Today’s pop music tends to be mastered to sound “loud” even when it’s being played at low volumes. The compressed dynamic range means that there’s not much difference in decibels between the quiet and loud parts of the music. Listening to these albums through high-quality audio gear can be a horrific assault on the lugholes. That’s why audiophiles seek out albums that have been mastered with a wider dynamic range. That doesn’t mean you have to resort to slapping some leather waistcoat-wearing, ponytail-sporting Austrian jazz fiddler’s latest opus onto your beloved turntable. Or listen to far-out funk through your wireless speaker though.