Discussing vinyl mastering issues & costs with Speakers Corner’s president Kai Seemann

[@anadialog]

CORRECTION (a word from K. Seemann): All our classical titles were mastered from the original master tapes, no exception. So are the titles from the Warner Music catalogue which we publish since 2007, also no exception. This applies also to all titles from Universal and Sony where the original masters are stored in Europe. So only US-sourced titles from Universal and Sony are mastered from tape copies, which is not a bad thing as we already agreed upon. And these were newly made copies made directly made from the original masters. So not working copies decades old...

[@darthdurkelthewise320]

This is one of the best and most relevant video interviews on the subject of vinyl mastering, period. There are many people out there talking about this and saying absolutely nothing. You cut through a lot of noise here with purposeful questions. I recently ordered a Speakers Corner release of the Elvin Jones classic “Midnight Walk” and I can’t wait to enjoy it.

[@anadialog]

Thank you so much. These are the comments that make my day, heck my month!

[@joepiro4948]

My God you need an w Award for this interview. He was so honest about everything and I learned so much , almost like a masterclass on mastering, pressing and understanding how the remastered a record. Again WHAO BRAVO!!!!

[@tonyharrison2542]

Outstanding and engaging interview with interesting and compelling questions. It is clear that you were well prepared. But, above all, you stayed out of the way and allowed Kai all the time he needed to provide detailed and complete responses without interruption. And so much fascinating content. I'll definitely have to replay this one more than once to take a deeper dive into this one to further my comprehension and understand. Well done.

[@anadialog]

Thanks Tony!

[@robertyoung1777]

This is a true window into the record making process. It’s important to have the facts about the processes.

[@reidsvinylrecords]

Just a wealth of information from Kai and outstanding questions from our host. Well done. Thanks for doing this video.

[@F1fletch]

This is one of THE best interviews and videos about making records I have seen. It gave me a new respect for this label in particular. Your questions were on point. Did you ask about the vinyl they use?

[@anadialog]

Thank you so much! I didn't, but I suspect that the decision is limited to the pressing plant they use but it's a good question I will introduce in the future.

[@mykolamisyura8107]

Great interview! Many thanks! These guys were transparent all the time, they have to be rewarded for that. I wish SC was able to do more titles, very sorry that they can’t even ask for license in some cases. We have to support probably the only audiophile label located in EU - ordering from the USA (VAT, shipment and possible bad copy which needs to be send back) is pain in the ass if you are from Europe.

[@anadialog]

Thank you Mykola!

[@DarkJeffau]

It`s also a pain in the arse in Australia

[@audiozipaudiozip1336]

Grazie mille! Its about time, following Mike's video, this is the single most important video about the subject.

[@ericlubow4354]

It’s about time we met Kai. Great interview. You were obviously well prepared. Great questions very enlightening. I learned a lot about costs, pressing and licensing that I never knew.

[@Selavylisbon]

Excellent interview, great questions and answers. Mr Kay Seemaan is crystal clear in his technical explanations, very honest at pointing out what really matters in an all analog mastering chain. You were very well prepared, congratulations to both of you!

[@jeffwurstfinger3389]

This Interview was so detailed, It answered a lot more questions to me than some other interviews last weeks. Great work.

[@elderinmoi1571]

Always loved sc releases because of their philosophy how to create re issues. My first choice if a record I want to own is available from more than one company. not every record is 100% to my liking but still close to how the record was intended to sound. So it is clear that they can sound very different. Pressing quality is always good.

[@enrigimeno]

Felicidades por esta interesante entrevista. Gracias por tu tiempo de trabajo y por compartirlo con los aficionados like x 10 very very good job 👏

[@HoomanR17]

Great interview. Appreciated all the questions and the answers.

[@frederf69]

WoW! Respect for going to the extra effort; Analog can be a pain in the arse. It is interesting to note that the first digital recording in 1971 was on a vinyl 12" plastic disc 33&1/3rpm.

[@wethermon]

Thank you both for this wonderful interview. Really interesting.

