My recording of Naxatras III won the Rocky Mountain International Hi-Fi Press Award 2019 in the "Best Audiophile Recording" category!
The event was held in Denver last week. Both the LP and tape version were selected for the award!
This was an all-analog recording mixed on the fly to 1/4" tape. No multitrack. I cut the lacquer masters for the triple LP release directly from the 1/4" master tapes on a purely analog signal path, using the Agnew Analog Reference Instrument Type 891 cutting amplifier.
The tape release was direct copies of the master tapes, done at 15 ips. It is available from Magnetic Fidelity Recordings: https://www.magneticfidelity.com/label/index.shtml
The triple LP in triple gatefold sleeve is available on bandcamp: https://naxatras.bandcamp.com/
There was also a limited edition of 500 copies pressed on "ice-blue" colored vinyl, triple gatefold sleeve and glow-in-the-dark poster. This already sold out within a couple of days of being announced. The normal version is in black and still available.
RIHPA Awards 2019: "Naxatras III" Best Audiophile Recording
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~~~ Precision Mechanical Engineering, Analog Disk Mastering ~~~
Agnew Analog Reference Instruments: http://www.agnewanalog.com
Agnew Analog Reference Instruments: http://www.agnewanalog.com
Re: RIHPA Awards 2019: "Naxatras III" Best Audiophile Record
well done!
how did your pressed records come out? I'd be interested to hear if the sound quality is affected by coloured vinyl. In my experience it has affected the sound, but different colours yeild different results. Purple and Blue have both been noticably worse, so perhaps theres some issue with blue vinyl pellets? how did yours sound?
how did your pressed records come out? I'd be interested to hear if the sound quality is affected by coloured vinyl. In my experience it has affected the sound, but different colours yeild different results. Purple and Blue have both been noticably worse, so perhaps theres some issue with blue vinyl pellets? how did yours sound?
Re: RIHPA Awards 2019: "Naxatras III" Best Audiophile Record
Thank you! The plating and pressing on this album were incredible, really on the limit on how good it can get. Very quiet and very flat records. Spectrally within 0.5 dB of the reference cuts we did. Impressive accuracy.symatic wrote:well done!
how did your pressed records come out? I'd be interested to hear if the sound quality is affected by coloured vinyl. In my experience it has affected the sound, but different colours yeild different results. Purple and Blue have both been noticably worse, so perhaps theres some issue with blue vinyl pellets? how did yours sound?
The colored records were almost identical to the black ones in every respect apart from the noise floor, on this release. The colored ones, as expected, are a little bit noisier than the black ones. However, the noise floor on this album is so low, that even the blue ones are quieter than many of the usual black records encountered nowadays.
I have cut quite a few records lately that have been pressed both in black and in color. I'd say it really depends on the pressing plant and how they do it. Color is almost always a bit noisier than the same in black, especially splatter/marbled/etc.
~~~ Precision Mechanical Engineering, Analog Disk Mastering ~~~
Agnew Analog Reference Instruments: http://www.agnewanalog.com
Agnew Analog Reference Instruments: http://www.agnewanalog.com
Re: RIHPA Awards 2019: "Naxatras III" Best Audiophile Record
who pressed it? I use The Vinyl Factory. They've been great quality so far, but I normally go for black vinyl to be on the safe side. Flatness is a big deal to us skratchers too and for the most part theyre good in that department as well. 7" have sometimes been a little wonky, but i fugure its harder to keep em flat and the press is a different system anyway.
Re: RIHPA Awards 2019: "Naxatras III" Best Audiophile Record
Naxatras III was plated and pressed at Pallas in Germany. They did a great job in every respect.
AV Mentor published a very detailed review, comparing the vinyl record and the tape version of the album: http://avmentor.net/features/2019/magnetic_fidelity_naxatras_iii_0.shtml
"[...] The LP's cut and pressing is one of the best that has fallen into my hands in recent years and can only be compared with specialized, audiophile super-cuts[...]
"[...]The two media are of very high quality with the LP being one of the best we've heard in terms of cutting and pressing[..]"
AV Mentor published a very detailed review, comparing the vinyl record and the tape version of the album: http://avmentor.net/features/2019/magnetic_fidelity_naxatras_iii_0.shtml
"[...] The LP's cut and pressing is one of the best that has fallen into my hands in recent years and can only be compared with specialized, audiophile super-cuts[...]
"[...]The two media are of very high quality with the LP being one of the best we've heard in terms of cutting and pressing[..]"
