Yup - and I take issue with the claim that "Music Really Is Getting Louder".

No IT ISN'T!!

Audio compression flattens out the dynamics, but the playback equipment can only play it back at the sound level it is capable of producing!

You cannot push a digital signal beyond 0dB (full volume), and all an audio compressor (or 'Normaliser') can do is to bring as much of the track up to 0dB as possible.

This may trick the ear into believing it is louder, because quieter bits are now as loud as the loud bits. But you cannot push the signal beyond 'full volume'... a more powerful amplifier (and appropriately matched speakers) is the ONLY way to make the signal louder!

It's the difference between 'actual' and 'perceived'...

I'm afraid the HiFi buffs are talking twaddle again! Remember when they insisted you had to connect special speaker wire the right way round for it to work properly? But loudspeakers use AC current, not DC, so it simply cannot make any difference!