I don't think I've ever met another artist/tech who is more talented, articulate, dedicated, informed, creative, and just plain clever as maestro Miles Showell. The fact that we've all benefitted in one way or another from his expertise just proves the point that we must continue to nurture this sort of talent and brilliance wherever and whenever it appears. This is truly a 'dying art' that deserves to be illuminated and and cultured as much as possible!
This interview was a real eye opener. I learned a lot. I myself had long assumed that half-speed mastering was simply a matter of reducing the cutting speed. Didn't realize all the painstaking work that goes into cutting any album. A very informative and entertaining interview. Thank you, Andrew!
In 2019 I was lucky enough to part of an invited audience at Abbey Road, to hear The Analogues perform Abbey Road in Studio 1. Preceded by a great introduction by Mark Lewisohn and concluded by crossing the corridor to Studio 2 to hear the band play 3 Beatles standards. Definitely a day to remember!
The Analogs are true to their name. They must have a fortune tied up in period equipment. I had no idea they actually did a show at EMI - Abbey Road . Greatest Beatles live covers ever …
Andrew, you nailed the BEST interview with Miles Showell, one of my favourite Beatles related people in the world. He knows his powers and uses them in great form when doing Beatles (and solo Beatles) remastering. A top guy. Great, great video 👏👏👏👏👏👏
Yes, Andrew, a fantastic interview. Very well directed, finely edited. I liked the fact you did not include yourself there... We are there, with Miles Showell, alone, intimate. So perfect. (I'm biased, that is how I conduct my Conversation films). The question were specific enough, without becoming boring. We come out of this with tears of joy. Bravo. Thank you again.
One thing he didn't mention was the 'cutting delay' - groove spacing (pitch) has to be adjusted ahead of changes in audio amplitude. Since the 1980s, a digital delay is typically used, meaning the audio that gets cut to the disc has been digitised, even if the source is analogue tape. This basically defeats the object of bothering to use vinyl!
It makes sense that they did it in the '80-s when digital was considered superior by everyone, but why do they still do it? He mentions computers calculating the optimal groove distance for an entire side at once, which means they would have to capture the envelope of the entire master first, then run it again when cutting.
This channel is a gold mine of history. I cannot believe we are being treated to this from some of the smartest people in a medium that was very close to dying.
Was surprised to hear that MIles liked the MFSL versions of Magical Mystery Tour and Abbey Road. Those two albums used Capitol masters/sub masters to create their albums. In the case of Magical Mystery Tour, MFSL got Capitol Records treatment of the masters.
Wow , excellent, the biggest take from this is the fact a Technics sl 1200g/ae , along with the Audio-technica VM 540 ML are his go to listening tools in his cutting room, that speak absolutely volumes, that a 4k record deck and a £150 moving magnet cartridge are the choice of one of the very best engineers in England uses on a daily basis when listening to his finished records, what a massive recommendation for two superbly engineered pieces of kit , thank you so much for this video both you and miles showell brought so much info to the table i would otherwise not have known. 😊.
Absolute genius, Andrew. I think you've excelled yourself. If Miles and Doc Ebbetts want to collaborate on a whole new box set of Beatles albums, I'd be 99th in the queue to buy a copy. Assuming I could get there fast enough.
@@BlindGordie Ah, I know Alan's work as well! I will go check that out. I was thinking of Under the Influence's Terry O'Reilly, who is also one of Canada's biggest Beatles fans.
Was hanging onto every minute. Quality interview! No BS, just the straight dope from one of the best vinyl people out there. Seems like a really nice dude.
This is what content production is all about. While watching this I couldn’t help but think how precious it is that you captured this man’s thoughts and stories and insights. Is it because this is Abbey Road Studios that this video embodies such reverence? Excellent choice of subject to interview and thank you to Miles for his candour.
The problem for me in this new half cuts are not working because groove width, but I don't know much, I just noticed that from Technics research, the half cut method in order to be possible the groove widthness had to be expanded and a limit of 16min per side was introduced. Reading this I believe that Abbey Road is doing half speed mastering but keeping the groove dimensions to the limit, and that brings limitations, but this is what is explained by Technics research in 1976: "2. Low speed cutting and frequency response range In the cutting process, the cutting master tape playback speed was reduced from the conventional 38 cm/sec to one half, or 19 cm/sec, and the speed of the lacquer master disc was also reduced from 33* rpm to 163 rpm, and the cutting was made at these reduced speeds. This made possible increased volume levels and improved transient response, with the frequency response characteristics of the cutting process expanded tics of the cutting process expanded to 20 Hz-45 KHz. 3. Abundantly wide cutting pitch In order to make the most of the above factors, the groove pitch was chosen that there would be ample clearance between grooves. The actual recording time per side is therefore some 16 minutes, and no attempt was made to compress the groove spacing. This enabled higher peak levels, and a more-than-adequate groove amplitude, so that the low frequency response, in particular, is greatly improved." So while not aproaching step 3 at the current half cuts.. that means we are loosing indeed the low frequency response.... I stopped buying this new half cuts, because somehow the full process was losta long the way this past years... beacause they are a bit dry, specially compared to the Technics half-cut with wide groove has amazing bass. Would love to know if Miles Showell regards this factor on pitch groove or what are his thoughts on it.
