For the 30th anniversary, a newer hi-res digital version was released. While some still find it compressed, many listeners feel it is slightly less "brick-walled" than the 2011 disaster. The Devonshire Mixes:
Jake adjusted the gain on his headphone amp. He was ready to hear the drums on "Smells Like Teen Spirit" the way they were meant to be heard—crashing, not squashed. nirvana nevermind 2011 remastered flac soup updated
Jake felt a strange heaviness in his limbs. He tried to lift his hand to check the time on his phone, but his arm felt like lead. It wasn't tiredness; it was a physical density. For the 30th anniversary, a newer hi-res digital
The 2011 remaster has a wider dynamic range (DR score of 9-11 across tracks) compared to the 1991 CD (DR5-DR7). FLAC (Free Lossless Audio Codec) preserves that dynamic shift perfectly. In compressed MP3s, the subtle decay of Dave Grohl’s cymbal wash on "Polly" and the low-end rumble of Krist Novoselic’s bass on "Breed" get lost. FLAC does not. He was ready to hear the drums on