[@pilotheinrich]

Thank you for a fascinating, informative video, Guido. Awesome job! I hope you can do more of these, especially with guests like Kai. I am still reeling from Kai's revelation that 99% of so-called "analog" LPs cut today go through a digital delay process, and that that digital signal is what ends up on the lacquer. Incredible. If I understand the situation correctly, this read-ahead is analogous to the system the old Mercury LPs used, in which Wilma Cozart read ahead in the musical score and gave hand signals to George Piros so he could cut the lacquer accordingly. Now THAT is analog!

[@anadialog]

Thanks Robert! The problem is that visualizations are quite low because of length and considering the coordination and preparation to build this type of video, unfortunately it is not worthwhile....until you read comments like yours, then everything falls in place! ;-) But the problem remains ...

[@albertogonzalez-ot1bz]

Congrats. It was an excellent interview and the replies were totally transparent and 100 % out of marketing

[@derosa1989]

Nice interview, i hope some of the other VC channels share this one. Speakers Corner does such great work without the hype of some other labels, but i've been buying them for years! The dream would be a re-press of Supertramp Crime of the Century!

[@SafeAndSoundTXAudioExcursion]

Vinyl Trivia: The timing discussion reminded me of 1973's Todd Rundgren LP "A Wizard, A True Star" is 25 minutes on Side A and 28 minutes on Side B - Mastered by RL at Sterling Sound. As you might imagine, Automatic Turntables would never play the whole side as the tone arm "rejected" up off the record thinking the side was over due to the position of the tonearm on the record being so close to end of the dead wax. Todd pushed the boundaries beyond the music :) Great interview, I was emailing with Kai on another matter for some weeks and never knew he was SC President - impressive that he was answering questions on future pressings :)

[@arize84]

This is an amazing video. Really useful info and the best I have watched on KZbin. Thank you so much for your efforts. And thanks to Speaker's Corner for there transparency.

[@Emberglance1334]

Great interview, best i've seen on the matters discussed

[@jbvinyl]

Very informative great interview answered many of my questions and thoughts. Left me very comfortable with the Speakers Corner process.

[@Domonkos.Siegfried]

Thanks for this very informative interview! Just before you would pin the CORRECTION message from Kai Seemann, I shall say I was disappointed to learn that probably a small majority of the analogue masters S.C. is using are working copies. As a European collector, S.C. means a lot for me and I thought their updated website is the most transparent amongst all "audiophile" labels. And the website claims that original analogue masters are the ones they work with, one-to-one analogue copies are rare exceptions. In the video, Mr. Seemann is saying those are not rare occasions at all. Now he corrects that those are not a majority after all. As we, clients of the releases, are mostly unaware from which Major and which continent the tapes are made available for the mastering facilities mandated by S.C., the next step would be - in my opinion - to differentiate each release in S.C.'s catalogue. In lack of a universal codification (unlikely to happen in the foreseeable future): - They should print and use 2 versions of their generic hype-stickers (Today, I believe all of them are saying "Made from the original, analogue mastertapes" which is misleading as we learned it now. It was only saying "Pure analogue audiophile mastering" a few years ago) - They should either mention the use of original analogue mastertapes, or the use of one-to-one analogue copies of the mastertapes at the end of the description of their releases within their online catalogue. (Today, the generic sentence is "This Speakers Corner LP was remastered using pure analogue components only, from the master tapes through to the cutting head")

[@kenknight5983]

I'm fascinated that there's always the threat of someone wanting to put the recording through a digital step. It's seen as being so practical in many ways, but it's like saying you could make lots of kosher products easily if you used pork

[@morettoyoutube8450]

Great video Guido! So informative and the SC president appears so transparent and technically prepared. I’m in principle with Mr Lincetto (he is for me a reference in this domain) that analog masters + DSD can be the state of art today for music production but we hardly need to be well informed as consumers then it’s up to us to take the choice. And I’m still persuaded that digital step is more economical process. I have a lot of SC records and I have been always satisfied, if no “surprised”, by their quality. Thanks a lot to You and SC president, one the best video this year to me. Finally I confirm Sound and Music has a fabulous service; unfortunately the availability is hat it is