@@pauldavies6037 Hi, Unfortunatly I don't have any of those, the only half cut mastering besides this current Abbey Road ones is the Technics Audio Inspection Vol.I in which includes a booklet explaining their research on the Half Cutting process, and in order for the Half-Cut process to have the corrent low end response, it was adamant that the grooves wheren't limited in width they realised for the half cut method to work properly a12" record could not have more than 16mins per side to have ample groove width. so that became my reference when I see half-cuts .. if it comes 20mins per side, I ignore it. I tried with the Abbey Road cuts... Brothers in Arms... No bass at all it is sad, compared to the OG Portuguese pressing, same with Ziggy Stardust half cut feels dry and anemic, this where my last and I sweared I will never buy another hal cut that is more than 16min per side. I hope it makes sense, but today some want to make the best really others just want to make business as usual... I guess the 180gr fad is passing away, and now there is in need of another fad. For sure now you mention those I will try to get some to check them out. But this simple rule of 16mins per side should be enough I believe.
This is the only channel on TH-cam where I’m looking forward to every new upload each Sunday. Love them all, but this Sunday you’ve outdone yourself. Thanks very much for a very informative and really nice video. Can’t wait for next Sunday’s upload and it’s Abbey Road connection.
I really enjoyed the video, and couldn't help wondering if that was the DMM lathe we cut our first ever Energise Records single on at Abbey Rd back in 1993. Our mastering engineer was Nick Webb, and he was surprised when .i rattled off a list of Motown albums that had his name in the dead wax. Its an astonishing place to visit. On a second cut, I was allowed to put the I.Q. bands in, by pressing the button on the desk..what a memory.
Miles Showell shows what happens when the human brain optimizes itself to the maximum. He's such an impressive person. And you're not half-bad, Andrew. 😉 Fantastic interview.
Most of the of the Abbey Road half-speed mastered vinyl I've bought have had some level of with distortion - the recent Let It Be, Get Back, and Revolver remixes in particular. Not a problem I ever have with original 60s and 70s records.
For some reason, I had the “He’s going to tell… He’s going to tell…” song from Monty Python and the Holy Grail in my head as I started watching this. Fabulous video. Again!
Digital is going to be the savior of these old disintegrating analog tapes. Getting good Digital transfers while they can still be run through a tape machine will allow these albums to be reissued on any format for a thousand years.
Yeah I can't see what all the hatred over records from digital sources is all about However I'm lucky enough a few analogue records and they are magnificent but also very quiet!
Yeah I can't see what all the hatred over records from digital sources is all about However I'm lucky enough a few analogue records and they are magnificent but also very quiet!
Plenty of vinyl records have been sourced from digital recordings since the 70's, and digital cutting equipment has been used since the days of PCM recordings being on tape. The people who make a big deal about whether an album came from a full analog process or not aren't people who care about audio quality, they care about demonizing the digital boogeyman for no tangible reason, regardless of the benefits of digital.
Your editing and production skills are truly next level and deserving of a platform like Nebula or even Netflix rather than “simple” ol’ TH-cam. Many kudos!
If Miles can somehow see/hear this I'd appreciate it.... the work he did on Zhu - Dreamland is nothing short of magic. Absolutely astonishing. I cannot praise it enough. The bass and fidelity are set to 11, a true audiophile EDM record. Thanks, Miles!
Excellent interview Andrew. I was lucky enough to be able to go inside Abbey Road studios last summer, and it's difficult to play cool while you're there. Not just because of the Beatles, but also because all the cool equipment they have.
You never fail to deliver information that's entertaining as well, Andrew! This certainly has to be a high point for you personally, as it's understood, your seeming entrenched devotion to all things Hi-Fi and in particular The Beatles! Congratulations on a wonderful interview with a master of his art and genuinely brilliant and affable gentleman. Us mere mortals are lucky to have such engineer/technicians to produce such high quality sonic product. This was such a joy, thank you Andrew and Miles!
Had a day with Miles at AR, mastering Superdrone and it was incredible. So many amazing stories he told us. A genuine genius and a genuine lovely soul.
"There's just something magical about playing a record...y'know just taking it out of the sleeve and putting it on...and then actually devoting 40 minutes to something...which is a lost art now. People don't do that so often..." I'm so glad he said this. I've been trying to find a way to let my young nephew understand the listening experience about going to a record store, digging through the bins, getting home with the new product...opening it..smelling the record, and then pulling it on the player, and listening to it all the way through. It just doesn't happen as much these days with the younger generation who moves on from thing to thing so quickly. I'm hopeful that as many more become interested in Vinyl, the music will also improve and the listening experience will go back to the days when something was listen to as a "whole" rather than just a song or two. Thanks Andrew for sharing Miles with us. So amazing and interesting to hear about all that he does. Dig, DmGrk
Oh, this is gold Andrew. Fabulous stuff. Well done from an audiophile and huge Beatles fan. Miles is an absolute gem and very genorous and engaging with his time.
Nice work. A lot going on here. What Miles mentioned about the amplifiers is very true, the extra power greatly improves transients. I also agree that when the limits are pushed and the equipment is "working" you get awesome sound - just bursting with energy. The expertise, skill and setup take years to perfect. I feel honored and privileged to witness this, thanks so much for sharing.
This was a great time! I am not a hardware type of girl but it’s always fun to watch someone being passionate about their work. Just as it is lovely for you to being able to live this amazing experience and being there~
What an amazing interview! It prompted me to come up with questions - possibly ill-informed ones - that I would have liked to ask (e.g. Could there be a better, albeit inconvenient, EQ curve than RIAA? Is anyone ever likely to design and manufacture a new lathe from scratch?). Anyway, Miles Showell actually addressed things I would never have thought of asking. Absolutely brilliant! And what a great occupation!
Hey Andrew! Fantastic top quality interview as usual. Thanks to you for doing it and for Miles who shows how modest and respectful he is, and to those who developed this facet of engineering long before him. Cheers from Oz.