~~~ Precision Mechanical Engineering, Analog Disk Mastering ~~~
Agnew Analog Reference Instruments: http://www.agnewanalog.com
Agnew Analog Reference Instruments: http://www.agnewanalog.com
Re: RIHPA Awards 2019: "Naxatras III" Best Audiophile Record
Hello!
Nice work! I am really amazed, that a Caruso cut (or was it done with another head as shown in the video),
with the resonances in the audiorange, can get such an award.
Don´t misunderstand me, I fully respect flo´s and your work, but the caruso was mainly designed with
the low cost in mind, or do you have a "VIP high class titanium" version?
The other thing is, not so many records will reach the jury of the RIHPA, so it seems like
there is some room for other projects too!?
Anyway, I have ordered a copy, and I will compare the surface noise of the record with
some other discs
Will post the results, when I have time.
Nice work! I am really amazed, that a Caruso cut (or was it done with another head as shown in the video),
with the resonances in the audiorange, can get such an award.
Don´t misunderstand me, I fully respect flo´s and your work, but the caruso was mainly designed with
the low cost in mind, or do you have a "VIP high class titanium" version?
The other thing is, not so many records will reach the jury of the RIHPA, so it seems like
there is some room for other projects too!?
Anyway, I have ordered a copy, and I will compare the surface noise of the record with
some other discs
Will post the results, when I have time.
Re: RIHPA Awards 2019: "Naxatras III" Best Audiophile Record
a caruso head is way better than any westrex head i ever came across the last 20 years.
and even with westrex 3C (technically speaking a horrible head) a lot of award winning records where made.
westrex has normally 2 additional resonances in the audio range. caruso has one.
if you do an open loop measurment on a westrex i would not even send out a caruso with such bad curves....
also left right curves of westrex heads are normally way off. there are no good spare parts around.most stuff is worn and just works.
so an unfair test with a brand new 50 years later development. .
fresh springs. super closed matched drive coils .much smaller torque tube. independant magent systems.... just another generation.
the 2nd resonance is not nice but most can handle it. also the head gets better after some time using it.
by the way the head jesus used was still an early one. now caruso 2nd resonance is way more dampened.
for this kind of sound caruso is almost a prefect head . 2nd res is not harming a lot and can be preeq'ed .
the low end is incredible and helps a lot to make that record a pleasure.
2nd important part is the simplicity of the caruso preamp board. also quite some evolution on it.
so hope the will be more award winning records out.
SC-99 have also gained a few.
always happy if people use the stuff in a nicve way.
naxatras vinyl is great to hear.
and even with westrex 3C (technically speaking a horrible head) a lot of award winning records where made.
westrex has normally 2 additional resonances in the audio range. caruso has one.
if you do an open loop measurment on a westrex i would not even send out a caruso with such bad curves....
also left right curves of westrex heads are normally way off. there are no good spare parts around.most stuff is worn and just works.
so an unfair test with a brand new 50 years later development. .
fresh springs. super closed matched drive coils .much smaller torque tube. independant magent systems.... just another generation.
the 2nd resonance is not nice but most can handle it. also the head gets better after some time using it.
by the way the head jesus used was still an early one. now caruso 2nd resonance is way more dampened.
for this kind of sound caruso is almost a prefect head . 2nd res is not harming a lot and can be preeq'ed .
the low end is incredible and helps a lot to make that record a pleasure.
2nd important part is the simplicity of the caruso preamp board. also quite some evolution on it.
so hope the will be more award winning records out.
SC-99 have also gained a few.
always happy if people use the stuff in a nicve way.
naxatras vinyl is great to hear.
Re: RIHPA Awards 2019: "Naxatras III" Best Audiophile Record
Thank you Flo and Andy.
There are many "secrets" to it:
1) I was just saying it is a Caruso to confuse everyone. No, actually Flo's PR agency paid me to say that. In reality, I had a custom head made by Ferrari, with 12 drive coils and 4 carburetters! Cost me a million!
Nah, just kidding...
It was cut with Caruso Nr 135.
2) One could cut it half-speed, with suitably modified electronics, and the "2nd resonance" would no longer be in the "audio range". But I did not do that. One could also "pre-EQ" the second resonance, as Flo suggests. But I did not do that either. My favorite EQ setting: Bypass.
3) The Caruso is indeed a great head. But it won't do much on its own... So...