[@seizebreizh]

Thank you so much for this video. So transparent and clear information. I don't have any MOFI but many Speakers Corner (as an European it is more easy). The information provided on the cover is a big part of this choice I think. Which is the best way to avoid bad surprise. Without any bad opinion on certain labels (Light In The Attic, Superior Viaduct...), my orders these last three years are going more for réal analog process products, from Speakers Corner, Sam Records, Pure Pleasure and of course the Universal series (Tone Poet, Classic...). To get the "Fred Wesley" you showed I had to buy it in Italy ! No way in France to get it few days after it was released... 😉I rarely comment but thanks and congrats for your channel. Bruno

[@Madworld57]

Derived questions: if the machines are still the Studers and Neumanns of the 1980s, how and who manages their maintenance? Changing a capacitor is easy but replacing a worn head? If no one will produce new machines and also considering that the tapes (masters or copies) will gradually wear out, I fear that the production of all analog vinyls is destined to run out. In any case Guido, great interview, great video.

[@anadialog]

Indeed! I did go over that and other related topics here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/a5a6pJ1vjKuDj9U

[@grepatolk]

Great interview! So much good information.

[@brkly99]

You asked great questions! Great insights into the record making process, physical and business sides. I love my Speakers Corners records, now that I see the care they put into them I know why/

[@anadialog]

Thx!

[@Roamany-Jones]

@ 13:10 as a collector of classical music on vinyl, I agree 100% that what the best sound comes from the country that originally produced them. Example Decca with the U.K. SXL series, EMI with the ASD series,or Germany’s DGG with their SLPM series, US with the Mercury SR series etc, difficult to find the originals but worth looking for as they reward with the best recordings ever put to vinyl.

[@DeAudiofilosyLocos]

Excelent interview and feature! If Kai could get a hold of the analog master for "eye in the sky", it would be the first time in history that anyone has mastered an AAA lp version of this album. Speakers corner did their previous version from a digital master.

[@preservedmoose]

Did they? He was quite specific in that they are all analogue. Can you substantiate that claim?

[@DeAudiofilosyLocos]

@@preservedmoose yes I can The TRUTH about "Eye in the Sky" Mofi 45 RPM, Speakers Corner et all #eyeinthesky #mofi kzbin.info/www/bejne/qZevnGudas6Zl7c

[@alwaysexpandinghorizons6173]

Fantastic! Learned a lot. Very good questions also. Thxx

[@gregoryirwin263]

You brought up a great point about copies from the master I thought that was interesting 👍

[@antonioabbruzzese4337]

I love speaker corner I have a lot og lp from speakers One of the best label. Their version of transformer or donny hatheway ate wonderful

[@budgetaudiophilelife-long5461]

🤗👍HERE GUIDO..TO SUPPORT YOU AND YOUR ENTHUSIASTIC EFFORTS 😎💚💚💚

[@nicolabevilacqua]

Amazing and exaustive video!!!!!! You did a great and huge job!!! Thanks for your effort and dedication about our passion. I've just now realised after years, the complete aspects about mastering process. Insomma Guido, a Johnny secondo me un pò di invidia gliela farai!!🤣👏👏💪

[@gerihifi]

Awesome interview and his honesty is really great and who needs Muuuufiii ;-) thanks for organizing and bring7ng those internals to the average listener like myself!!

[@philippkoenig39]

I have a big question: What about live recordings of public network stations? WDR Recordings of Brubeck etc.

[@-elijahriggs-]

Just got speakers corner “transformer”. The dr John is amazing. Love this label. Mofi should take notes from ze Germans.

[@Derfunkmeister]

I have one question to Kai Seemann, how would you rate the original Michael Franks: The art of tea, to your release ?