A great interview, Andrew! Your video has made me appreciate why Mr Showell is the Abbey Road master of half speed vinyl and what a complicated process cutting records is! Looking forward to your next video!
This old engineer/mastering op in Sydney can’t tell you how much I enjoyed that Andrew. I never got into half speed mastering but I can easily imagine how hard it is, listening to 1/2 speed tracks all day. Maybe that’s why! And it’s nice to hear that Miles uses the same terms that we did, “Expensive smoke”! Lol.
Interesting to hear the topics covered, Andrew. Some on TH-cam aren't exactly fans of Abbey Road Half Speed Remasters. Michael of 45 RPM Audiophile has been somewhat scathing of some Beatles' remasters when comparing them to original UK 1st pressings. Recently watched a video of someone comparing a Genesis album. The poster thought the Abbey Road Remaster sounded pretty poor and the worst of the 3 versions he had. Next was the 1st UK pressing and top was the recent Atlantic 2 x 45 RPM set. T.M. of Vertere Acoustics that he mentions was co-founder of Roksan in the mid 80s. Their first turntable being the Xerxes. I have a Radius in bits!
Awesome episode! This could be one of the best Sunday treats you have shared! Lots of topics were discussed and lots of my questions were answered. Great Job!!
I am getting to be a rather old guy and, apart from decidedly intermediate drum kit skills, I have zero musical skill/talent. ... but I must say that standing on those stairs up to the control room in studio 2 looks to be as close to musical heaven as one could ever be. I am extremely impressed! So much of the Beatles history right there underfoot. My point is that no matter where one is one the musical skill ladder every human can be in true appreciation for what history was made there. Great interview Andrew. 👍
Andrew, that was absolutely wonderful. The time just flew past. You’ve done some amazing videos, but this was the jewel in your crown. And what a fascinating gentleman Miles is. Frankly I could listen to him all day. Thank you Miles and thank you Andrew, for one of the most enjoyable and memorable and interesting videos I’ve ever seen. You will have to go a long way to top that one!!! Mick.
Another fabulous installment! I visited Abbey Road from Philadelphia last week so this one was PERFECT to watch today. Love ya Andrew! Haha! So cool that the taxi driver recognized you. Bloody legend, you are!
Absolutely a great episode...! It's often been said there's nothing like playing records...a total Zen experience... Reel to Reel tape can be included in that Z3n feeling compared to digital...a bit more work, but well worth the effort.
Very informative and enjoyable, Andrew. What a great opportunity for you. Nice to hear the various cutting methods explained in (semi-) layman's terms. Thank you
Thank you for featuring my brother-in-law Stan Ricker. He was an avid loudspeaker collector. His main focus was coaxials. If you didn't know, Stan was a bass player and in his later years played here and there around Ridgecrest California where he lived and had his lathe, well one of them anyway.
This is sò interesting. Thanks, you taught me a lot. I'm 69 and starting to collect vinyl again. First, there is Melanie. All her albums are being remastered, I have received a couple of her records so far. The cuttings sound good. Very quite vinyl. Then I just bought the clear vinyl Pink Floyd but haven't received it by mail yet. Next I will start a Beatles vinyl collection. Thank you for your guidance as I start this daunting task. I grew The Beatles and love their music. At 15 I discovered Melanie and became a huge fan. I must have over 100 records by this awesome woman. Thanks again for all the great info.😊
Very Nice. It's always a pleasure to receive "inside information". Earlier last century, I was working at a Law Firm in Downtown NYC where about a block and a half away, there was an Excellent Record Store (now sadly gone) called J&R Music World. At that Law Firm, I became friends with a guy whose musical tastes were even more esoteric than my own. At some point, I had mentioned to him that I wanted The MFSL Version of Sgt. Pepper's but had checked the record racks in vain. The next day he told me to speak to a specific J&R Salesperson. I went and told the salesperson that My Work Friend had told me to speak with him. The Salesperson (I swear.) looked around to make sure no one was watching, went to a sliding cabinet door under the Record Rack and all the way in the back was J&R's LAST MFSL Version (He said.) of Sgt. Pepper's! Talk about cloak and dagger!
@@louiebee6745 Me, too! Over the years, I was able to find several "hidden treasure" $1.99 Cutout CDs (In Longboxes!) including by The dB's and Richard Heyman.
Miles Showell really IS one of the good guys! I’m sure he’s well paid by EMI, but when you hear him talk about what he does, you can tell he’s really doing it for the love of it! Years ago when I was on the radio, I played a LOT of things that HE physically made from the artist’s master recordings. Even at my first job on AM radio, you could tell when the guy who cut the master disc LOVED what he did! This video was quite interesting - especially the shot of Abbey Road’s “listening” turntable. It’s a Technics SL1200 MK2. We had TWO of those at my California FM’er, and they were the ONLY turntables we EVER used on the air. They sound magnificent!
Wow, that 37 minutes just flew by! This video literally gets into the nuts and bolts of what it takes to make a great soundling album, and the kind of attention to detail that makes the difference between a great-sounding LP, and a piece of junk mastered from a CD (if you're lucky) under cover of darkness in Eastern Europe or somewhere. (I'm so tired of flipping through racks filled with knock-off jazz LPs that aren't worth the vinyl they're pressed on.) Cheers to Miles, and all he does for those who are listening, and thanks Andrew for a great video.
