Cutting masters on a 6N/8N..?

[handcut]

Just curious if anybody on here has successfully pressed up a run of discs from a master cut on a Presto 6N or 8N? Or unsucessfully... Or, for that matter, anything other than the usual pro lathes.

Cheers.

[piaptk]

Yes. I have on a 6n. You can do it easily. Butyou aren’t going to get the volume or frequency range you would from a scully or a neumann.

[handcut]

Yes. I have on a 6n. You can do it easily. Butyou aren’t going to get the volume or frequency range you would from a scully or a neumann.

Cool, thanks Mike. Making them sound like they were cut on a Scully or Neumann really isn't a concern. The band who are asking me to do this are more concerned with 'vibe' than fidelity and I'm not going to argue with them! I've spent 20 years chasing 'high fidelity' and I think I'm done with it.

Are copies of the pressing still available?

A surprising number of people are asking me about pressing 78's too. There's a real old-timey folk, blues, trad and big band thing going on here. Sorry if this seems like a dumb quesion, but will plants press up 78's???

[piaptk]

If you are cutting the lacquers, a record press can’t tell a difference between a 33, 45, or 78rpm record. It’s all the same to the stamper. If you are doing 78 rpm standard groove (grooves wider and deeper), there might be a difference, settings wise, but I’m not sure honestly. You’d have to ask the plant.

The record I pressed 8 years ago before I really knew what I was doing... it sounded mediocre but it worked fine. It’s long out of print. I only made 100 copies, and basically just for shits and giggles.

[handcut]

If you are cutting the lacquers, a Press can’t tell a difference between a 33, 45, or 78 Rom Record. It’s all the same to the stamper. If you are doing 78 rpm standard groove (grooves wider and deeper), there might be a difference, settings wise, but I’m not sure honestly. You’d have to ask the plant.

Yeah, that's what I thought. Any plant operators want to chime in?

The record I pressed 8 years ago before I really knew what I was doing... it sounded mediocre but it worked fine. It’s long out of print. I only made 100 copies, and basically just for shits and giggles.

Fair enough. Would you do it again..?

[piaptk]

For the right project I would do it again. But honestly unless you are cutting direct to disc, it’s worth paying one of the pros to do it. They don’t charge nearly as much as they deserve, and they have relationships with plants and platers and they know the best way to pack it, etc. I’ll pay the $150 a side or whatever to just know that it’s done right.

[handcut]

I completely agree and yes, the project in question would be direct to disc. I've done it quite a bit with my VR and it's always sounded good, but it's a lot of work for just one copy!

[tragwag]

sort of overkill but you could do a direct to disc recording, and then cut multiples from the master copy record as a source!

[Angus McCarthy]

Breaking out of lurk mode to say this is exactly what has been on my mind for the last couple years. My ultimate goal is to build a studio using midcentury analogue equipment and to offer period disc mastering and direct-to-disc recording in-house. It was always in the back of my mind but I got a fire lit under me after watching Sound-on-Sound's interview with Sugar Ray's studio in the UK. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Q-scxybnp0

You have to think of all the local pressings that were mastered at a local radio station or small studio. What would they have been using if they didn't send the tapes away? Chances are it was a 6N. The 6N literature even talks about how to make a master disc for reproduction, by tracing the outline of a production disc to give you a maximum diameter - though I doubt modern platers would appreciate grease pencil residue on the disc!

sort of overkill but you could do a direct to disc recording, and then cut multiples from the master copy record as a source!

Wouldn't you get noticeable degradation after the first few copies, though? Although, in some circles that might be a plus.

[symatic]

hmmm yeah I'm starting to wonder if the more manual nature of the 14B is an advantage in some ways over the neumans - as I can theoretically control more parts of it and do weirder cutting techniques. ive never used a neuman or anything but it sounds like they are very automated compared to prestos

[handcut]

Breaking out of lurk mode to say this is exactly what has been on my mind for the last couple years. My ultimate goal is to build a studio using midcentury analogue equipment and to offer period disc mastering and direct-to-disc recording in-house. It was always in the back of my mind but I got a fire lit under me after watching Sound-on-Sound's interview with Sugar Ray's studio in the UK. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Q-scxybnp0

You have to think of all the local pressings that were mastered at a local radio station or small studio. What would they have been using if they didn't send the tapes away? Chances are it was a 6N. The 6N literature even talks about how to make a master disc for reproduction, by tracing the outline of a production disc to give you a maximum diameter - though I doubt modern platers would appreciate grease pencil residue on the disc!

Ah, great..! Yes. This is what I'm talking about. It was reading all about Cosimo Matassa that got me going.

[Angus McCarthy]

Oh wow! Check out these guys I just discovered who just began posting on youtube: Moonshine Records. Looks like they're out of Germany. Set up with all period equipment and a 6N for direct-to-disc recording & mastering. This is precisely what I'm looking to build. It must have taken years (and/or a hefty sum) to pull all this together.

Anyone know if they're on the forum here?

[soeffingodly]

Oh wow! Check out these guys I just discovered who just began posting on youtube: Moonshine Records. Looks like they're out of Germany. Set up with all period equipment and a 6N for direct-to-disc recording & mastering. This is precisely what I'm looking to build. It must have taken years (and/or a hefty sum) to pull all this together.

Anyone know if they're on the forum here?

SICK.

[handcut]

Stunning.

I take it you've all seen the American Sound Truck? https://americansoundtruck.com/

Some really inspiring stuff going on, keep it coming! Makes me feel less like I've lost my mind...

[concretecowboy71]

You can cut masters on anything you like as long as the dimensional standards work for electroforming and pressing. You can cut any speed you like. Presses don’t care about speed, they are just molding plastic. Between my two businesses Well Made Music and The Earnest Tube, we cut direct to disc and can master most anything. We have 2 Neumann VMS70 Mastering lathes, 1 Rek-o-Kut overhead and a Presto 8 series. We are located in “The Birthplace of Country Music” - Bristol TN/VA - https://www.facebook.com/theearnesttube/

Mastering services located in Cleveland, OH. - http://www.wellmademusic.net

Here is a link to our YouTube page:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCX-UszbVVZxfZgStJBArS0g