4) We need a preamp/feedback error amplifier. I started with the earlier version Caruso preamp PCB, which was already really nice and simple. I upgraded to very high quality components, regardless of cost, carefully matching everything and testing a lot. We tried a few mods and eventually the newer Caruso preamp PCB came, improved in a few important areas. Again, high quality components and a really good, stable power supply unit of my own design, make a big difference.
I modified the preamp and tried a few different things out and eventually ended up deviating a bit from the original design.
A preamp alone won't drive a cutter head, though... So...
5) I actually spent a few years designing and testing a pretty impressive cutting amplifier: https://secure.aes.org/forum/pubs/journal/?elib=19872
The magic is in the INTERFACE between amp and transducer.
The amp is not a voltage source and the head is not a resistor. As with any marriage, the two need to agree on certain things to have a meaningful sex life...!
6) So, the head, preamp and amp TOGETHER do their magic. Apart from this album and award, we have had other occasions to see what it can do.
For example, we had a customer who had sent an album to a very well-respected mastering studio in Germany, with a great VMS/SX74/SAL74 setup. He was not happy with the test pressings and called me to cut new masters.
He did not tell me where it had been cut. But he sent me the source and the test pressing, so I can tell him if I thought there is room for improvement. As soon as I saw the signature on the pressing, I was like "Gulp, I'm really not sure if I stand a chance with this!". I have a lot of respect for that place.
But, I thought I'd do at least a test cut, just out of curiosity, just to see where I stand. Upon hearing the result, I sent the customer a reference cut and that album now has my name on it. There was quite a difference and the customer loved it. The Caruso/Type 891 cut won a direct comparison with an SX74/SAL74 cut of the same source.
7) The jury probably did not check the price tag of the cutter head. Should they have? If Flo decides to sell it for 10K from tomorrow, would it suddenly become a better head?
8 ) I guess the jury did not hear the 2nd resonance. I didn't either. Which is why I made no effort to EQ it. They also heard the master tape copy which is commercially available for this album, so they had a good comparison point. You can do the same. The album is available in PCM 192/24 from bandcamp, DSD 5.6 MHZ from Native DSD, and direct copies of the 15 ips master tapes, as well as the vinyl record version. You can do quadruple-blind tests!
9) So, is there a 2nd resonance? Of course there is, but it is not an issue if the Caruso is driven properly. Let's just say that a 100 buck PA amp cannot be expected to cut it, in this respect! It's the difference between "it works" and "it sounds great".
10) Remember the "shit in = shit out" principle? Well, it helps to start with a good recording! This was not a "best 2nd resonance award"!
11) I agree with Flo that especially when it comes to LF, the Caruso/Type 891 is hard to beat.
12) Most important of all: We all like to get geeky about gear, but gear don't make records.
Humans make records.
Especially in the analog domain, the human factor is the single most important variable. Which is why, as Flo pointed out, great recordings and records have been made with a variety of equipment. It is not important if you are using an SX74, a 3D, a Caruso, or an SC-99, as long as you are able to use it to its FULL POTENTIAL!
The Caruso is more than "good enough" to make award-winning records, if you use it to its full potential. So is the SC99, the SX74 and even the 3D. It certainly would help to have the "perfect head", but it doesn't exist. They all have strengths and weaknesses. If you manage to demonstrate the strengths while not allowing the weaknesses to show, great records come out. Nobody will ever know how exactly you did it or why, it doesn't matter.
It is only the end result that matters, in the long run.
Regarding the award, I had no idea (and neither did the band) that this would even be nominated, let alone win!
Talk about a pleasant surprise!
I'm really glad you like that record, Flo! I really do value your opinion. Thank you!
There are many "secrets" to it:
1) I was just saying it is a Caruso to confuse everyone. No, actually Flo's PR agency paid me to say that. In reality, I had a custom head made by Ferrari, with 12 drive coils and 4 carburetters! Cost me a million!
Nah, just kidding...
It was cut with Caruso Nr 135.
2) One could cut it half-speed, with suitably modified electronics, and the "2nd resonance" would no longer be in the "audio range". But I did not do that. One could also "pre-EQ" the second resonance, as Flo suggests. But I did not do that either. My favorite EQ setting: Bypass.
3) The Caruso is indeed a great head. But it won't do much on its own... So...
4) We need a preamp/feedback error amplifier. I started with the earlier version Caruso preamp PCB, which was already really nice and simple. I upgraded to very high quality components, regardless of cost, carefully matching everything and testing a lot. We tried a few mods and eventually the newer Caruso preamp PCB came, improved in a few important areas. Again, high quality components and a really good, stable power supply unit of my own design, make a big difference.