Andrew, superlative interview! The technical info discussed was absolutely amazing and helpful. It served to help me understand what was heretofore a "black magic" subject for me! Cheers!
ah, great video. I love hearing masters of their craft talking about what they love doing, but as with Miles, without sounding trite or self indulgent. Just saying it as it is without fanfare or sensationalism. Wonderful. It capped it off for me when he said his 2 fave albums. I also love Abbey Road for the reasons he says, and also A Hard Day's Night for exactly the same reason. Great stuff. Looking forward to the next one even more now. Nice one Andrew
I was preparing a comment (more like an essay) on how good a CD can be - note I prefer a record, but I'll take great music in any format/ But then he mentioned the album with the digital cannons. And I recognized the cover: Holy $#!+ I bought that (second hand) on CD last month and I haven't gotten around to playing it yet! I just wanted a copy of "1812 Overture" and that was the first one I'd found. My eyesight is dodgy, I thought the "warning" was just a hype sticker. I hit pause, leapt from my chair and grabbed it out of the racks. I'll be playing it shortly! (I watched the rest of the video first) (side note: Damn! None of the emojis look excited enough! When you showed the meters playing that segment, my eyes were so wide with excitement and anticipation that O O doesn't do it justice!)
I have hated nearly every half-speed master I've bought and won't take the gamble on them anymore. Two things really bugged me. On rock albums like Bowie's Aladdin Sane or the Roxy Music catalogue, the guitars sound frustratingly polite and recessed. And every half-speed master sounds as if the component parts and instruments are slightly out-of-phase, causing the music to lack a certain swing or the musicality of the original pressings. Listening to Miles here, I am wondering if the problems are caused by the custom filters that need to be applied for this process. Perhaps, if Miles sees this comment, he can address this.
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I don't think I've ever met another artist/tech who is more talented, articulate, dedicated, informed, creative, and just plain clever as maestro Miles Showell. The fact that we've all benefitted in one way or another from his expertise just proves the point that we must continue to nurture this sort of talent and brilliance wherever and whenever it appears. This is truly a 'dying art' that deserves to be illuminated and and cultured as much as possible!
This interview was a real eye opener. I learned a lot. I myself had long assumed that half-speed mastering was simply a matter of reducing the cutting speed. Didn't realize all the painstaking work that goes into cutting any album. A very informative and entertaining interview. Thank you, Andrew!
Thanks Tom. Glad you enjoyed it!
Well, it cut the bass by half also. 😁😁
In 2019 I was lucky enough to part of an invited audience at Abbey Road, to hear The Analogues perform Abbey Road in Studio 1. Preceded by a great introduction by Mark Lewisohn and concluded by crossing the corridor to Studio 2 to hear the band play 3 Beatles standards. Definitely a day to remember!
The Analogs are true to their name. They must have a fortune tied up in period equipment. I had no idea they actually did a show at EMI - Abbey Road . Greatest Beatles live covers ever …
They performed the album three times on that particular day. There’s a DVD available of the show from The Analogues website.
He is a godsend to Abbey Road Theyve always been on the forefront of recording advancements,and Miles is certainly a great asset to them,no doubt.
Andrew, you nailed the BEST interview with Miles Showell, one of my favourite Beatles related people in the world. He knows his powers and uses them in great form when doing Beatles (and solo Beatles) remastering. A top guy. Great, great video 👏👏👏👏👏👏
Thank you, Franco. Glad you enjoyed it!
Yes, Andrew, a fantastic interview. Very well directed, finely edited. I liked the fact you did not include yourself there... We are there, with Miles Showell, alone, intimate. So perfect. (I'm biased, that is how I conduct my Conversation films). The question were specific enough, without becoming boring. We come out of this with tears of joy. Bravo. Thank you again.
Thank you, Antonio. Much appreciated!
That "Artist" in that story is Alan Parsons and the album: Vulture Culture,
One thing he didn't mention was the 'cutting delay' - groove spacing (pitch) has to be adjusted ahead of changes in audio amplitude. Since the 1980s, a digital delay is typically used, meaning the audio that gets cut to the disc has been digitised, even if the source is analogue tape. This basically defeats the object of bothering to use vinyl!
It depends how much it degrades the sound in practice
It makes sense that they did it in the '80-s when digital was considered superior by everyone, but why do they still do it? He mentions computers calculating the optimal groove distance for an entire side at once, which means they would have to capture the envelope of the entire master first, then run it again when cutting.
This channel is a gold mine of history. I cannot believe we are being treated to this from some of the smartest people in a medium that was very close to dying.
Was surprised to hear that MIles liked the MFSL versions of Magical Mystery Tour and Abbey Road. Those two albums used Capitol masters/sub masters to create their albums. In the case of Magical Mystery Tour, MFSL got Capitol Records treatment of the masters.
Wow , excellent, the biggest take from this is the fact a Technics sl 1200g/ae , along with the Audio-technica VM 540 ML are his go to listening tools in his cutting room, that speak absolutely volumes, that a 4k record deck and a £150 moving magnet cartridge are the choice of one of the very best engineers in England uses on a daily basis when listening to his finished records, what a massive recommendation for two superbly engineered pieces of kit , thank you so much for this video both you and miles showell brought so much info to the table i would otherwise not have known. 😊.
But like mini monitors not the highest of fi to hear it sound against the master tape
Absolute genius, Andrew. I think you've excelled yourself. If Miles and Doc Ebbetts want to collaborate on a whole new box set of Beatles albums, I'd be 99th in the queue to buy a copy. Assuming I could get there fast enough.
Pretty cool and I have shared this with a Canadian Radio personality I know, who has also been to Abbey Road Studios and is big into vinyl.
Are their initials "T.O'R."?
@@moxievision nope, A C, as in Alan Cross. In fact if you go on is website now, yesterday's video is in a recent post
@@BlindGordie Ah, I know Alan's work as well! I will go check that out. I was thinking of Under the Influence's Terry O'Reilly, who is also one of Canada's biggest Beatles fans.