[@dzikirolnik777]

Good video. Very good questions you made. I learned a lot. Thanks for the video . I

[@janedoe6350]

Thanks for asking Kai about the Echo! Smart question. Many people use analogue tape but send the main head signal to the pitch regulation on the lathe to adjust for "land" ..... and then use a digital delay (1.2sec late) to feed the lathe cutting head. There is a big difference... The pitch regulation needs a signal 1.2 seconds before the cutting head so that the feed motor can pace how close or far apart the cutter will cut the grooves. The problem with the analogue way of doing things is you need to move the Preview Head closer to the Playback Head for cutting 45s..... (because the disc spins quicker and the delay echo need to be shorter) unless you cut at constant pitch and do away with preview.

[@daveturner2484]

On the Neumann VMS 70 I use, variable pitch requires 1080 ms for 33.3rpm and 800ms for 45rpm.

[@janedoe6350]

@@daveturner2484 Thanks for the info!

[@VideoArchiveGuy]

In an era where everyone is being nitpicky, you can't really say Speaker's Corner is "100% AAA" as, among other titles they offer a version of Alan Parson Project's "Eye in the Sky." On their own web site they admit that it was analog from the master tape through to the LP, it was RECORDED digitally, and the recording format is the first letter in the SPARS code. Thus in this case, it would either be a "DAA" or "DDA" depending upon whether Alan used a digital mixer.

[@anadialog]

Actually it was recorded in analog and mixed digitally, so we have a ADA situation. But these are exceptions, because of the original decisions in the production chain. The important is that IF the original production was analog also the SP reissue must 100% analog and so they are doing according to Kai.

[@VideoArchiveGuy]

@@anadialog But it wasn't - it was recorded with a mixture of digital and analog equipment and mastered to both analog and digital master tapes. You can see that if you look at the audio spectrum of the songs - some have a hard cutoff just above 20 KHz, others extend well above it.

[@anadialog]

@@VideoArchiveGuy nope, you are incorrect as I said it was an analog multitrack recording MIXED to Sony 1610 digital format. Read it directly on the Alan Persons Project website under credits: www.the-alan-parsons-project.com/eye-in-the-sky.html Apart from the fact that Mr.Seemann said in the interview that one record is from digital in their catalog as on their website, and in fact that is the one, the rest is all analog. I think it is correct to maintain that master since Alan Parsons himself decided for a digital master for his original release.

[@VideoArchiveGuy]

@@anadialog Then is the digital mixer responsible for the brick wall cutoff at around 21 KHz of many, but NOT ALL portions of the recording while other instruments/portions are not? It's a curious thing that is quite obvious if you look at the SACD's DSD files using a tool like Spek: For the ~21 KHz limit: Sirius - Yes Eye in the Sky - Yes Children of the Moon - No Gemini - No Silence and I - No You're Gonna Get Your Fingers Burned - No Psychobabble - Yes Mammagamma - Yes Step By Step - No Old and Wise - No You can find a discussion of the issue at the link below; I've reached out to Andrew Powell on this but honestly don't expect an answer from him: forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/the-alan-parsons-project-eye-in-the-sky-mfsl-sacd.1077027/page-7#post-30217549

[@anadialog]

@@VideoArchiveGuy The cut off comes from the digital CONVERSION of the Sony 1610. It had only CD resolution or slightly better. Here is a description: PCM-1610, 2 channel professional PCM processor released in 1980. Paired with a U-matic video tape recorder, it supported 16-bit/44.056 or 44.1 kHz recording. Digital mastering systems centered around this product were widely used in studios worldwide: www.sony.net/Products/proaudio/en/story/story02.html For the portions of the recording NOT cut-off they probably used also the native analog recording since the resolution was so low, in fact you are talking of a recent SACD edition OR, the other possibility, is noise shaping. Very common in SACD that may have given false frequencies after 21Khz (but this is speculation). The original release is as stated above.

[@MySlatts]

hearing a 1dB difference?? with audacity you may "see" the 1dB on a lab test screen... but hearing it? The human ear hearing frequency range generally only perceives a 3dB difference or more change.. or am I missing something here.

[@anadialog]

Again, it's 1db of dynamic range. It's different than 1 db of sound pressure level.

