Direct Metal Mastering
Posted by: joerand on 05 March 2015
Merely for the sake of discussion, I'm soliciting opinions on the attributes of DMM vinyl. There's been some chatter here lately on the topic regarding the latest Blue Note releases. My own experience, based on 80's pressings, is that despite their clarity DMMs tend to sound harsh in the upper end. At that time DMM was noted in the deadwax, though I'm not sure that's still the case today. From what I read, DMM is currently used in Europe, but not in the US.
The Wikipedia article provides a good insight into the process: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Direct_metal_mastering and sums up with the following:
"With the groove being cut straight into a metal foil, this removed a number of plating stages in the manufacturing process. This gave rise to more upper frequency levels and less surface noise. Additionally, groove pre-echo problems are significantly diminished.
DMM LP pressings are sometimes described by some as having a harshness or forwardness in the high frequencies. The fact the groove is cut to copper, a hard metal, and not to soft lacquer, nitrocelullose, supposedly endows DMM vinyl LP with a very different tonality to traditionally manufactured vinyl LP pressings. Direct Metal Mastering requires a radically different cutting angle than traditional (lacquer) cutting, almost 0 degrees.[3] However the playback cartridges will always have the standard playback angle of 15–22.5°. Thus, the DMM process includes electronic audio processing [4] so the records can be played with a standard cartridge despite having been cut at a substantially different angle. This electronic processing might account for the supposedly different high frequency "signature sound" of DMM records."
I've never been too worried about DMM LPs. There are too many other things that can go wrong elsewhere. There are advantages and drawbacks to DMM in what is in any case an imperfect process of making a vinyl LP. There are DMM dogs and there are some great sounding DMM LPs out there which, when replayed with the right cart, can sound superb. Talking Heads Speaking in Tongues comes to mind here - I've just been listening to it with an ESCO Denon DL-103 in the Aro - awesome! Takes me right back to my school days.
As for the "electronic processing", I'd imagine that this is just some different EQ to take into account cutter head characteristics. EQ is nothing to be afraid of here ; after all it's a part of any LP mastering whether DMM or not, otherwise you'll never be able to cut the disc - high frequencies massively boosted and low frequencies considerably cut, all conforming to RIAA or IEC curves.
Thanks both Richard D's for the replies. I was hoping there might be more interest in discussing DMMs here. For my part, I'm not overly concerned with the process, rather the results. I know I have some excellent sounding DMMs from the past ten years. I'll post those as I come across them while playing LPs.
Two early DMMs I played recently are Melencamp's "The Lonesome Jubilee" and Suzanne Vega's "Solitude Standing". Coincidentally, both were mastered by Precision in 1987 and both share the same characteristic sonics. Excellent clarity, fast, tight percussion, a well-defined bottom end. The vinyl tracks quietly with no pre-echo. However, the mids and uppers have a shine/brilliance that to me resembles CDs of that time period. So there is not the typical warmth I associate with vinyl. I think later DMMs improved on that aspect.
As Richard Dane implies, there is no perfect solution to producing a vinyl lp. Both DMM and lacquer processes are compromised in different ways but in general, your average vinyl junky will appreciate the attributes of a disc produced using the lacquer process. However, considering that DMM was at its most prolific in the 80s when many were being seduced by the hyperbole surrounding cd, it was maybe some way of equalising vinyl and cd in terms of replay. In many cases, this had the effect of minimising the compromises of both formats, particularly in the upper registers. There will inevitably certain recordings that will benefit from DMM and much of this will be from the mid 80s/90s. For those who return to or embark on a vinyl collection, the lacquer production process is the one that generally provides the desired warmth in presentation, regarded as the key difference between analogue and digital recordings.
I would be curious to see the list of good sounding DMM LPs.
I've a few but most sound threadbare and unnatural but I can dig out a few that sound *ok*.
I would be curious to see the list of good sounding DMM LPs.
I've a few but most sound threadbare and unnatural but I can dig out a few that sound *ok*.
I searched for that elusive list myself but I fear nobody will commit to such a task.
Joe if you want to hear some really nice sounding vinyl, hunt down an album produced by Sheffield labs.
Not direct metal masters, but as far as I understand it, the masters are cut in real time during a performance. No twenty four track machines, mixing or dubbing involved, you just get true representation of the performance.
I have the Thelma Houston album, it sounds awesome.
The Thelma Houston album is great, and Tower Of Power "Direct" is not to be missed.