Compressed TV sound - e.g BBC Young Musician of the Year

[Dave2002]

Watching several TV programmes recently, and in particular the BBC Young Musician of the Year I wonder if there is some fairly fast acting compressor on the sound. I can tell when the music gets louder - or can I? Apparently hardly any of the pianists can do pianissimo. I suspect that this may partly be due to the sound recording.

What I see is vague representation of dynamic range. I know that parts should be loud, and parts should be quiet, but it's not really what I hear. I feel the dynamic range has been compressed down to maybe 10dB - perhaps someone can measure it, and tell me I'm wrong.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

The BBC had a superb sound team 25 years ago. now they have become lazy, relying on technological solutions which satisfy the uncritical ear.

[Pianorak]

. . . Apparently hardly any of the pianists can do pianissimo. I suspect that this may partly be due to the sound recording. . .

Ah, so that's what it was/is. No idea if the sound recording/compressed TV sound is to blame though. But presumably technology cannot be blamed for a lot of the overpedalling?