Half speed mastering

[Bksabath]

PS I can copy and paste as well as you do no brain required for that
A New Exile on Main Street "Using the Original Analog Master Tape..."? Doubtful

Michael Fremer | Dec 19, 2015




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A recent sales blurb from UMe's "The Sound of Vinyl" website reads: "Using the original analog master tapes this artisan process results in cuts that have superior high frequency response (treble) and very solid and stable stereo images. In short, a very high quality master that helps to create a very high quality record."
Furthermore it states that "Six iconic album releases have been exclusively re-mastered for vinyl at the world famous Abbey Road Studios to bring you a new level of depth and clarity. These records have never sounded so good!"
Since, to the best of my knowledge, Abbey Road's 1/2 speed mastering set-up used by Miles Showell cuts exclusively from 96/24 files, something is definitely wrong here.
First, it's obvious that an advertising copy writer has gotten his hands on a list of audiophile vernacular and he (or she) is sprinkling it liberally and thoughtlessly.
The claim made here is that the original master tapes have been used to produce these half speed mastered cuts. Is that true? I very much doubt it. I think what's being used are digital files sourced at some point from the tapes. That would be very different from what's being claimed. Different enough in my opinion, that if what I think is happening here is true, it constitutes at best deception and at worst outright fraud.
Of course it could be that a clueless copywriter is just carelessly spewing, but regardless, the company is responsible.
I reached out to Mr. Showell, who is of course in a very tight spot here, but I've yet to hear back and I wouldn't blame Showell for not responding. Why should he risk his job for something he had nothing to do with?.
I bet what's being used here are 96/24 files made at some point from the master tapes. Which files? And made by whom? Are these the same files used to cut lacquers for a truly horrible, dynamically squashed Exile On Mainstream box set issued a few years ago? If so, it doesn't matter if the cut is 1/2 speed, full speed, double time, 800x or whatever. It will still suck.
It's time for consumers to put their collective feet down and stop buying this stuff. We must demand where possible, all-analog cuts from master tapes. Period. I understand why Queen did what it did for the box set I haven't heard mastered by Bob Ludwig. There were reasons. Here? I doubt there are any legitimate reasons.
Until we get an Exile on Main Street cut from the tapes and without dynamic compression, we should not be supporting this kind of project—even if it was truthfully, not deceptively marketed. That goes for the entire series in my opinion.It is sad to see the great Abbey Road Studios name get muddied.

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[Stratmangler]

DO you work for Abbey road ?

This is the only thing that would explain you ganging up on me

What is wrong whit asking you or any whit a bit of brain to explain the huge run off ?

I am only following on as it is polite to reply to post directed at me

As You say I put forward the FACT that the fire and water is a turd in nice packaging and the Abbey road is only a marketing exercise
It is a FACT that an old original copy sound much better

I'll answer your questions and points in order.

No, I do not work for Abbey Road.

Ganging up on you?
All one of me?
Not at all. I am fed up with you repeating the same thing again like a damaged record. You went quiet on the subject, and then up you pop and start all over again. It's tedious behaviour and it's needless.

The runoff thing is interesting one.
The original lacquers will have been cut on a manual lathe, and it was practise back in the day to give sufficient pitch to the cutter head so as not to cause problems with the adjacent groove wall. It's a relatively short record at 35 minutes, so the pitch could be set to give a touch more space. That on its own would account for the difference. It's also not necessarily ideal, because the possibility on inner groove distortion raises its ugly head, but that's a HiFi issue, not a production one.

Since then cutting computers have been developed to control the pitch, and the runoff space became marginally larger.
The half speed lacquers had the advantage of the cutting computer, and the fact that the cutting head stylus doesn't get so hot in the half speed process would also improve things.
That's why there appears to be less playing area. There isn't any less playing area, but that's the appearance. The stylus covers roughly the same distance as the original, and with less of a tendency towards inner groove distortion.

As for the "facts" you put forward, you're fortunate enough to have an original pressing. It may well be better sounding, because it's been done early in the life of the stamper, and from an early generation production master tape.

My standard copy has a barcode on the sleeve, so that dates the production to the 1980s. It will have had a digital delay line used to control the cutter head's movement, and the master tape would have been a later generation copy. It doesn't sound great.
The half speed master sounds way, way better.

You never know, I may someday be fortunate enough to hear what a nice, clean, early pressing of Fire And Water sounds like, but until then the best I have heard to date is this half speed master.

[Stratmangler]

This is quite an informative interview https://hifipig.com/interview-with-m...of-abbey-road/
As is this https://www.udiscovermusic.com/halfspeed/

[Dr Winston O Boogie]

This is quite an informative interview https://hifipig.com/interview-with-m...of-abbey-road/
As is this https://www.udiscovermusic.com/halfspeed/

As I said my Free album sounds fantastic as does Tubular Bells, The White Album is just stunning also IMO.

[Stratmangler]

As I said my Free album sounds fantastic as does Tubular Bells, The White Album is just stunning also IMO.

I have the CD of The White Album 2018, and it's great.
The vinyl is too expensive for me

[struth]

I have the CD of The White Album 2018, and it's great.
The vinyl is too expensive for me

yup, me tool... i play cd more now anyway but the vinyl will likely appreciate eventually...maybe not in my lifetime tho. the cd is excellent

[paulf-2007]

I was watching the deep purple fireball half speed mastered on eBay and it came up ended out of stock. Next day it was back on, I got a bit itchy and bought one, it came today and there is not one reference to half speed mastered on the vinyl, sleeve or cover. Have contacted the seller .....

[Stratmangler]

I was watching the deep purple fireball half speed mastered on eBay and it came up ended out of stock. Next day it was back on, I got a bit itchy and bought one, it came today and there is not one reference to half speed mastered on the vinyl, sleeve or cover. Have contacted the seller .....

I have a copy, and there is no external reference to 1/2 speed mastering on the sleeve or packaging, not even a sticky label on the cellophane.
There is reference to it in the deadwax runoff area.
And the cut sounds excellent, by far the best pressing of the vinyl record I have ever had.

There was also a 1/2 speed cut of In Rock too, which is the same, no external signs, but the scribble is there in the deadwax.
I have a copy of that too, and it is the best pressing of that vinyl record I have ever had.

Both albums have been cut from digital masters.

Out of interest, what's on the sticky label on the packaging?

[paulf-2007]

I have a copy, and there is no external reference to 1/2 speed mastering on the sleeve or packaging, not even a sticky label on the cellophane.
There is reference to it in the deadwax runoff area.
And the cut sounds excellent, by far the best pressing of the vinyl record I have ever had.

There was also a 1/2 speed cut of In Rock too, which is the same, no external signs, but the scribble is there in the deadwax.
I have a copy of that too, and it is the best pressing of that vinyl record I have ever had.

Both albums have been cut from digital masters.

Out of interest, what's on the sticky label on the packaging?

Seller said the same, i checked and it is etched in the centre. Will have a listen tomorrow. Haven't been in the listening room for months so heating on in the morning and kit warmed up.

[Dr Winston O Boogie]

Seller said the same, i checked and it is etched in the centre. Will have a listen tomorrow. Haven't been in the listening room for months so heating on in the morning and kit warmed up.

How did it sound?