@@moxievision I hadn't considered him as I haven't listened to the podcast. I'm glad you know Alan's work as he has been doing this for a long time.
Was hanging onto every minute. Quality interview! No BS, just the straight dope from one of the best vinyl people out there. Seems like a really nice dude.
Thanks Josh!
This is what content production is all about. While watching this I couldn’t help but think how precious it is that you captured this man’s thoughts and stories and insights. Is it because this is Abbey Road Studios that this video embodies such reverence?
Excellent choice of subject to interview and thank you to Miles for his candour.
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it.
The problem for me in this new half cuts are not working because groove width, but I don't know much, I just noticed that from Technics research, the half cut method in order to be possible the groove widthness had to be expanded and a limit of 16min per side was introduced. Reading this I believe that Abbey Road is doing half speed mastering but keeping the groove dimensions to the limit, and that brings limitations, but this is what is explained by Technics research in 1976:
"2. Low speed cutting and frequency response range
In the cutting process, the cutting master tape playback speed was reduced from the conventional 38 cm/sec to one half, or 19 cm/sec, and the speed of the lacquer master disc was also reduced from 33* rpm to 163 rpm, and the cutting was made at these reduced speeds. This made possible increased volume levels and improved transient response, with the frequency response characteristics of the cutting process expanded tics of the cutting process expanded to 20 Hz-45 KHz.
3. Abundantly wide cutting pitch
In order to make the most of the above factors, the groove pitch was chosen that there would be ample clearance between grooves. The actual recording time per side is therefore some 16 minutes, and no attempt was made to compress the groove spacing. This enabled higher peak levels, and a more-than-adequate groove amplitude, so that the low frequency response, in particular, is greatly improved."
So while not aproaching step 3 at the current half cuts.. that means we are loosing indeed the low frequency response....
I stopped buying this new half cuts, because somehow the full process was losta long the way this past years... beacause they are a bit dry, specially compared to the Technics half-cut with wide groove has amazing bass. Would love to know if Miles Showell regards this factor on pitch groove or what are his thoughts on it.
CBS USA did a lot of half speed classical Lps in the 80's and EMI DMM classical have you any comments on these?
@@pauldavies6037 Hi, Unfortunatly I don't have any of those, the only half cut mastering besides this current Abbey Road ones is the Technics Audio Inspection Vol.I in which includes a booklet explaining their research on the Half Cutting process, and in order for the Half-Cut process to have the corrent low end response, it was adamant that the grooves wheren't limited in width they realised for the half cut method to work properly a12" record could not have more than 16mins per side to have ample groove width. so that became my reference when I see half-cuts .. if it comes 20mins per side, I ignore it. I tried with the Abbey Road cuts... Brothers in Arms... No bass at all it is sad, compared to the OG Portuguese pressing, same with Ziggy Stardust half cut feels dry and anemic, this where my last and I sweared I will never buy another hal cut that is more than 16min per side. I hope it makes sense, but today some want to make the best really others just want to make business as usual... I guess the 180gr fad is passing away, and now there is in need of another fad.
For sure now you mention those I will try to get some to check them out. But this simple rule of 16mins per side should be enough I believe.
This is the only channel on TH-cam where I’m looking forward to every new upload each Sunday. Love them all, but this Sunday you’ve outdone yourself. Thanks very much for a very informative and really nice video. Can’t wait for next Sunday’s upload and it’s Abbey Road connection.
Many thanks! Much appreciated!
I really enjoyed the video, and couldn't help wondering if that was the DMM lathe we cut our first ever Energise Records single on at Abbey Rd back in 1993. Our mastering engineer was Nick Webb, and he was surprised when .i rattled off a list of Motown albums that had his name in the dead wax. Its an astonishing place to visit. On a second cut, I was allowed to put the I.Q. bands in, by pressing the button on the desk..what a memory.
Miles Showell shows what happens when the human brain optimizes itself to the maximum. He's such an impressive person. And you're not half-bad, Andrew. 😉 Fantastic interview.
Thank you so much 😊
Most of the of the Abbey Road half-speed mastered vinyl I've bought have had some level of with distortion - the recent Let It Be, Get Back, and Revolver remixes in particular. Not a problem I ever have with original 60s and 70s records.
th-cam.com/video/kdiiq2hgP3M/w-d-xo.htmlsi=F1P7krAZeLSFJGe4
For some reason, I had the “He’s going to tell… He’s going to tell…” song from Monty Python and the Holy Grail in my head as I started watching this.
Fabulous video. Again!
Digital is going to be the savior of these old disintegrating analog tapes. Getting good Digital transfers while they can still be run through a tape machine will allow these albums to be reissued on any format for a thousand years.
Yeah I can't see what all the hatred over records from digital sources is all about
However I'm lucky enough a few analogue records and they are magnificent but also very quiet!
Yeah I can't see what all the hatred over records from digital sources is all about
However I'm lucky enough a few analogue records and they are magnificent but also very quiet!
Plenty of vinyl records have been sourced from digital recordings since the 70's, and digital cutting equipment has been used since the days of PCM recordings being on tape. The people who make a big deal about whether an album came from a full analog process or not aren't people who care about audio quality, they care about demonizing the digital boogeyman for no tangible reason, regardless of the benefits of digital.
Yes. YES. A thousand times, *YES!*
@@Echo-Headsucks.
Your editing and production skills are truly next level and deserving of a platform like Nebula or even Netflix rather than “simple” ol’ TH-cam. Many kudos!
