2017/08/04 14:33:07
brconflict
My advice for vinyl:
 
1) Don't bother cutting vinyl yourself unless you're really good at it. There's a lot of (some excellent) vinyl cutters out there, and the ones I've worked with are great at communicating back with you in how the cut needs to be adjusted in the mix/pre-master--for example, how much limiting you can get away with and not kill the cut with inter-groove distortion.

2) Grab Waves Abbey Road Vinyl plug-in to emulate your pre-master (remove it after you audition). It's a wonderful plug-in that can help you hear how your master will ideally translate on the final record.
 
3) Pre-Master at a target of about -16 to -12 LUFS, and leave a good, healthy dose of dynamics, without a super-strong, pounding kick or snare drum. Compress with the 4K Buss compressor a little to tame these. Don't squash your mix!
 
4) Use something like the Nugen Audio MonoFilter to mono-ize the low end around 100-150Hz or below. Ask your cutter what's best for his lathe.
 
5) Let the cutter get it loud. When going vinyl, you and the cutter will be sharing the Mastering duties. So, stay away from as much limiting as possible (other than just addressing some peaks), or address strong peaks manually.

6) Vinyl harmonic distortion is greater toward the center of the record. Go higher speed, shorter song-lengths, etc. to avoid cutting a 7" at 33 1/3. A 12" record at 45 RPM can sound amazing and LOUD!

With all that said, vinyl has it's place and appeal. To me, it's more of a coolness, than audiophilia. Audiophiles shouldn't want vinyl aside from the same reason they love tube amplification: It's warm and pleasing to listen to. But it's far from accurate. You can make a great vinyl record, and it can sound subjectively awesome, but that's where I land on the subject. heh.
2017/08/04 17:17:01
space_cowboy
So I don't need to convert all my digital files to vinyl?  
 
By the way- as an audiophile (I hate that term) - there are other things I love about vinyl.
1  My kids don't borrow it out of the case and never return it
2  I can actually read the stuff on the record sleeve without a magnifying glass
3  The Gatefold album covers had cool stuff inside the fold - pics, lyrics...
4  It is easier to roll - uh - a newspaper (yeah) on a 12" cover and collect the newspaper droppings where that would be nearly impossible for a cd
5  It gives me something to do with my ProJect 9.2 turntable, Clear Audio MC Cartridge and hybrid tube/solid state Aexthetix  Janus/Atlas signature preamp/mono blocks.  
6  I get to perform a cleaning ritual before every listen
7  Some of the releases are being done on 12" 45rpm with 2x as many discs as before.  Tres cool.  
 
For those of you that listen to XTC, try the recent re-release of Skylarking on 45.  Make sure it is the "polarity corrected" version.  Evidently Rundgren had a set of cables in backwards on his board and it made the bass thin.  
2017/08/04 17:19:40
space_cowboy
Beepster
Maybe sales would be better if the industry stopped trying to force feed utter schlock to the masses.
 
Yes, yes. I know...
 



12
© 2026 APG vNext Commercial Version 5.1

Use My Existing Forum Account

Use My Social Media Account