Lp recording quality

[GoranB]

Hello to all,

I will realy apriciate if someone could explain to me the recording process of nowadays LP's. In meaning if its fully analog process or they are using some compression duuring recording process. Are they are using digital equipement and so...
In general is it worth to buy LP's ?

[kevinkr]

Originally Posted by GoranB

Hello to all,

I will realy apriciate if someone could explain to me the recording process of nowadays LP's. In meaning if its fully analog process or they are using some compression duuring recording process. Are they are using digital equipement and so...
In general is it worth to buy LP's ?

Both fully analog recordings on analog tape masters and fully digital masters are used depending on label to produce current records.

I have bought a significant number of recent recordings on LP most which were digitally mastered, and they sound good. (In all cases I prefer them to the CD) So IMHO and YMMV I will generally buy the LP in preference to CD or SACD regardless of the nature of the master used to make it.

[cbdb]

The sound quality is not about the the media used to record onto its the engineering.

[GoranB]

Originally Posted by kevinkr

Both fully analog recordings on analog tape masters and fully digital masters are used depending on label to produce current records.

I have bought a significant number of recent recordings on LP most which were digitally mastered, and they sound good. (In all cases I prefer them to the CD) So IMHO and YMMV I will generally buy the LP in preference to CD or SACD regardless of the nature of the master used to make it.

Is there an oportunity to look for analog mastered LP's? Are they signed somehow?

[Johnny2Bad]

Modern acts recording to vinyl are probably mostly using the digital mix to create the vinyl audio tracks. However, for maximum sound quality, you have to create two masters which will differ slightly, since vinyl and CD have different abilities and limitations.

I don't think it's realistic to expect a vinyl and CD versions of the same song to sound the same. If they do, it means they cut corners somewhere.

[UV101]

I recently purchased snow patrol, eyes open on vinyl. It's as compressed as the cd version. I can only conclude that it's been produced from the same same appalling master. I was hoping that going back to vinyl would get away from the trend that is to suck the life out of music in the name of making it louder but I was wrong.

[CopperTop]

Originally Posted by UV101

It's as compressed as the cd version.

Surely it's the other way round? It is essential to compress the dynamic range of recordings for vinyl because of its much narrower useful 'window' between the dust and scratches at one end and the limited amount of needle displacement allowed at the other. CD can just be the master recording un-molested.

Of course, there really should be a third version, dynamically compressed for listening with headphones on the bus.

In this case it sounds as though there is only the third version available.

[GoranB]

Originally Posted by UV101

I recently purchased snow patrol, eyes open on vinyl. It's as compressed as the cd version. I can only conclude that it's been produced from the same same appalling master. I was hoping that going back to vinyl would get away from the trend that is to suck the life out of music in the name of making it louder but I was wrong.

I had a some experience with "Sound of the universe" from Depeche Mode. Sounds like its dynamicly compressed, I also bought a CD, there is no difference, sounds same..compressed. The older LP's i have sounds much better. For example "Flath Earth" - Thomas Dolby

[CopperTop]

I've just been reading some bits and pieces on vinyl mastering.

It does seem as though there are sometimes different masters for vinyl and CD, but there are two contradictory aspects:

CD can handle a much wider dynamic range than vinyl, has no restrictions on frequency response between 0 and 20 kHz, and no limitations on stereo image. However, its market may be perceived as being different from that of the vinyl version. So while the CD can handle the recording being 'un-molested', it is suggested they sometimes do use a more compressed version for the CD master - although this may just be a myth. (Hearing what you expect to hear etc.)

More importantly, the restrictions inherent in cutting and playing a vinyl LP means that if a producer is serious about producing a vinyl version, he should build it in from the start i.e. record the music with the dynamic range restrictions in place already. For example it's no use creating a piece of music whose 'signature' is high level stereo bass because the cutting engineer is only going to mix everything below 400 Hz to mono! Similarly, it's no use making a feature of a very fizzy top end, because the cutting engineer will have to cut the treble to prevent the cutting head from exploding. Extreme transients must be limited to prevent the cutter and/or playback needle from skipping!

So, the reality is that if a recording is made for the serious vinyl market, it will unfortunately compromise the results for the CD listener, rather than the other way round.

[kevinkr]

Originally Posted by GoranB

Is there an oportunity to look for analog mastered LP's? Are they signed somehow?

Ultraanalog, Fidelio, and others produce all analog LPs..

Fidelio Records | Stereophile.com

You can google..