Half Speed Jap Vinyl

[walpurgis]

Yes, I know cutting lathes can be set for differing speeds. I was referring to retail half speed records. I'd not come across them.

[struth]

Not heard of specifically half speed records, although I believe 16 rpm ones were made at one time.

I reckon a Lenco TT would be ideal for playing them with its variable speed settings. Trouble is, where do you get a 16.5 rpm strobe disc to set it up?

Half speed mastering, not half speed playing although you knew that Helps the lathe cut high freq without melting , or did. they have normal speed cutters that can handle it now well enough. the only problem is just because its cut so well it doesnt follow that a stylus can follow it perfectly so it can sound worse than a normal cut one due to the low freq often not being as good.

[walpurgis]

Ah, I see. It makes sense. It's a very long time since I looked at anything about record mastering. I believe I did hear of reduced speed cutting somewhere in the distant past. I seem to recall, when the big companies started selling off their record making gear in the eighties, because they thought vinyl was a dying art, smaller specialist firms bought the old Ortofon (and other) lathes and started turning out top quality pressings.

The OP confused me a bit. I thought it referred to half speed played records, which was a new one on me. Although that would also make some sense. After all tracking of high frequency modulations would presumably be easier.

[Tom-Brown]

Ah, I see. It makes sense. It's a very long time since I looked at anything about record mastering. I believe I did hear of reduced speed cutting somewhere in the distant past. I seem to recall, when the big companies started selling off their record making gear in the eighties, because they thought vinyl was a dying art, smaller specialist firms bought the old Ortofon (and other) lathes and started turning out top quality pressings.

The OP confused me a bit. I thought it referred to half speed played records, which was a new one on me. Although that would also make some sense. After all tracking of high frequency modulations would presumably be easier.

From what I understand, they are recorded at half speed and this means half speed Lp's need to be played at 45 rpm - I've got a couple and the sound quality is superb - although it normally turns a single Lp into needing to be a double to fit the remastered tracks on. Lioness by Amy Winehouse is one great version and Rumours deluxe by Fleetwood mac is another - I'm not sure about the Mobile Fidelity versions - I think they are just better "cut"

[struth]

From what I understand, they are recorded at half speed and this means half speed Lp's need to be played at 45 rpm - I've got a couple and the sound quality is superb - although it normally turns a single Lp into needing to be a double to fit the remastered tracks on. Lioness by Amy Winehouse is one great version and Rumours deluxe by Fleetwood mac is another - I'm not sure about the Mobile Fidelity versions - I think they are just better "cut"

thats different. yes you get 45 rpm lps usually doubles.. these are recorded at half speed but the tape and lathe run at half speed. they play at 33rpm

[anubisgrau]

"half speed" is only a speed of mastering, has nothing to with 33 or 45 or whatever speed of reproduction. just a better sound.

[Marco]

My friend will get the list together of the specific titles available in the next few days...

Marco.

[daytona600]

Mofi has used this for decades for 33rpm & recently 45rpm

Half-speed Mastering
MFSL was the first record company to make Half-speed Mastering a standard practice for all of its LP releases. MFSL LPs are pressed from disc lacquers cut at 1/2 normal playing speed. This was not a new concept however. The UK Decca Records label had used the same process on many stereo classical music LP releases between 1958 and 1967. MFSL revived the practice, refined it, and made it the company's major selling point. It is a time consuming process that also presented technical challenges, so its use was never common or widespread, despite sonic advantages. Sound is transferred from tape to disc with both the master tape and the disc cutting lathe playing at half speed. For instance, a 30 inch per second (IPS) speed tape would be played at 15 IPS, while the lathe is running at 16 2⁄3 RPM (when cutting a standard 33 1⁄3 RPM LP). Half-speed Mastering allows for extended frequency response and better transient attack.

GAIN 2 Ultra Analog™ is a proprietary cutting system built and designed by legendary design genius Tim De Paravicini, with consultation from one of MFSL’s founding fathers – Stan Ricker, an audio engineer responsible for many of MFSL’s most heralded past releases.

The GAIN 2 Ultra Analog™ system is comprised of a Studer™ tape machine with customized reproduction electronics* and handcrafted cutting amps that drive an Ortofon cutting head on a restored Neumann VMS-70 lathe. (*It is worth noting that independent studies have confirmed that the GAIN 2 Ultra Analog™ system can unveil sonic information all the way up to 122kHz!)

First and foremost, we only utilize first generation original master recordings as source material for our releases. We then play back master tapes at half speed enabling the GAIN 2 Ultra Analog™ system to fully extract the master’s sonic information. Our lacquers are then plated in a specialized process that protects transients in the musical signal. (Due to this process, there may be occasional pops or ticks inherent in initial play back, but as the disc is played more, a high quality stylus will actually polish the grooves and improve the sound). We further ensure optimum sound quality by strictly limiting the number of pressings printed for each release. These limited editions, in addition to being collectors’ items, ensure that the quality of the last pressing matches the quality of the first.

As you can imagine, all these efforts involve a tremendous amount of time, technology, cost and effort. The introduction of GAIN 2 Ultra Analog™ maintains Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab’s position as the world’s leading audiophile record label, where a passion for music with extraordinary sound quality matters most.

[Ninanina]

Marco.

Sorry for delay in getting the little list together... I will try to post it in the next few days....

[Marco]

When I first read this ad, I was clean shaven... Now I have a big bushy beard!!!

Come on, Bev, get yer arse in gear and showz da choons!

Marco.