Wow, thank you!
If Miles can somehow see/hear this I'd appreciate it.... the work he did on Zhu - Dreamland is nothing short of magic. Absolutely astonishing. I cannot praise it enough. The bass and fidelity are set to 11, a true audiophile EDM record. Thanks, Miles!
Excellent interview Andrew. I was lucky enough to be able to go inside Abbey Road studios last summer, and it's difficult to play cool while you're there. Not just because of the Beatles, but also because all the cool equipment they have.
Much better than any audio specialist interview I've ever seen, and I've seen a lot. Many thanks Andrew!
Thank you very much!
Love how down to earth Miles is. This is a great interview, Andrew. Kudos 👏👏
Thank you!
Incredible detailed audio artistry from Miles. Amazing interviews, mate.
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it!
You never fail to deliver information that's entertaining as well, Andrew!
This certainly has to be a high point for you personally, as it's understood, your seeming entrenched devotion to all things Hi-Fi and in particular The Beatles!
Congratulations on a wonderful interview with a master of his art and genuinely brilliant and affable gentleman.
Us mere mortals are lucky to have such engineer/technicians to produce such high quality sonic product.
This was such a joy, thank you Andrew and Miles!
Thank you, Alan. glad you enjoyed it!
Had a day with Miles at AR, mastering Superdrone and it was incredible. So many amazing stories he told us. A genuine genius and a genuine lovely soul.
That’s probably your best video. Well done and Miles was so interesting and I felt I learned a lot from this.
Thank you, James. Glad you enjoyed it!
"There's just something magical about playing a record...y'know just taking it out of the sleeve and putting it on...and then actually devoting 40 minutes to something...which is a lost art now. People don't do that so often..." I'm so glad he said this. I've been trying to find a way to let my young nephew understand the listening experience about going to a record store, digging through the bins, getting home with the new product...opening it..smelling the record, and then pulling it on the player, and listening to it all the way through. It just doesn't happen as much these days with the younger generation who moves on from thing to thing so quickly. I'm hopeful that as many more become interested in Vinyl, the music will also improve and the listening experience will go back to the days when something was listen to as a "whole" rather than just a song or two. Thanks Andrew for sharing Miles with us. So amazing and interesting to hear about all that he does. Dig, DmGrk
Absolutely fascinating interview. And yes, the half-speed vinyl he produces sounds brilliant (even for us folks who can't afford a Vertere turntable).
Glad you enjoyed it!
Absolutely wonderfully AMAZING! Your best video yet. I could watch that all day. Thank you for sharing your fantastic experience.
Many thanks, Kevin. Glad you enjoyed it!
I want THIS guy handing all my disc cutting and audio engineering! Miles Showell is a GENIUS at this stuff!!
Oh, this is gold Andrew. Fabulous stuff. Well done from an audiophile and huge Beatles fan. Miles is an absolute gem and very genorous and engaging with his time.
This was absolutely so enjoyable from an insider. Andrew, it must have been an absolute joy being there. Hats off to you. Wonderful edition this week!
Thank you! Really glad you enjoyed it!
Thank you so much for rhis video. I loved it. Also, thank you, Miles, for the fantastic work that you do and sharing your knowledge with us.
Glad you enjoyed it!
FANTASTIC video, Andrew! Actually going into Abbey Road Studios, and introducing us to Mr. Showell must've been a dream come true for you. Thanks!
Thanks Joe. It was!
Nice work. A lot going on here. What Miles mentioned about the amplifiers is very true, the extra power greatly improves transients. I also agree that when the limits are pushed and the equipment is "working" you get awesome sound - just bursting with energy. The expertise, skill and setup take years to perfect. I feel honored and privileged to witness this, thanks so much for sharing.
Thank you for watching!
The half-speed masterings of Bob Marley’s output are sensational.
Thank you for this video. Very well done.
Glad you enjoyed it!
This was a great time! I am not a hardware type of girl but it’s always fun to watch someone being passionate about their work.
Just as it is lovely for you to being able to live this amazing experience and being there~
Glad you enjoyed it!
Wonderfully informative interview of a true gentleman by another true gentleman.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Lou Sern's Swiss Boy was very very popular in our country back in the day, interesting Miles Showell mastered that.
What do you mean, "was"? It's still pretty popular here, a radio/party staple!
What an amazing interview! It prompted me to come up with questions - possibly ill-informed ones - that I would have liked to ask (e.g. Could there be a better, albeit inconvenient, EQ curve than RIAA? Is anyone ever likely to design and manufacture a new lathe from scratch?). Anyway, Miles Showell actually addressed things I would never have thought of asking. Absolutely brilliant! And what a great occupation!
Hey Andrew! Fantastic top quality interview as usual. Thanks to you for doing it and for Miles who shows how modest and respectful he is, and to those who developed this facet of engineering long before him. Cheers from Oz.
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it!
FANTASTIC !!! Thanks Andrew for bring to us this great interview !! Gracias Andrew por traernos este fantastico reportaje. Saludos desde Buenos Aires
¡Me alegra que lo hayas disfrutado, Gabriel!
A great interview, Andrew! Your video has made me appreciate why Mr Showell is the Abbey Road master of half speed vinyl and what a complicated process cutting records is! Looking forward to your next video!
Cheers Nick!
Great interview with Miles! I am happy to have his half speed albums in my collection! They sounds great! Thanks Andrew!
Thabks Matt. Glad you enjoyed it!
Andrew...THIS is a documentary for the ages!
Absolutely fantastic!
Mahalo nui loa for this one, mate!
Aloha!
Thank you, Jim!
