M_a_x wrote:

Ever wonder why outside diameter cuts on a record sound clearer and cleaner than inside ones? Unfortunately it’s a fact. Why? The answer is geometry, curvature again. One turntable revolution at 33 1/3 rpm on an LP takes 1.8 seconds. That 1.8 seconds is spread over a circumference of 36 inches on the outside of the record. At the minimum allowable inside diameter that same 1.8 second revolution would only cover 14.9 inches. You can see from this, that a gentle wiggle spread over 36 inches would get quite ‘scrunched’ over 14.9 inches. A jagged groove at 36 inches would get really scrunched at 14.9 inches (remember the rapids). Excessive treble can even cause the cutting stylus to accelerate so fast that its back edge wipes out what the front edge just cut! It’s unfortunate, but treble rolls off, and distortion goes up as you approach the center of the record. It is quite gradual, but if you compare the source recording to the disc, this actually starts to become noticeable after the second cut or so. Any attempt to compensate for this by boosting the treble, only makes the problem worse (greater curvature remember).

fiery jack wrote:here's a hint, if you're instrumental-only.

don't print the approved speed on the label.

whilst this will confuse the fuck out of your listeners, it may, if you're lucky, give them double the fun as they figure out what setting they prefer. I had a UI EP that I thought was a pretty neat "slow-core"-ish grinder; all of a sudden hey presto! it turns out it was a pretty tight "math-rock" 45 speed all the while. It was like getting 2 records for the price of 1.

This also happened with Slint's "Glenn" - got a hold of it on a live tape in about 1992, allegedly sourced direct from Mr Pajo. Whoever had recorded it had done so at 33rpm. I loved it. Then, some years later, it gets released on CD and whaddya know...

h8 m0dems wrote:

fiery jack wrote:here's a hint, if you're instrumental-only.

don't print the approved speed on the label.

whilst this will confuse the fuck out of your listeners, it may, if you're lucky, give them double the fun as they figure out what setting they prefer. I had a UI EP that I thought was a pretty neat "slow-core"-ish grinder; all of a sudden hey presto! it turns out it was a pretty tight "math-rock" 45 speed all the while. It was like getting 2 records for the price of 1.

This also happened with Slint's "Glenn" - got a hold of it on a live tape in about 1992, allegedly sourced direct from Mr Pajo. Whoever had recorded it had done so at 33rpm. I loved it. Then, some years later, it gets released on CD and whaddya know...

Sonic youth do this on SY1 as well. For ages I thought it was meant to be played at 33 and it was this awesome sludgy sounding instrumental. Then my friend was playing his cd version and it was all like whacky and fast. I still can't listen to that record at normal speed. It's boring and shit that way.

Eric K. wrote:Is the sound quality really higher "closer to the edge" of a record?

M_a_x wrote:

Ever wonder why outside diameter cuts on a record sound clearer and cleaner than inside ones? Unfortunately it’s a fact. Why? The answer is geometry, curvature again. One turntable revolution at 33 1/3 rpm on an LP takes 1.8 seconds. That 1.8 seconds is spread over a circumference of 36 inches on the outside of the record. At the minimum allowable inside diameter that same 1.8 second revolution would only cover 14.9 inches. You can see from this, that a gentle wiggle spread over 36 inches would get quite ‘scrunched’ over 14.9 inches. A jagged groove at 36 inches would get really scrunched at 14.9 inches (remember the rapids). Excessive treble can even cause the cutting stylus to accelerate so fast that its back edge wipes out what the front edge just cut! It’s unfortunate, but treble rolls off, and distortion goes up as you approach the center of the record. It is quite gradual, but if you compare the source recording to the disc, this actually starts to become noticeable after the second cut or so. Any attempt to compensate for this by boosting the treble, only makes the problem worse (greater curvature remember).