modern vinyls pressed with cd masters

  On 12/9/2010 at 11:49 AM, Xyrofen said:

Someone explain to me how this is possibly bad since I guess I'm retarded.

  On 12/9/2010 at 12:27 PM, Gocab said:

analog = good

digital = bad

 

Xyro, its because were surround by old farts shouting: Get off my lawn and stop using software, you punk kids!

Yeah I guess skipping the RIAA curve entirely would be downright impossible, but the finer points of vinyl mastering are probably in anticipating for the consequences of this RIAA equalization and other limitations of the cutting and playback process, usually needing several cuts until you get it right. (Note: this is just how I imagine things work, what do I know?) If you don't ask/pay the engineer to do this properly, I bet (s)he'll cut anything for you (as long as it doesn't destroy the lathe). Wonder if their name would still be in the runout though.

I have a few records that sound suspiciously like the mastering engineer didn't know what he was doing, or wasn't doing anything vinyl-specific at all. Longer albums desperately squeezed onto one LP but cut LOUD, vocals that sound like they were barely de-essed if at all, and generally eardrum-raping treble. Some of these come from supposedly reputable places like RTI by the way, so I guess sometimes it's due to crappy source material or generally unrealistic demands by the record companies (like not wanting to shell out for a double LP or proper mastering or whatever). If this is the record companies' way of maximizing profit (overcharging for deliberately cheap and crappy vinyl as a luxury/niche product), then that's pretty disgusting. It's as if they're not even expecting anyone to actually listen to the damn records.

[tl;dr = OUTRAAAAAAAAAAAAAGE]

What the fuck. Master your track until it sounds great. Let the ME at the plant worry about pre emphasis.

Depends on what sounds good to you I suppose...

Google -> "mastering vinyl" -> I'm feeling lucky.

I've never mastered anything in my life though.

Yes there is one thing which you do have to take into account,the bass. But otherwise, from the very article i assume you linked to:

"Much of the vinyl mastering work is done without the artist or producer in attendance. Clients will either mail in the master or deliver files over the Internet via FTP."

So make sure it sounds good, check the bass (sum it to one channel and make sure it's in phase) and if you have vox I guess don't have too much sibilance, but fuck if you have too much sibilance you're gonna have a shitty record anyways.

  On 12/10/2010 at 12:39 AM, chenGOD said:

Yes there is one thing which you do have to take into account,the bass. But otherwise, from the very article i assume you linked to:

"Much of the vinyl mastering work is done without the artist or producer in attendance. Clients will either mail in the master or deliver files over the Internet via FTP."

 

So make sure it sounds good, check the bass (sum it to one channel and make sure it's in phase) and if you have vox I guess don't have too much sibilance, but fuck if you have too much sibilance you're gonna have a shitty record anyways.

i remember reading from here that aphex cut a BUNCH of analord records before getting them perfect and, that it was mostly getting the eq'ing right.

Well chenGOD seems to have the perspective of someone who mixes/masters in a way that will transfer well to vinyl no matter what. Good!

I'm thinking more along the lines of what would happen if you send the vinyl ME a "brickwalled" cd and tell them to just make it work on vinyl. My guess is there's only so much they can do without asking you to supply a better source, and this leads to records that are shitty to various degrees.

I've been mastering audio for a few years but The Thought Police 7" by Ektoise was the first time I've done a master for vinyl

Admittedly I only mastered The Black Dog's mix as Daz mastered his own, but it was an interesting learning exercise. I was instructed by the pressing plant to EQ it to my own taste as they would not process the audio at all, so I tried to do an appropriate job (ie not compressing the fuck out of it, but giving it a good bit of body, and making sure the bass wouldn't go cloudy)

Upon hearing the record I was surprised by how much snap and crackle came through from the tops. The percussive sounds are nice and sharp and present, moreso than on the master WAV I sent them. The imaging is nice and spacious and the bass is bigger and cleaner than I imagined it would be (it is, after all, a 7" and I hadn't expected quite so much bottom end for this format).

So I guess what may have happened is as these guys stated they were not going to do any EQing, neither me nor they applied the RIAA curve, which would explain the snappy tops. Thankfully I think the records sound great tho and all the responses I've had back have been positive so we were lucky

  On 12/10/2010 at 11:17 AM, manmower said:

Well chenGOD seems to have the perspective of someone who mixes/masters in a way that will transfer well to vinyl no matter what. Good!

 

I'm thinking more along the lines of what would happen if you send the vinyl ME a "brickwalled" cd and tell them to just make it work on vinyl. My guess is there's only so much they can do without asking you to supply a better source, and this leads to records that are shitty to various degrees.

Of course there's only so much the can do if someone sends them a master with all the levels near the red. However, since when did brickwalled equal EQ? I haven't heard any of clark on vinyl, i'm sure it sounds different, but really, all the ME would probably do is just drop the levels of the source.

I'm not a mastering engineer, but it's not rocket science. It's about having great ears.

  On 12/11/2010 at 3:07 AM, Greg Reason said:

So I guess what may have happened is as these guys stated they were not going to do any EQing, neither me nor they applied the RIAA curve, which would explain the snappy tops. Thankfully I think the records sound great tho and all the responses I've had back have been positive so we were lucky

i think there's a bit of misinformation as to what exactly is involved with applying the RIAA curve, there is a reason behind it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RIAA_equalization

  Quote

RIAA equalization is a form of preemphasis on recording, and deemphasis on playback. A record is cut with the low frequencies reduced and the high frequencies boosted, and on playback the opposite occurs. The result is a flat frequency response, but with noise such as hiss and clicks arising from the surface of the medium itself much attenuated. The other main benefit of the system is that low frequencies, which would otherwise cause the cutter to make large excursions when cutting a groove, are much reduced, so grooves are smaller and more can fit into a given surface area, yielding longer playback times. This also has the benefit of eliminating physical stresses on the playback stylus which might otherwise be hard to cope with, or cause unpleasant distortion.

basically, every record must have the RIAA curve applied. ever wondered why hifi systems often have a specific 'phono' channel? that channel applies the 'opposite' curve to the RIAA curve, in order to bring the frequencies back to normal. some turntables also have this equalisation built in so they can also be played through regular inputs.

i haven't really come across many new releases that sound bad on vinyl, though in no way am i an audiophile. that said though, i found it strange that the re-press of mr.bungle's album disco volante was only on one record. it's such a long album!

  On 12/11/2010 at 9:29 AM, chenGOD said:

I haven't heard any of clark on vinyl, i'm sure it sounds different, but really, all the ME would probably do is just drop the levels of the source.

lol, i bet if you looked at a clark vinyl through an electron microscope it would look like the grand canyon, but sound great.

I have a Clark vinyl

  On 12/12/2010 at 2:07 AM, chassis said:

I have a Clark vinyl

I have an electron microscope... 4 realz... my boss has one.

well you two should get together and make a little history...:)

I have had my legs open to watmm for 4 years now and have yet to fuck :crys: