Half-Speed Mastering at Abbey Road Studio

[MylesBAstor]

Hardly new. How many years ago did Stan Ricker begin half speed mastering?

[Bruce B]

Half-speed mastering was started to alleviate problems but brought up more problems in return.

[mep]

Obviously the article was written by someone with little knowledge about audio. "Hand-crafted use of a lathe." Mastered by "one of the world's leading exponents of half-speed cutting."

Also, is it a bad sign when you see a picture of a mastering console with a computer keyboard in an article about cutting vinyl?

[Johnny Vinyl]

Rather than providing a criticism I'll wait for the product. I'm quite interested in the John Martyn - Solid Air one.

[MylesBAstor]

Obviously the article was written by someone with little knowledge about audio. "Hand-crafted use of a lathe." Mastered by "one of the world's leading exponents of half-speed cutting."

Also, is it a bad sign when you see a picture of a mastering console with a computer keyboard in an article about cutting vinyl?

But wasn't there some question as to whether these reissued Stone's albums were analog or digital?

[mep]

But wasn't there some question as to whether these reissued Stone's albums were analog or digital?

The article says the process uses the original master tape played back at half-speed.

[Bill Hart]

Rather than providing a criticism I'll wait for the product. I'm quite interested in the John Martyn - Solid Air one.

Great album.

[MylesBAstor]

The article says the process uses the original master tape played back at half-speed.

[lasercd]

Eric Boulanger worked under Doug Sax at The Mastering Lab. With Sax's passing and the closing of TML, Eric set up shop on his own. He purchased Stan Ricker's half speed mastering set up and is now running out of Sony Studios in California as The Bakery. Eric cut vinyl for me when he was at TML. Did a wonderful job and I hope to use him on upcoming vinyl releases I have scheduled for this year.

[MylesBAstor]

Half-speed mastering was started to alleviate problems but brought up more problems in return.

I assume you are referring to halving to half the RIAA curve, not being able to monitor the results and going down now to 10 instead of 20 Hz?

[Bruce B]

I assume you are referring to halving to half the RIAA curve, not being able to monitor the results and going down now to 10 instead of 20 Hz?

Not only the RIAA curve, but the NAB/IEC curve as well. You can't monitor in real time and tonality is a crap shoot with lots of trial and error. As you know, tape machines sound completely different at 3.75/7.5/15/30ips.

[MylesBAstor]

Not only the RIAA curve, but the NAB/IEC curve as well. You can't monitor in real time and tonality is a crap shoot with lots of trial and error. As you know, tape machines sound completely different at 3.75/7.5/15/30ips.

Yes I see them using NAB at 15 ips and IEC for 30 ips?

[Bruce B]

Yes I see them using NAB at 15 ips and IEC for 30 ips?

IEC for 30ips is odd.... usually AES

Besides, if they are going through that console that I see, 24/96 is the highest resolution they can attain.

[MylesBAstor]

IEC for 30ips is odd.... usually AES

Besides, if they are going through that console that I see, 24/96 is the highest resolution they can attain.

Exactly. I found that odd too. But I think for whatever the reason, was done to compensate for the tonality??

From what I understood, 1/2 speed was initially developed for Quad-discs. The benefits were supposed to be better upper octave extension and transients. But theory and reality aren't necessarily the same. OTOH, aren't all the MOFIs mastered 1/2 speed too?

[Johnny Vinyl]

Exactly. I found that odd too. But I think for whatever the reason, was done to compensate for the tonality??

From what I understood, 1/2 speed was initially developed for Quad-discs. The benefits were supposed to be better upper octave extension and transients. But theory and reality aren't necessarily the same. OTOH, aren't all the MOFIs mastered 1/2 speed too?

Yes they are, but I'm not sure about the Silver series.