Finzi on vinyl What a fantastic recording

[astrotoy]

I would love to read about such a shootout of current top Hirez A to D converters in an audiophile environement. As far as I remember last time I read about such think was in WBF, when Bruce Brown picked a converter to digitize David Wilson tapes.

Can I ask you for a short explanation of the four geek like words of the second line of your signature - Dig Rip? Google only managed to confuse me!

Relatively quick answer. A decade ago after retirement, I decided that my 15K record and tape collection (95% classical) would not be an inheritance my daughter and her family would easily accept, but they loved the music in the collection. So with my wife's support I decided to convert 10K of the albums to digital (no DSD at the time). So I had a consultant, Tim Marutani, bring together the best pro software and hardware at the time (2009) and he arranged a shootout conducted by Paul Stubblebine at my home. Among attendees were Chris Connaker of Computer Audiophile and Maier Shadi of Audio Salon in LA. We ended up choosing Pyramix software from Merging Technologies with their Mykerinos card, a Pacific Microsonics Model Two A to D converter and I had a custom Bottlehead phono preamp with variable EQ and balanced outputs built. Chris Connaker built the computer that I still use today on occasion to rip. We tried Sonic Solutions (Amarra) pro software and Pure Vinyl also with both PC and Apple computers and different A to D converters including one from MSB and one from Sonic Solutions-Amarra and one whose name slips my mind but that Doug Sax had recommended. In the end I chose the only A to D which was not on the market, the Model Two. Fortunately Tim went on a multimonth search and a Model Two was located at Warner Bros studios, and that is the one I have. I had met the principals of Merging Technologies the year before when Tim had taken them to my home to hear about my project when they were considering whether to go into the consumer market. He was able to convince them to give me a big discount on their Pyramix software, since I would be only using a small fraction of the features of it for my project.

As I started the actual project, Tim had mastering engineer Mike Romanowski teach me how to use the Model Two and recording engineer and producer Mark Willsher teach me how to use Pyramix, as well as introduce me to Izotope RX software for declicking. He also wrote a bunch of macros for me to make using Pyramix easier.

At the end it took me about 6 years to do the project and I ended up with about 40TB of 192/24 files.

 

[microstrip]

Relatively quick answer. (...)

Thanks!

Did you systematically use Izotope RX or just for poor conditions vinyl? Did you (or do you know of someone having done it) ever compare the Model Two ADCs with the Merging Horus?

 

[astrotoy]

Thanks!

Did you systematically use Izotope RX or just for poor conditions vinyl? Did you (or do you know of someone having done it) ever compare the Model Two ADCs with the Merging Horus?

For vinyl, I would use a light setting for declicking (you can set Izotope to just record the stuff it removes and play back to see whether there is any music that is removed) for all the records (nothing for the tapes). For more seriously compromised records, I would increase the settings, and sometimes have to edit out short sections manually. I did a few amazing saves. I bought an early EMI (ASD255) for 2 or 3 GPB at a north London thrift shop (normal price is around 300GBP in near mint condition. It was really beat up, and I was able to get the digital file sounding almost like a brand new record.

No comparisons I know between the Model Two and Horus or Hapi. One big disadvantage to DSD is that you can't do really heavy editing like you can for PCM. So many DSD recordings which need the heavy editing are converted to PCM, usually DXD352 or DXD384, edited and then converted back to DSD. This info I got from Tom Caulfield who does the mastering for Channel Classics. Of course this is easier than using a razor blade.

I was looking at the possibility of getting a HAPI to try to rip my tapes in DSD. But I never did.

Bruce may want to comment. I don't have a Sonoma Workstation or similar devices.

Larry

 

[ulf]

I must correct again.
The original 2 vinyl of Arnold’s overtures are 33rpm not 45.
But the music is spread over 2 vinyls and the current issue is only one.
A sonic benefit to have the music spread over 2 vinyls instead of one?

 

[astrotoy]

I must correct again.
The original 2 vinyl of Arnold’s overtures are 33rpm not 45.
But the music is spread over 2 vinyls and the current issue is only one.
A sonic benefit to have the music spread over 2 vinyls instead of one?

The double first album of the Arnold Overtures actually duplicates one of the sides, so there are 3 unique sides. The side it duplicates has very great dynamic range IIRC, so might be played more often as a demo record, hence having an extra side so you won't wear out the demo cuts. It definitely allows the music (and the groove excursions) to be more expansive.

Larry

 

[ulf]

Thanks for info
The demo side with extra dynamics explains way the original double vinyl is so expensive used.

 

[ulf]

I bougth the reissue vinyl from reference recordings of Arnold’s overtures
And compared it to the original. I use the track Smoke (duplicated on the original)
And the original was clearly better. Dynamics was better and it has more “clarity”.
Still the reissue is very good but the original is outstanding.
So a minor disappointment.

 

[Marcus]

Next time I see Paul, I'll ask him why he went to the digital masters rather than the analogue original tapes (I haven't gotten one of the digital reissues that started analogue.) I don't know the condition of Keith's tape machine, but the tapes have to be played through his machine.

Larry, have you managed to get an answer from Paul?

 

[astrotoy]

Larry, have you managed to get an answer from Paul?

It slipped my mind to contact Paul (pretty easy at my age). So I just emailed him. I'll let you know the answer when I get a reply.

Larry