I modified the preamp and tried a few different things out and eventually ended up deviating a bit from the original design.
A preamp alone won't drive a cutter head, though... So...
5) I actually spent a few years designing and testing a pretty impressive cutting amplifier: https://secure.aes.org/forum/pubs/journal/?elib=19872
The magic is in the INTERFACE between amp and transducer.
The amp is not a voltage source and the head is not a resistor. As with any marriage, the two need to agree on certain things to have a meaningful sex life...!
6) So, the head, preamp and amp TOGETHER do their magic. Apart from this album and award, we have had other occasions to see what it can do.
For example, we had a customer who had sent an album to a very well-respected mastering studio in Germany, with a great VMS/SX74/SAL74 setup. He was not happy with the test pressings and called me to cut new masters.
He did not tell me where it had been cut. But he sent me the source and the test pressing, so I can tell him if I thought there is room for improvement. As soon as I saw the signature on the pressing, I was like "Gulp, I'm really not sure if I stand a chance with this!". I have a lot of respect for that place.
But, I thought I'd do at least a test cut, just out of curiosity, just to see where I stand. Upon hearing the result, I sent the customer a reference cut and that album now has my name on it. There was quite a difference and the customer loved it. The Caruso/Type 891 cut won a direct comparison with an SX74/SAL74 cut of the same source.
7) The jury probably did not check the price tag of the cutter head. Should they have? If Flo decides to sell it for 10K from tomorrow, would it suddenly become a better head?
8 ) I guess the jury did not hear the 2nd resonance. I didn't either. Which is why I made no effort to EQ it. They also heard the master tape copy which is commercially available for this album, so they had a good comparison point. You can do the same. The album is available in PCM 192/24 from bandcamp, DSD 5.6 MHZ from Native DSD, and direct copies of the 15 ips master tapes, as well as the vinyl record version. You can do quadruple-blind tests!
9) So, is there a 2nd resonance? Of course there is, but it is not an issue if the Caruso is driven properly. Let's just say that a 100 buck PA amp cannot be expected to cut it, in this respect! It's the difference between "it works" and "it sounds great".
10) Remember the "shit in = shit out" principle? Well, it helps to start with a good recording! This was not a "best 2nd resonance award"!
11) I agree with Flo that especially when it comes to LF, the Caruso/Type 891 is hard to beat.
12) Most important of all: We all like to get geeky about gear, but gear don't make records.
Humans make records.
Especially in the analog domain, the human factor is the single most important variable. Which is why, as Flo pointed out, great recordings and records have been made with a variety of equipment. It is not important if you are using an SX74, a 3D, a Caruso, or an SC-99, as long as you are able to use it to its FULL POTENTIAL!
The Caruso is more than "good enough" to make award-winning records, if you use it to its full potential. So is the SC99, the SX74 and even the 3D. It certainly would help to have the "perfect head", but it doesn't exist. They all have strengths and weaknesses. If you manage to demonstrate the strengths while not allowing the weaknesses to show, great records come out. Nobody will ever know how exactly you did it or why, it doesn't matter.
It is only the end result that matters, in the long run.
Regarding the award, I had no idea (and neither did the band) that this would even be nominated, let alone win!
Talk about a pleasant surprise!
I'm really glad you like that record, Flo! I really do value your opinion. Thank you!
~~~ Precision Mechanical Engineering, Analog Disk Mastering ~~~
Agnew Analog Reference Instruments: http://www.agnewanalog.com
Agnew Analog Reference Instruments: http://www.agnewanalog.com
-
socialroots
- Posts: 161
- Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2014 2:33 pm
- Location: Dulan village,Taitung,Taiwan
Re: RIHPA Awards 2019: "Naxatras III" Best Audiophile Record
Well put and from the heart,congrats Jesus! Ive always followed your posts cuz you always keep it honest n simple,just like the music i enjoy to listen and try to make.
I found myself back in 84 down the rabbit hole,so exited with my brand new Rhodes Chroma maxed out with all the extra boards so i could have a 16track sequenceing /voice recording by using a Apple2E n record to floppy.....well biggest financial mistake i made,cuz MIDI came in shortly and rendered my then hightech set up prettymuch worthless,lost alot of money,went into debt with that one bad mistake thinking the gear i bought was gonna make great selfmade recordings,and i was on my way into pro music production. What a fool i was, dreaming next of a Synclavier system,then ultimately The Fairlight system,which at the time was almost the price of a decent bungalow.
