Direct cutting vinyl link -

[DSJR]

I came across this when researching Metropolis Studios, who mastered my favourite "hybrid" CD - the bass is incredibly strong and I wanted to see if i could recognise the monitors they used (no joy, but there's a pic of the large Volt (?) driver looking like the one PMC use..

http://www.metropolis-group.co.uk/_dropbox/files/dukespecial_-_prosoundnewseurope_-_april09.pdf

Interesting their comments regarding BOTH digital and analogue recording techniques, feeling that both have losses that direct-to-acetate doesn't have. In my defence, I've always said that if all records were made like direct-cuts, then digital and CD wouldn't have caught on......

[Alex_UK]

You're really taken with Hybrid aren't you Dave? :)

Very interesting article - certainly makes you think if in these days of digital manipulation and computers how many acts could actually cut it (pun intended! :eyebrows:) - also wonder if this is why many LPs from the 50s/60s sound so good? I know Marco in particular rates some recordings from that period - would be interesting to know if this method is a factor?

By the way, I've never heard of Duke Special (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duke_Special) (the band/guy who was recorded) - looks interesting stuff, some on Spotify (http://open.spotify.com/artist/4rPGB8TvljplPZDjpLAdAF) if anyone else is interested

[Marco]

Hi Dave,

What a very interesting article, so thanks for sharing :)

I'm just about to pop out for a bit, so will comment later; however I agree with your above comments.

As the chap in the article said:


I don’t know why this ancient technology of wavy grooves and a disc works so well, but it catches the sound of a room and a performance in a way that tape and digital can’t, even at super high resolution. I mean, added Showell, we have 96kHz 24-bit files recorded through Prism converters here – as good as it gets – but they just don’t have the life and the atmosphere we were hearing on the cut...

Indeed. The "life and atmosphere" he speaks of is *precisely* what I hear when comparing the best analogue recordings (yes, frequently those from the 1950s on the likes of Capitol) to the best digital ones, which the latter totally lack when compared to the former.

And just as recordings on vinyl, when their full potential is realised, are the ultimate in high-fidelity, so is replaying said recordings on a top-notch T/T....

At that level, sonically, digital recording and replay processes just CANNOT compete! ;)

Laters,
Marco.

[hifi_dave]

I came across this when researching Metropolis Studios, who mastered my favourite "hybrid" CD - the bass is incredibly strong and I wanted to see if i could recognise the monitors they used (no joy, but there's a pic of the large Volt (?) driver looking like the one PMC use..


You've got better eyes than me, I can't see anything like a Volt driver...:eyebrows: though I do know that Metropolis have used large PMC's in their facility.

[Marco]

Hi Dave,

You have a PM! :)

Marco.

[DSJR]

You've got better eyes than me, I can't see anything like a Volt driver...:eyebrows: though I do know that Metropolis have used large PMC's in their facility.

Maybe it was Audax - the one with the radial ribs on the front that the PMC MB2 used....... I did think Volt used similar in some of their big drivers (up to 18" no less..)

My laptop hard drive has spectacularly failed (it had some files on I needed too and the bloody thing is unreadable! :steam:)

[Rare Bird]

Where you looking Dave. the near field monitors ontop of the deck are KRK's