Analogy Records Sells Only Master Tapes

Bruce B

WBF Founding Member, Pro Audio Production Member
Apr 25, 2010
7,006
512
1,740
Snohomish, WA
www.pugetsoundstudios.com
Analogy Records Sells Only Master Tapes?

Call me a purist, but this don't fly with me. Taking a digital file and putting it on tape. I guess if the LP industry can do it, so can the tape folks, right?

What do you say? If you want digital on tape, hell, I have tens of thousands of digital files and I'll put them on tape all day long. I could kick out a few dozen reels a day!
 

TBone

New Member
Nov 15, 2012
1,237
1
0
Doesn't surprise me, another conversion within the chain to reach a desired sound ... speaking of which, I was reading somewhere?, someone looped the signal thru a Studer, without recording, in order to achieve that "Studer" sound.
 

Bruce B

WBF Founding Member, Pro Audio Production Member
Apr 25, 2010
7,006
512
1,740
Snohomish, WA
www.pugetsoundstudios.com
... speaking of which, I was reading somewhere?, someone looped the signal thru a Studer, without recording, in order to achieve that "Studer" sound.

It's done all the time.... called "tape layback". You take the digital signal and go through the D/A, through the Studer, and record back from the repro electronics. Sometimes gives digital a more cohesive feel, especially if it was recorded and mixed in the box.

Also there are "tape emulation" plug-ins. You can make any digital file sound like it came from ANY tape machine.... so they say! :rolleyes:

I've tried tape plug-ins from Anamod to Crane Song. Close, but no cigar! I remember when Fremer and all the vinyl guru's when up in arms when they heard the Beatles box was done from digital files.
 

c1ferrari

Member Sponsor & WBF Founding Member
May 15, 2010
2,162
51
1,770
Analogy Records Sells Only Master Tapes?

Call me a purist, but this don't fly with me. Taking a digital file and putting it on tape. I guess if the LP industry can do it, so can the tape folks, right?

What do you say? If you want digital on tape, hell, I have tens of thousands of digital files and I'll put them on tape all day long. I could kick out a few dozen reels a day!

NO, not for me. Full stop. :mad:
 

c1ferrari

Member Sponsor & WBF Founding Member
May 15, 2010
2,162
51
1,770
Thanks for mentioning this, Bruce -- let us know if any other reels aren't AAA. :rolleyes:
 

TBone

New Member
Nov 15, 2012
1,237
1
0
Aware of similar digital "emulations", not my bag ... that said, being my system is fine solid state, if I wish to "emulate" a tube'ish system (in the best sense of the term, being pro-tube) I'll simply play a DCC LP/CD.
 

TBone

New Member
Nov 15, 2012
1,237
1
0
I remember when Fremer and all the vinyl guru's when up in arms when they heard the Beatles box was done from digital files.

Vinyl "guru's" have long been fooled by LP's orig.rec from digital masters, with or without there knowledge. The late 80's esp, many examples ...
 

Bruce B

WBF Founding Member, Pro Audio Production Member
Apr 25, 2010
7,006
512
1,740
Snohomish, WA
www.pugetsoundstudios.com
Why not leave it digital then ? Seems like a waste to me.

That's what I said. If I want to put the digital files on tape/vinyl, I'll do it.

Same with putting PCM files on SACD, or upsampling digital files and calling them "hi-rez". It's all the same to me!
 

TBone

New Member
Nov 15, 2012
1,237
1
0
I'm afraid analogy's RTR biz model is a bust, imho.

How long have they been around? I'd hope their "model" is based more on the talent they sign/record, than the format. I suspect they cater to an intended audience, much like AIX.
 

Hi-FiGuy

Member Sponsor
Feb 23, 2015
2,235
754
385
How long have they been around? I'd hope their "model" is based more on the talent they sign/record, than the format. I suspect they cater to an intended audience, much like AIX.

Except AIX agrees with the OP on every level and actually commented on the article itself.
His main point is everyone can put out what they want, if you like it great, just call it what it is and not what it isn't.
Waldreps comments are on his site, but I will put it here.

A reader linked me to an article by Michael Fremer over at Analog Planet titled, "Analogy Records Sells Only Master Tapes". I read the piece, the comments, and even posted a comment of my own. Once again, the allure of analog tape is being used to sell "master tapes", but the tapes aren't made from analog masters!

In the ABOUT US section of their website:

"Analogy Records is the world’s first record label to produce contemporary artists at its recording studio, distributing ORIGINAL MASTER TAPES.

Instead of producing copies from any pre-existing master, for each order Analogy Records produces an original master directly from the multi-track recording system, thus removing an additional stage. No first generation copies but only original Master Tapes, in order to ensure the best listening experience ever."

One of the commenters on the Analog Planet site correctly pointed out that "Original master tapes are either the first generation mix from multitracks (or original unprocessed recordings) used for archival purposes and for actually mastering the commercial copies of the recording."

The Analogy Records representative replied, "That's exactly what we're doing, printing from the studio's multitrack system via analog mixing (or summing if you prefer the term) to 1/4" tape. Sincerely I don't know any other term to define a mix that jumps out from the mixer main out hitting the tape."

