So it comes down to who's going to listen. So if the consumer is the judge of the recording and you seed it widely then it is in the end in your interest to seed something that sounds good for most of the listeners isn't it?
-e
Well yes and no. If you are selling your recording as music labels do then 'yes' it is in your best interest to make it "work" for the most people you can. In the taping realm things are different so there is your "no" becuse there is not a "mainstream" appeal to live recording as much as we wish there was.
The line
So if the consumer is the judge of the recording
is a little misleading. The consumer is not the judge of the actual recording per se but they the ones buying the product. Would you buy a cd if it sounds like shit in your playback devices or would you upgrade your equipment. I would bet that most folks would not buy a cd again before spending quite a bit more money (compared to a cd price) on a new playback system.
We as tapers tend to say "if you don't like the way is sounds then fuck off" or better yet "if you don't like the way it sounds then go buy your own taping gear". Then again we are not selling our tapes and label do.
Catch-22 for sure!