This foolishness made me waste alot of time n money in my youth when i should have focused more time on mastering my craft,writting,arrangeing music.
Took me all the way to 2000 when home computer recordings became available to all and protools shut down prettymuch all the analog struder based studios because all of the sudden everyone had a softstudio and everyone was a producer/engineer. Well never tobe the one who likes to follow the crowds, i stopped relying on computers as my recorder and bought a reel to reel to record ,got back into the now tideous work of equipment maintenance,tape slicing ect...till one day i met and worked with a writter,producer in Okinawa that did it all on a 8 channel mixer,nice preamp,amp into an tascam 4track casette.
I loved the recordings he was making so much,cuz of the simple gear he used,and it sounded great to me,brought me joy,so i copied his set up. Latter he told me maybe i dont even need to change anything in my studio,cuz he really believed that its his playing,arrangements ,writting and noT the equipment that people enjoy listening to
. Expensive vintage analog equipmenT isnt gonna give me the vintage analog sound that i was after,he told me i was gonna have to get vintage vibe players To get that sound captured in a session,its not the equipment,its the people,or person that makes great music.
A bit long,but i hope u get my meaning,i love the vibe and life that you an Sabine have created over there in Greece,not to mention the gear ,and solutions u come up wit to help others.not to mention sharing of knowledge n experience.
I hope oneday to be able to visit your part of the world,but more importantly to vist your laboratory!
Maximum respect,
Patrick
,
I found myself back in 84 down the rabbit hole,so exited with my brand new Rhodes Chroma maxed out with all the extra boards so i could have a 16track sequenceing /voice recording by using a Apple2E n record to floppy.....well biggest financial mistake i made,cuz MIDI came in shortly and rendered my then hightech set up prettymuch worthless,lost alot of money,went into debt with that one bad mistake thinking the gear i bought was gonna make great selfmade recordings,and i was on my way into pro music production. What a fool i was, dreaming next of a Synclavier system,then ultimately The Fairlight system,which at the time was almost the price of a decent bungalow.
This foolishness made me waste alot of time n money in my youth when i should have focused more time on mastering my craft,writting,arrangeing music.
Took me all the way to 2000 when home computer recordings became available to all and protools shut down prettymuch all the analog struder based studios because all of the sudden everyone had a softstudio and everyone was a producer/engineer. Well never tobe the one who likes to follow the crowds, i stopped relying on computers as my recorder and bought a reel to reel to record ,got back into the now tideous work of equipment maintenance,tape slicing ect...till one day i met and worked with a writter,producer in Okinawa that did it all on a 8 channel mixer,nice preamp,amp into an tascam 4track casette.
I loved the recordings he was making so much,cuz of the simple gear he used,and it sounded great to me,brought me joy,so i copied his set up. Latter he told me maybe i dont even need to change anything in my studio,cuz he really believed that its his playing,arrangements ,writting and noT the equipment that people enjoy listening to
. Expensive vintage analog equipmenT isnt gonna give me the vintage analog sound that i was after,he told me i was gonna have to get vintage vibe players To get that sound captured in a session,its not the equipment,its the people,or person that makes great music.
A bit long,but i hope u get my meaning,i love the vibe and life that you an Sabine have created over there in Greece,not to mention the gear ,and solutions u come up wit to help others.not to mention sharing of knowledge n experience.
I hope oneday to be able to visit your part of the world,but more importantly to vist your laboratory!
Maximum respect,
Patrick
,
-
socialroots
- Posts: 161
- Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2014 2:33 pm
- Location: Dulan village,Taitung,Taiwan
Re: RIHPA Awards 2019: "Naxatras III" Best Audiophile Record
Tools are just tools,its the person operating the tools that makes all the differents in the results achieved. Tools u gotta master them,not let tool be your master!
That is the conclusion i got,and the most important chain in the link for achieving such an acclaimed recording from what Jesus stated about the tools he used for the record.
As you can tell,ive never mastered the craft of expressing myself in written form! anyways big up again to U Jesus,and keep the humans relivent in this high tech world we have built around us. Eagerly waiting on more news on that 1950,s american made trailer,i meant cutterhead!
Maximum respect,
Patrick
That is the conclusion i got,and the most important chain in the link for achieving such an acclaimed recording from what Jesus stated about the tools he used for the record.
As you can tell,ive never mastered the craft of expressing myself in written form! anyways big up again to U Jesus,and keep the humans relivent in this high tech world we have built around us. Eagerly waiting on more news on that 1950,s american made trailer,i meant cutterhead!
Maximum respect,
Patrick