This old engineer/mastering op in Sydney can’t tell you how much I enjoyed that Andrew. I never got into half speed mastering but I can easily imagine how hard it is, listening to 1/2 speed tracks all day. Maybe that’s why!
And it’s nice to hear that Miles uses the same terms that we did, “Expensive smoke”! Lol.
AT540? not surprised, one of the best phono-cartridges! TOP INTERVIEW, Andrew, thanks a lot!
This video is precisely why i go down the TH-cam rabbit hole regularly
Wow, best interview! Thanks Andrew, thanks Miles!
Thank you, Joerg!
Interesting to hear the topics covered, Andrew.
Some on TH-cam aren't exactly fans of Abbey Road Half Speed Remasters. Michael of 45 RPM Audiophile has been somewhat scathing of some Beatles' remasters when comparing them to original UK 1st pressings. Recently watched a video of someone comparing a Genesis album. The poster thought the Abbey Road Remaster sounded pretty poor and the worst of the 3 versions he had. Next was the 1st UK pressing and top was the recent Atlantic 2 x 45 RPM set.
T.M. of Vertere Acoustics that he mentions was co-founder of Roksan in the mid 80s. Their first turntable being the Xerxes. I have a Radius in bits!
A memorable day for you Andrew, another fascinating video for your viewers, excellent!!🎶👍
Glad you enjoyed it, Tom!
interesting interview, Andrew. thank you for taking some pictures of the studio, too.
My pleasure. Glad you enjoyed it!
Absolutely a fabulous interview!
My respect,Andrew
Thank you
Awesome episode! This could be one of the best Sunday treats you have shared! Lots of topics were discussed and lots of my questions were answered. Great Job!!
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it!
Miles is a great guy! Thank you for the most interesting interview I've seen on TH-cam in years.
Thank you and I agree!
What a great interview!
Thank you!
A fascinating interview. Many thanks for posting it.
Thanks Andrew. Glad you enjoyed it!
I am getting to be a rather old guy and, apart from decidedly intermediate drum kit skills, I have zero musical skill/talent.
... but I must say that standing on those stairs up to the control room in studio 2 looks to be as close to musical heaven as one could ever be. I am extremely impressed! So much of the Beatles history right there underfoot. My point is that no matter where one is one the musical skill ladder every human can be in true appreciation for what history was made there.
Great interview Andrew. 👍
Thanks Neal. Glad you enjoyed it! 👍
This was really well done, Andrew. Makes me glad to know I was one of the first to discover this diamond in the rough TH-cam channel. Keep it up!
Welcome along! Glad you enjoyed it!
This is an excellent interview. Thanks Andrew.
Thank you, Sir!
That was amazing. Great interview, and good job showing how much fun this was for you!
Thanks Davis. Glad you enjoyed it!
Andrew, that was absolutely wonderful. The time just flew past. You’ve done some amazing videos, but this was the jewel in your crown. And what a fascinating gentleman Miles is. Frankly I could listen to him all day. Thank you Miles and thank you Andrew, for one of the most enjoyable and memorable and interesting videos I’ve ever seen. You will have to go a long way to top that one!!! Mick.
Thank you very much, Mick! Glad you enjoyed watching it as much as I enjoyed making it!
Incredible experience and a great interview! Can watch this for hours 👍
Glad you enjoyed it! 👍
Andrew!! This was phenomenal. I love Miles' work. I truly appreciate you sharing your experience.
Glad you enjoyed it, Darrin!
@@Parlogram I truly did and can't wait for your Part 2. Blessings from Ontario, Canada!!
Hi Andrew, what an amazing video! Miles is a great guy! What a treat seeing the studios, especially studio 2! Cheers 🍻
Thank for wathcing!
The awesomeness continues...Thanks for this episode!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Great interview!
Thanks!
Kudos to Miles and Andrew for this fantastic video. Thanks!
This was such a fascinating and informative interview. I learned a lot and Miles seems such a super nice guy. Thank you so much!
Glad you enjoyed it, Simon!
Com certeza uma da melhores entrevistas que já assisti. Parabéns ao canal e a todos os envolvidos! Ansioso para o próximo vídeo!
Muito obrigado!
Another fabulous installment! I visited Abbey Road from Philadelphia last week so this one was PERFECT to watch today. Love ya Andrew! Haha! So cool that the taxi driver recognized you. Bloody legend, you are!
Thanks! So glad you enjoyed it!
Really enjoyed this - made me appreciate my ABBA half speed masters even more now - Cheers Miles
Another great video, Andrew. Suggestion: I would like to see a deep dive video on Pete Best's curious "Best of the Beatles" LP.
What insight! Super informative. Nice to get a peek behind the curtain. Thank you, Andrew, and your special guest, Miles, too!
Glad you enjoyed it, Anthony!
Caught this minutes after it went up. Great stuff
Absolutely a great episode...!
It's often been said there's nothing like playing records...a total Zen experience...
Reel to Reel tape can be included in that Z3n feeling compared to digital...a bit more work, but well worth the effort.
Thank you!
Very informative and enjoyable, Andrew. What a great opportunity for you. Nice to hear the various cutting methods explained in (semi-) layman's terms. Thank you
Glad you enjoyed it, Richard!
Thank you for featuring my brother-in-law Stan Ricker. He was an avid loudspeaker collector. His main focus was coaxials. If you didn't know, Stan was a bass player and in his later years played here and there around Ridgecrest California where he lived and had his lathe, well one of them anyway.
You're very welcome and thank you for posting.
Fantastic interview. Thank you for showing outside of Abbey Road
Chuck
You're welcome, Chuck!
