Sources of new vinyl

[Gerald Jansen]

Dear members,

I would like to know the current state of practice. What sources are used for new -modern day- vinyl LPs (12" Long Playing album) to be produced. I thought about posting this question in "Studio A", but i guess the "Brewery" is a better place. Moderators, please shift this question to another sub-forum if that suites better.

My take would be that all new vinyl is engraved by using -at least- 16bit 44. kHz digital masters, send to an Analog to Digital converter (ADC) that then feeds the analog cutting lathe.
Maybe I'm wrong in my assumption.

What info can you share?

Kind regards, G

 

[pucho812]

most vinyl’s are cut from a digital master these days. I have yet to see or hear of people these days cutting vinyl from analog tape even for old masters.
Was just at the bakery, a mastering house here in town. Their bread and butter is cutting vinyl. The majority of their masters are 96/24 before it hits the lathe. So out the dac to the lathe.
They also master mainly with analog circuits so say a file is sent for mastering, on play they convert it and process via analog gear and print back into daw.

I guess the old theory of too many ADA conversions is out the window.

 

[Brian Roth]

While many (most?) lacquers used for vinyl production are made from digital program sources, several mastering studios still cut from analog tape if required.

Bri

 

[Brian Roth]

Dear members,

My take would be that all new vinyl is engraved by using -at least- 16bit 44. kHz digital masters, send to an Analog to Digital converter (ADC) that then feeds the analog cutting lathe.
Maybe I'm wrong in my assumption.

What info can you share?

Kind regards, G

I was in a hurry to meet a friend for an early dinner, so my reply was too brief.

First of all, a DAC (Digital to Analog Convertor), not a ADC, is used to feed a digital source into the lathe system.

Second, I personally know at least five USA facilities that have the required, specialized analog tape machine required to cut a lacquer from an analog tape source. The speciality tape machine has an additional playback head located in the tape path that creates a "preview" audio signal that feeds into the "computer" that controls the position of the cutter head as the tape is played.

Paul Gold, an active member of this list owns Salt Mastering:

https://www.saltmastering.com/studio

Grammy winning mastering engineer Bernie Grundman is another guy cutting from analog tape. On his main page you can see his specialized Studer "preview" machine:

https://www.berniegrundmanmastering.com/bernie-grundman.html

Kevin Gray is another very well known mastering guy who can cut from analog:

https://www.cohearent.com/

Sterling Sound Nashville can cut from analog tape:

https://sterling-sound.com/

And here in little ol' Salina, KS is the location Of Doug Sax's (RIP) Mastering Lab studio. Matt Lutthans is the cutting engineer and also works with Kevin Gray. The new owner never created a new website since there is plenty of work coming in via word of mouth. Here is an article about the purchase...including a pic of "yours truly" <g> at the beginning:

https://www.analogplanet.com/content/acoustic-sounds-purchases-doug-saxs-mastering-lab

Of course, every one of these studios cut from digital most of the time.

Bri

 

[cyrano]

These sites are still running daily:
GZ. One of the largest in the world, if not the largest. Since 1951 in the Czech Republic.

http://www.gzvinyl.com/

Another big one:

https://www.recordindustry.com/

This one is in Haarlem, The Netherlands. They make about a million records a month.

 

[Gold]

I guess the old theory of too many ADA conversions is out the window.

To avoid an extra A/D and D/A or second generation of tape you need an A/B path console like Shaker Desk.
https://groupdiy.com/threads/what-is-your-mastering-suite.86983/

 

[Brian Roth]

These sites are still running daily:
GZ. One of the largest in the world, if not the largest. Since 1951 in the Czech Republic.

http://www.gzvinyl.com/

Another big one:

https://www.recordindustry.com/

This one is in Haarlem, The Netherlands. They make about a million records a month.

Record pressing is an entirely separate operation for producing vinyl records. The major steps are:

1. Cut a lacquer from analog or digital audio source.
2. Electroplate the lacquer to create the metal parts used in the vinyl presses.
3. Press the final vinyl disks using the metal parts.

Each of the steps are a very specialized process requiring specialized knowledge and skills. Oftentimes, the final vinyl product requires three different companies for each of the steps. Some companies offer various combinations of some or all of the above steps.

Bri

/EDIT: I forgot something....someone has to print and "fabricate" the jacket/packaging as well as the inner liner.

 

[cyrano]

Thanks, Brian. I know, I almost grew up in a major pressing plant. Like GZ, they handle the entire process. Of course, the customer can choose to do mastering and making the mother elsewhere...

 

[Gerald Jansen]

First of all, a DAC (Digital to Analog Convertor), not a ADC, is used to feed a digital source into the lathe system.

Thank you for correcting me on that; brain fart on my part.

 

[Brian Roth]

I started a branch from this thread to:

https://groupdiy.com/threads/vinyl-records-in-year-2024.87230/

Bri