[@analoguecity3454]

Nice interview dude!👌

[@kurtzcol]

speakers corner makes great records,they should re issue the supertramp album

[@janedoe6350]

You want to hear "Tape Pre-Echo"? Go listen to "Whole lot of Love" from "Led Zep II" any early vinyl pressing. They just cut it and didn't care

[@user-yk4gd1fl4z]

Really works in that case. Just dumb luck I think and they thought huh , well run with it. And coke ...lots of coke I’m sure helped.

[@janedoe6350]

@@user-yk4gd1fl4z The thing i hate most about Led Zep is their production. Jimmy Page sure can play guitar.... but he is no producer. Why they didn't fork out for good production is beyond me. I can't listen to Led Zep on a quality system without cringing. These days, all my Led Zep vinyl has been relegated to only be played on my tube suitcase mono record player. And that is where it will stay!

[@user-yk4gd1fl4z]

@@janedoe6350 all of it ? The Battle of Evermore sounds pretty good to me !

[@janedoe6350]

@@user-yk4gd1fl4z .... Nice song and a fantastic performance from Sandy Denny (from the Strawbs & later, Fairport Convention) on accompanying vocals. This song has many layers. Many multi-track overdubs and harmonies from both Robert and Sandy and both acoustic guitar and mandolin multi-tracks from Jimmy. But this track almost sounds mono. Nice use of reverb to achieve depth of field but many missed opportunities for a more suitable wide stereo sound. They could have had one of Jimmy's three vocal tracks panned hard right and one of Sandy's two vocal tracks panned hard left to widen it up. Then when the vocal line "bring the balance back / bring it back.... bring it back" was sung.... the panning could have been faded back to centre. Both the 5 vocal tracks and the two strung instrument tracks occupy the similar frequencies leaving it feeling crammed in the mid range and the low end empty. Maybe a little stereo chorus on the acoustic guitar would have fixed this leaving the mandolin dry and centre,.... or maybe a Clannad type stereo pad sound on keyboards from John Paul Jones just to give a little more low end warmth. Like i say, great performance but cringe worthy production. Page is just not very creative when it comes to audio production and too egocentric to let someone else have a go. So like i say, for me... it's fine for a suitcase record player. I don't enjoy their music like i once did. I'm far more knowledgeable as i've aged and have grown out of Led Zeppelin as it just makes me angry now.

[@user-yk4gd1fl4z]

@@janedoe6350 interesting. Ok. Like 70’s Genesis at all? A Trick of the Tail is a most excellent album and a good pressing of that such as the MFSL vinyl , is a sonic delight.

[@johnphipps3287]

It appears to me that how the vinyl record was made is less important than the equipment the record is played on.

[@jn3750]

Not interested in vinyl, but I find this interview really interesting. Btw, do most Europeans speak English that well? I haven't met many Americans who can speak a foreign language at such a high level.

[@anadialog]

It's rare!

[@cezarvasile1635]

👌👌

[@AmazonasBiotop]

Yes that's why Bernie Grundman has SEVERAL ovens. To bake tapes so they degrades and fall apart just a bit slower. One day we will have vaults filled with plastic tape without any magnetic particles. 🤣 Or maybe that is the case already and that is one reason some of them are not allowed to leave the vault.. 🤔 That we can keep the illusion that there is any value in that plastic.. Music is about illusions and feelings in my opinion.

[@anadialog]

Good point

[@sub_annihilation9645]

Dr. Anthony Fauci, discussing mastering issues and cost.

[@Error2username]

06:20 So if you copy a dsd file to tapes, its analog again??, this is the transparent info you dont want to miss out on.. The analog masters will get destroyed slowley by copying them, digital will save them.

[@anadialog]

Technically, yes. Of course, DSD is the way to go but as explained in other comments we are not talking of preservation but quality and mastering.

[@Error2username]

@@anadialog This goes hand in hand, if you not preserve them they will be gone, how will you make a quality recording on worn out tapes?

[@DJGeorgeDisco]

Nothing wrong with digital delays since 99% of all vinyl productions use it. To insists on an analog delay and all analog production puts you in the camp of misguided audiophile.

[@anadialog]

It's wrong if they sell it to you and make you pay it as if it was a full AAA release. That is very wrong.