Steve Wrote:

For LP cutting, the analog signal comes from the desk directly (they have preview heads on the tape machines for azimuth computation) and is the cleanest, best quality cutting in the world.

What is azimuth computation?

I hope this isn't to vague of a question, but I have never heard of this before and I am interested.

Thanks,
Andrew

Andrew Weatherhead wrote:What is azimuth computation?

Thanks,
Andrew

The pitch (tightness of spiral) of the groove cut into an LP master has to be varied to accommodate the varying sized of the groove required by the variations in signal. This spacing must be changed in advance to prepare a space for the groove about to be cut by the cutter head. This spacing is continuously variable, and the precise size of the space between grooves is determined by the azimuth computer.

Since the pitch has to be varied before the groove is cut, the computer must receive the audio one revolution before the cutter head. This is what the preview head on teh tape machine is for. When cutting from a machine without a preview head, the audio being cut into the disc is delayed by a digital delay line.

In this instance, the "analog" record is really being made from a digital signal. True all-analog cutting is becoming rare, but there are still places like Abbey Road that can do it without any fuss.

best,
-steve

Wow, I found that extremely interesting and informative.

Thanks a whole lot,

Andrew

Andrew Weatherhead wrote:Wow, I found that extremely interesting and informative.

For more information on Azimuth, please visit:
http://www.pricegrabber.com/search_full ... 063f58b0ce

I thought I'd bait ye all with that rumour, which I read on the SOS forum.

It worked.

Thanks for the info Steve. Have you ever written a book on audio? You are one of the few AEs with a flair for writing. I like your pithy style.

swordfish wrote:I thought I'd bait ye all with that rumour, which I read on the SOS forum.

It worked.

Thanks for the info Steve. Have you ever written a book on audio? You are one of the few AEs with a flair for writing. I like your pithy style.

he's probably the only AE with a degree in journalism

swordfish wrote:I hear mastering at Abbey Road is done exclusively within Sonic Solutions. Clearly analog or digital makes no difference- it's the person.

I was there for a mastering session in March. Actually, it was the same day the new Radiohead CD was mastered and Chris Blair couldn't do it because he was already booked with us.

Anyway, Chris used the TG console's limiter, EQ (primarily LF adjustment), and famous "Spreader" module and he applied additive HF equalization from a Prism EQ. He also had Juenger and Sony limiters, which I don't think he used on our stuff, and did assembly only in Sonic Solutions. The session was monitored through Bowers and Wilkins 801 Nautilus speakers, I believe. The whole process for 5 songs took 2 hours and 15 minutes and was worth EVERY PENNY of what they charged for the mastering and room at the flats next door. We heard each song twice (once while Chris made adjustments and once for importing) with one exception where some additional equalization was done after the first listening pass.

I completely understand why Steve enjoys that studio.

Chris Garges
Charlotte, NC

Why does the letter appear to be signed by a different person than is listed below the signature? Or have my eyes gone flat?

I got a quote from them recently, and the rate is very reasonable, but the nice lady who replied to my email said they only accepted audio CD and DAT, not 24bit AIFF on CD ROM. Seems a bit odd.

swordfish wrote:I got a quote from them recently, and the rate is very reasonable, but the nice lady who replied to my email said they only accepted audio CD and DAT, not 24bit AIFF on CD ROM. Seems a bit odd.

Yes, but they accept 24-bit DAT, which is pretty standard, right? (I'm only kidding about the standard part.) We were told that they could accept 24-bit AIFF files from CDR, but then the morning of our session Chris told us that he was having some sort of problem where he couldn't import that AIFFs. Here's a lesson in being prepared. We had also printed Redbook standard CDRs that we tool with us and that's what we used. I'm not the least bit disappointed with the end result.

I can wait 'til the next project I've got with the budget to work there.

Chris Garges
Charlotte, NC