I'm Not An Audiophile :: The Artistry

Sorry of how long this is as I've gone over 30 minutes.
My husband, every once in a while, has to try and hammer on me about my record collection. I will admit that it's that and because I named the channel Phono Killed The Digital Star. He has decide that I'm buying into some of the biggest "lies" about audio. I remind him most of my outlook has been based off my own prefere on sound. I'm not against digital, at least not like someone who is totally in Analog world. Analog does have limitations but he thinks the same can't be said about digital... I asked him if this was a "... just numbers on a page type point." of course it isn't. It is his reason is cold and scientific but music for me is more than that.

[@phonokilleddigitalstar]

That Sleeper repressing was actually done in 2021.

[@geej12]

I'm glad to find someone even more obsessive than me! Very interesting.

[@phonokilleddigitalstar]

I'm not sure if that, should, be a complement but I'll take it as one.

[@geej12]

@@phonokilleddigitalstar It was meant as one!

[@67Pepper]

🤣

[@scottwheeler2679]

You are grappling with the complexities of vinyl production with a pretty good understanding of those complexities. And yes Bob Ludwig is Robert Ludwig. Half speed cutting is a complex and controversial process. I don't think we can say it's always better or always not as good. Opinions from experienced mastering engineers vary pretty widely on the merits of half speed mastering. It might be worth noting to your husband that all digital files are converted to an analog signal for playback. "We don't hear in digital" is not an issue.

[@phonokilleddigitalstar]

Already tried it. I think he is just mad at me for spending $125 on a 2012 Paul McCartney LP. It was actually rare and it was about the same on Discogs as in my local record shop.

[@phonokilleddigitalstar]

I forgot that I wanted to just say about half-speeds. I think anything new will always have controversy surrounding it. I do notice that they are more robust in sound but you can also get the same from a 12" 45rpm pressing.

[@scottwheeler2679]

@@phonokilleddigitalstar Half speed mastering is not new. It goes back to the late 70s with Stan Ricker and the first incarnation of Mobile Fidelity.

[@phonokilleddigitalstar]

@ Thank you, that’s some insight I didn’t know. I’m always up to learning new stuff.

[@scottwheeler2679]

@@phonokilleddigitalstar Half speed mastering has an interesting history. Stan Ricker took the position that a half speed mastered LP sounded better than the master tape from which it was mastered. His explanation was that an analog tape machine at half speed simply retrieved more information off the tape than it does at full speed and this additional information was transferred to the LP and was audible. I don't know if that was true but that was his belief. All the half speed mastered LPs from Abby Road Studios are cut from digital files so that would not be an issue. When cut from digital I don't find any of the arguments pro or con to really be convincing. It's going to be different for sure. Better or worse I can't say. Most LPs have far to many other variables for us to make comparisons that isolate half speed mastering. IMO other things matter far more.