASS, for now. Undoing the work of the sound engineers!
Though, I know this might be a real deal for many people who might enjoy it.. And if you do, nothing wrong about enjoying that; but please have it in mind that this's Apple's remix, and not THE ORIGINAL, how the audio is intended to be.
Original Mona Lisa, please :)
We don't need bLingZ for now.. Maybe occasionally, for fun / refreshing time..
If you wanna argue with me, also think about introducing an Italian pizza to kids with.. PINEAPPLE PIZZA, hah! I stand firm that original-style pizza should not have pineapple on it! :) haha. I won't say no to pizza with pineapple on it though.
But yea, I don't know..... Any thoughts about this? I'd like to to wait for many people to talk about this idea... art, artists, recording, and remix.
Cheers, have a good day, and keep listening to good music!