"Recorded at too low a level..."

[LeMartinPecheur]

A review in the latest Gramophone set me thinking - p56, Bingham organ works, some of which are said to "suffer by having been...recorded at too low a level".

Being an oldie I understand how such an analogue recording might introduce extraneous tape hiss and possibly LP surface noise. But in a digital recording how is it that simply turning up the volume isn't an adequate answer?

Yours confusedly...

[Dave2002]

I'm guessing this one - http://open.qobuz.com/album/5060262790960

You could try listening to it. Probably too much distortion, but it's not always easy to tell with organs.

[retroman]

In theory, recording at too low a level in digital risks quantising distortion becoming audible, but with modern systems this is quite difficult to provoke. It's more likely a subjective reaction to recorded balance or dynamic range - some recordings don't come alive unless played unnaturally loud, and some don't focus properly at any level, owing to faulty mic technique.