What's missing from this discussion is the fact that the "master tapes" being sold are first generation copies of high-resolution digital masters—not analog master multitrack tapes. To the analog tape purists of the world, this completely discounts their value. These are not analog productions!

Several years ago, I had the same idea. I have a large catalog of amazing sounding high-resolution music titles. I offered to make first generation ("master tapes") copies of my digital masters available to reel-to-reel owners. I follow a R+R group on Yahoo led by "tech guru" David Pogue and posted my idea to them. Initially, David and others were very interested in the idea. When they learned that the original source recording was made using PCM digital at 96 kHz/24-bits, David's opinion changed. He was adamant that an analog tape made from a digital master would carry the "digititis" that was forever imprinted on the PCM digital masters. He's completely wrong about that notion, but whatever (I have actually made copies from digital masters and had R+R purists rave about the fidelity).

I abandoned the idea. What's the point of spending hundreds of dollars on a tape copy of a high-res music master when you could just get the high-res original? If a customer really wants the sound of analog tape, they could make their own copies at home. Or they could run the clean digital signal through an "analog tape plug-in", which adds distortion, high-frequency hiss, scrape flutter, modulation noise, and EQ artifacts (which analog tape lovers cherish).

So Analogy Records is deliberately misleading its customers and Michael Framer didn't bother to figure out what is going on behind the scenes. It comes down to definitions. The guy from Analogy stated, "To clarify, in the music industry, a 'Master' is the final product that comes out from the recording system (whatever it is), recorded to a media (tape, DAT, lathe, file etc.). This 'Master' is then used to create copies of different media." Once again the "provenance" issue becomes relevant. He's both right and wrong. What he says is technically correct but practically wrong because he doesn't talk about the digital multitracks used to make the copies.

Analogy Records isn't selling "master tapes". They are selling first generation analog tape copies of high-resolution digital sources. And I'll bet that they sound great...better than the third generation Tape Project tapes that go for hundreds of dollars. But they should rightly be called "high-resolution to analog transfers".

Why would you name your company "Analogy Records" and use "Studio Original Master Tapes" as your tag line, when you're not using "master tapes" as your source? It seems to me that this is a misleading, money grab pitch to analog tape lovers. If this works for them, then I should offer analog tape copies of my catalog. Hmmm...
 

TBone

New Member
Nov 15, 2012
1,237
1
0
Analogy Records isn't selling "master tapes". They are selling first generation analog tape copies of high-resolution digital sources. And I'll bet that they sound great...better than the third generation Tape Project tapes that go for hundreds of dollars. But they should rightly be called "high-resolution to analog transfers".

Perhaps, but if an intended audience exist, desires this particular artist/music, having a R&R conviction, I'm not certain they'd care?
 

Bruce B

WBF Founding Member, Pro Audio Production Member
Apr 25, 2010
7,006
512
1,740
Snohomish, WA
www.pugetsoundstudios.com
And what gets me is one of the greatest mix engineers, Al Schmitt, is condoning the practice!
 

c1ferrari

Member Sponsor & WBF Founding Member
May 15, 2010
2,162
51
1,770
That's what I said. If I want to put the digital files on tape/vinyl, I'll do it.

Same with putting PCM files on SACD, or upsampling digital files and calling them "hi-rez". It's all the same to me!

Precisely. Leave program material in their native format. If true analog sources become subject to digital processing,
then leave the analog to digital converted file in its native digital format. :)
 

c1ferrari

Member Sponsor & WBF Founding Member
May 15, 2010
2,162
51
1,770
It seems to me that this is a misleading, money grab pitch to analog tape lovers. If this works for them, then I should offer analog tape copies of my catalog. Hmmm...

Anyone with digital repro and analog reel recording capability could do the same! :rolleyes: :eek:
 

c1ferrari

Member Sponsor & WBF Founding Member
May 15, 2010
2,162
51
1,770
And what gets me is one of the greatest mix engineers, Al Schmitt, is condoning the practice!

Well, then...be absolutely TRANSPARENT regarding provenance.
 

FrantzM

Member Sponsor & WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
6,455
29
405
Vinyl "guru's" have long been fooled by LP's orig.rec from digital masters, with or without there knowledge. The late 80's esp, many examples ...

Indeed .. Once the digital origin is revealed suddenly all kind of faults are found. I wonder how it would have gone had he digital provenance of the tapes not revealed?
 

About us

  • What’s Best Forum is THE forum for high end audio, product reviews, advice and sharing experiences on the best of everything else. This is THE place where audiophiles and audio companies discuss vintage, contemporary and new audio products, music servers, music streamers, computer audio, digital-to-analog converters, turntables, phono stages, cartridges, reel-to-reel tape machines, speakers, headphones and tube and solid-state amplification. Founded in 2010 What’s Best Forum invites intelligent and courteous people of all interests and backgrounds to describe and discuss the best of everything. From beginners to life-long hobbyists to industry professionals, we enjoy learning about new things and meeting new people, and participating in spirited debates.

Quick Navigation

User Menu

Steve Williams
Site Founder | Site Owner | Administrator
Ron Resnick
Site Co-Owner | Administrator
Julian (The Fixer)
Website Build | Marketing Managersing