KPerry
Google Analytics.  Google Scripts is also another site/set of scripts that gets used a lot and blocking it can cause things to fail unexpectedly.

i use soundcloud with everything but soundcloud.com and sndcdn.com blocked, no trubs
the cake site also need newrelic, googleapis and sometimes surveymonkey unblocking to work properly
eta: to get the soundcloud players embedded in the blog piece to work i also had to unblock a cookie from scorecardresearch.com

jpetersen

KPerry
Google Analytics.  Google Scripts is also another site/set of scripts that gets used a lot and blocking it can cause things to fail unexpectedly.

OH... duh. Thanks.
I've now allowed everything, still no joy.
I don't understand it.There's no google ajax or tabs or any of the usual things. H'm.
Time to stop, I'm just polluting the thread now...

The Soundcloud stuff is weird. They seem to have poorly implemented player code.

brconflict
I was actually surprised it was out of Finland. It sounds very American, which is where, as another member pointed out is indicative of the "music industry". Why not keep it Finnish-sounding? It might actually stand out.

I don't think it's that surprising since just about every really big pop hit today comes out of Sweden, right next door.

stevec
# 3 here too, with 6 and 5 following behind.   # 2 and 4 seemed to lose some of their transient attack/punch compared to the others. 
 
Of course, if I were to listen to the same tracks a week from now my preferences could be different, as could my listening environment.  

if you had taken the time to match volumes you would have found that the transients were in fact more prominent in 2 and 4. The tracks are quieter because there was less limiting implemented, preserving more dynamic range. What I'm learning mostly with this test is how many people have no idea what dynamic range is and how to compare tracks that are at different volumes. There's a video out there about loudness wars, you should watch it.

Here it is:

http://youtu.be/3Gmex_4hreQ

how does soundcloud's own compression/streaming algorithms affect the sound?

Another vote for #3. #6 would be my 2nd preference although the vocal is a touch sibilant for my taste. In #1 & #5 you can really hear the limiter working.

Great idea ! I have listened to each track in sequence, making notes as I listened on notebook. I listened back one more time to verify my notes. Here they are copied and pasted below....
 
 
 
Premaster. Strings not jumping out. Vocals clear. Bass indistinct. Snare could sound 'better' Kick drum and bass dull together.
1. Mastering Blind Test #1. Guitar brighter - louder so took level down. Bass guitar more resonant, as are toms on kit. Less dynamics, brighter.
2. More mids. Guitar less bright. Kick more punchy. Feels more 'cohesive' I like because its subtle.
3. Hotter (like 1) Good dynamics. Snare really snaps. More aware of hi-hats so more toppy.
4. Softer mastering, cohesive. Perhaps a little too subtle? Not coming full on at me on my studio monitors (KRK Rokit 5's) what do I mean? not punchy enough? My least favourite so far.
5. Least subtle so far. Seems missing some 'body' A little toppy. The missing 'body' returns in the chorus, but a little boomy. Easy to like at one level, but could be ear fatiguing after a couple of plays.
6. Nice kick drum. Snare not as prominant but doesnt take away from the feel. Best tone on the sidestick. Melds together well. Not 'boomy'.
 
 
My favourites. 2 and 6. For different reasons. 2 is subtle but very 'glued' together sonically. 6 is punchy and in your face but everything balanced. My least favourite, 4 and 5, 4 a little 'dead' and 5 too ear fatiguing possibly.
 

Thanks for the clarification Dave.

The page says to "please vote for your favorite master", so doesn't that make it a "master vs master" comparison and pick your favorite one?

stevec

Soundwise

hueseph
if you had taken the time to match volumes you would have found that the transients were in fact more prominent in 2 and 4.

You can tell that just by looking at waveforms as well.

Exactly.     
 
I was listening on headphones, at work.  Level matching simply wasn't an option....    However, it was a real-world/outside the studio listening experience, as 99% of the target audience is likely to do.   
 

As a consumer, you turn up your player to a comfortable level. As a critical listener you should do the same for each individual track. Even then, you stated that you found the transients in 2 and 4 to be muted when clearly this is not the case.

Very subjective to the individual. 
 
It sounds to me as if track 3 has had a more personal touch which I like. If it happens to be a LANDR track then I guess I've been LANDRED :)
 
 
To my ears it sounds like there has been personal attention to the bass and bringing out the mids. Like the mix has some human elements to it. 
 
 

I liked version #3 the best.
#6 was my second fave, edging out #5 by a little bit.
 
 

Another vote for the pre-master.
 
A very subjective test.  I'll be interested to find out which master was which though.