This is sò interesting. Thanks, you taught me a lot. I'm 69 and starting to collect vinyl again. First, there is Melanie. All her albums are being remastered, I have received a couple of her records so far. The cuttings sound good. Very quite vinyl. Then I just bought the clear vinyl Pink Floyd but haven't received it by mail yet. Next I will start a Beatles vinyl collection. Thank you for your guidance as I start this daunting task. I grew The Beatles and love their music. At 15 I discovered Melanie and became a huge fan. I must have over 100 records by this awesome woman. Thanks again for all the great info.😊
Glad you enjoyed it! 😊
Very Nice. It's always a pleasure to receive "inside information". Earlier last century, I was working at a Law Firm in Downtown NYC where about a block and a half away, there was an Excellent Record Store (now sadly gone) called J&R Music World. At that Law Firm, I became friends with a guy whose musical tastes were even more esoteric than my own. At some point, I had mentioned to him that I wanted The MFSL Version of Sgt. Pepper's but had checked the record racks in vain. The next day he told me to speak to a specific J&R Salesperson. I went and told the salesperson that My Work Friend had told me to speak with him. The Salesperson (I swear.) looked around to make sure no one was watching, went to a sliding cabinet door under the Record Rack and all the way in the back was J&R's LAST MFSL Version (He said.) of Sgt. Pepper's! Talk about cloak and dagger!
Great story! Thanks for watching.
@@Parlogram You're quite welcome. Love The Channel!
Ah yes I remember J&R's very well, right across from City Hall Park. Spent a lot of time and $$$ there back in the 80s.
@@louiebee6745 Me, too! Over the years, I was able to find several "hidden treasure" $1.99 Cutout CDs (In Longboxes!) including by The dB's and Richard Heyman.
@@donkick2622Haha yes I remember the longboxes!
interview absolument passionnante et instructive, c'est formidable merci !
Merci d'avoir regardé. Heureux que cela vous ait plu !
Miles Showell really IS one of the good guys! I’m sure he’s well paid by EMI, but when you hear him talk about what he does, you can tell he’s really doing it for the love of it! Years ago when I was on the radio, I played a LOT of things that HE physically made from the artist’s master recordings. Even at my first job on AM radio, you could tell when the guy who cut the master disc LOVED what he did! This video was quite interesting - especially the shot of Abbey Road’s “listening” turntable. It’s a Technics SL1200 MK2. We had TWO of those at my California FM’er, and they were the ONLY turntables we EVER used on the air. They sound magnificent!
Great interview, Andrew. Absolutely brilliant!!! Thanks so much 🎯👌
Thanks Robert. Glad you enjoyed it!
Wow!!! What an experience!!! Great job, Andrew. - Roger
Thank you, Roger!
Fantastic interview
Glad you enjoyed it!
@@Parlogram I love watching these sort of videos! Cheers!
Wow, that 37 minutes just flew by! This video literally gets into the nuts and bolts of what it takes to make a great soundling album, and the kind of attention to detail that makes the difference between a great-sounding LP, and a piece of junk mastered from a CD (if you're lucky) under cover of darkness in Eastern Europe or somewhere. (I'm so tired of flipping through racks filled with knock-off jazz LPs that aren't worth the vinyl they're pressed on.) Cheers to Miles, and all he does for those who are listening, and thanks Andrew for a great video.
Many thanks. Glad you enjoyed it!
"Even at half-speed it's pretty good!!!" That's so perfect.
Thanks, Andrew, for this great video. Cheers, Nelio.
Thanks Nelio. Glad you enjoyed it!
What a lovely interview, it's a stuff of dreams to be close to those Neumann lathes and the people who do magic on those. More such videos please.
Many thanks!
Andrew, superlative interview! The technical info discussed was absolutely amazing and helpful. It served to help me understand what was heretofore a "black magic" subject for me! Cheers!
Cheers Richard!
ah, great video. I love hearing masters of their craft talking about what they love doing, but as with Miles, without sounding trite or self indulgent. Just saying it as it is without fanfare or sensationalism. Wonderful. It capped it off for me when he said his 2 fave albums. I also love Abbey Road for the reasons he says, and also A Hard Day's Night for exactly the same reason. Great stuff. Looking forward to the next one even more now. Nice one Andrew
Many thanks! Glad you enjoyed it!
I was preparing a comment (more like an essay) on how good a CD can be - note I prefer a record, but I'll take great music in any format/ But then he mentioned the album with the digital cannons. And I recognized the cover: Holy $#!+ I bought that (second hand) on CD last month and I haven't gotten around to playing it yet! I just wanted a copy of "1812 Overture" and that was the first one I'd found. My eyesight is dodgy, I thought the "warning" was just a hype sticker. I hit pause, leapt from my chair and grabbed it out of the racks. I'll be playing it shortly! (I watched the rest of the video first) (side note: Damn! None of the emojis look excited enough! When you showed the meters playing that segment, my eyes were so wide with excitement and anticipation that O O doesn't do it justice!)
I have hated nearly every half-speed master I've bought and won't take the gamble on them anymore. Two things really bugged me. On rock albums like Bowie's Aladdin Sane or the Roxy Music catalogue, the guitars sound frustratingly polite and recessed. And every half-speed master sounds as if the component parts and instruments are slightly out-of-phase, causing the music to lack a certain swing or the musicality of the original pressings. Listening to Miles here, I am wondering if the problems are caused by the custom filters that need to be applied for this process. Perhaps, if Miles sees this comment, he can address this.
This is one of the best videos you have done and I say that as someone who always enjoys your content, absolutely blinding 👍👍
Thank you, Jerry. Much appreciated!