Putting "Half-Speed Mastered" in perspective.

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by DK Pete, Sep 4, 2020.

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  1. DK Pete

    DK Pete Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Levittown. NY
    When this phrase first came around concerning some of "our" favorite classic albums, I'm sure I was among a very large group of vinyl fans who went, "wow, this sounds great!!". Unfortunately, after owning a few of these HSM's I've come to conclude that the "wow" factor is more than a little overstated. What I've come to determine is that what a half speed master does is improve on an already great sounding album while it does quite opposite for albums that didn't sound so great to begin with (in other words, enhances the shortcomings of the original master). And then there are others in which it doesn't seem to make much audible difference one way or another. Thoughts?
     
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  2. fairaintfair

    fairaintfair I Buried Paul

    Location:
    Lafayette, CA
    I've found no noticeable improvement of sound with half speed masters.
     
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  3. 131east23

    131east23 Person of Interest

    Location:
    gone
    Just a ploy to get you to buy another copy of an album you already own and love.
     
  4. c-eling

    c-eling They're made of light,We never would have guessed

    Comparing the same mastering to a non 1/2 speed?
    All mine I have from Miles have a left channel dB boost.
     
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  5. Chemguy

    Chemguy Forum Resident

    Location:
    Western Canada
    Chic’s first album has a foggy, veiled soundscape on original releases. I got the Abbey Road half speed and the fog cleared and the veil lifted. It’s wonderful.

    A good example of an inferior pressing becoming much better with the Half Speed tag attached.
     
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  6. DK Pete

    DK Pete Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Levittown. NY
    When you say "Half speed Abbey Road", do you mean the MFSL ??
     
  7. misteranderson

    misteranderson Forum Resident

    Location:
    englewood, nj
    Maybe your left ear is stronger than the right.
     
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  8. marcb

    marcb Senior Member

    Location:
    DC area
    Half-speed mastering is just a different way of mastering that adds an additional step and is not without its flaws (which I think are, at best, a net negative).

    One thing it does not do is make a better record.
     
  9. marcb

    marcb Senior Member

    Location:
    DC area
    I have several Abbey Road cuts by Miles with channel imbalance (I can’t recall if the left is consistently louder than right). I also have some which aren’t.
     
    Last edited: Sep 4, 2020
  10. MLutthans

    MLutthans That's my spaghetti, Chewbacca! Staff

    Half-speed mastering is a tool; a way of cutting a record. It's an electro-mechanical step. The final sound of the disk has more to do with the source used and the mastering choices (EQ, compression, low-frequency blend, etc.) than with whether or not half-speed mastering was used. Both methods have plusses and minusses, advocates and detractors. I have good and bad records cut both ways.
     
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  11. Crimson Witch

    Crimson Witch Roll across the floor thru the hole & out the door

    Location:
    Lower Michigan
    It totally depends on who cuts the damn thing. Saying "half speed masters are no good " is like saying
    " AAD reissues are bad" , or "ADD reissues are bad". It is a blanket statement that isn't always true except in the experience of those who are unfortunate to have never heard a good HSM. But they exist. Nowadays I can't vouch for any vinyl production, as I've been out of the business completely since the early 199Os. I only know that there have been HSMs worth owning prior to that.
     
  12. Chemguy

    Chemguy Forum Resident

    Location:
    Western Canada
    Nope. It’s the 2018 reissue by Miles Showell.
     
  13. BDC

    BDC Forum Resident

    Location:
    Tacoma
    Lets hear from a guru.
     
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  14. AnalogJ

    AnalogJ Hearing In Stereo Since 1959

    Location:
    Salem, MA
    The advantages of 1/2-speed mastering, to my understanding, is the greater precision in cutting the high- and mid-frequencies, and the lower amplification demand on the cutting. Stan Ricker was an advocate. That being said, there have been 1/2-speed mastered records that have absolutely sucked, and others that have been great. 1/2-speed mastering is just a tool, but it's not a panacea.
     
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  15. Chemguy

    Chemguy Forum Resident

    Location:
    Western Canada
    Pretty much says it all.
     
  16. BDC

    BDC Forum Resident

    Location:
    Tacoma
    There's strong cases otherwise too, but I think if it was clearly better all records would be done half speed.
    I think the lesson is to not assume something is better because it's cut at half speed. Case by case, but I think calling half speed cutting "half speed mastering" is blatant marketing.
    Here's a cheerleader.......
     
  17. Chemguy

    Chemguy Forum Resident

    Location:
    Western Canada
    Pretty much says it all.

    ;)
     
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  18. Neonbeam

    Neonbeam All Art Was Once Contemporary

    Location:
    Planet Earth
    That guy's a real lefty! :uhhuh:
     
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  19. Neonbeam

    Neonbeam All Art Was Once Contemporary

    Location:
    Planet Earth
    As others have pointed out: You won't find concensus here. It's like other classic debates, digital vs. analog, black vs. colour vinyl, original vs. reissue, Beatles vs Stones, DMM vs. practically everything else. There are good examples, there are bad examples. A well mastered and well manufactured physical medium is where it's at. Everything else involves a lot of mythology.

    But: At the moment "half-speed mastering" has definitely become an overused hype. Especially if done at Abbey Road by one Miles Showell. I'm a bit fed up with that to be honest.
     
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  20. Strat-Mangler

    Strat-Mangler Personal Survival Daily Record-Breaker

    Location:
    Toronto
    Wrong.

    $ > time
     
  21. Chemically altered

    Chemically altered Forum Resident

    Location:
    Ukraine in Spirit
    Just another gimmick that keeps people from spending money on what's most important, mainly upgrading their playback equipment.
     
    Last edited: Sep 5, 2020
  22. BDC

    BDC Forum Resident

    Location:
    Tacoma
    You may be right, but is lathe time really that in demand these days? I know at one time they were always running.
    I not sold on it anyway....case by case
     
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  23. Channel Z

    Channel Z Forum Resident

    Location:
    Illinois
    I like these half speed Abbey Road vinyl. I have

    Rolling Stones 2018 Vinyl Box
    Beatles Abbey Road remix vinyl
    The Who Sell Out reissued vinyl
    Blind Faith

    They sound great on my stereo/ turntable. It seems many here like them also. Some I don't have get good reviews also: Police reissues, CCR reissues Cream Disareli Gears and more I'm sure.
     
    Echoes Myron likes this.
  24. DK Pete

    DK Pete Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Levittown. NY
    Pp
    I believe you're referring to the 2019 50th anniverssary re-issue. While it's a very well mastered LP, I think the outward improvements you're hearing in clarity are much more so due to the fact that the album was remixed as opposed to the mastering itself.
     
  25. For the Record

    For the Record Forum Resident

    Location:
    Ontario Canada
    This is why the snake oil of "Mastered at Half Speed" makes it sound better has been replaced with "180GR Vinyl"
     
    fairaintfair likes this.
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