Dubplates vs. Vinyl Cuts

[ballistics]

Hi, just got two dubplates from dub studio.
Really love spinning my own tunes, but it seems to me that there is less volume in them than in the mass-produced vinyl??
Is that what you can expect, or is it poor mastering?
(Or poor mixing by me from the start? Though I am pretty sure I know what I am doing..)

[spiro]

Is that what you can expect, or is it poor mastering

dont know the technical stuff in all this, but from what i have experienced,
the loudest mastered 12"s has 2-3db higher output than the vinyl cuts.
but some 12"s and old vinyl has a lot lower output . . .

hows things in denmark ?

[missedthebus]

acetate smells better then sex!

[lukki]

Dubwoofa showed me an acetate from Transition of scare them.
It had lower output and less punch than the vinyl cut I got of the same tune from Henry (dubstudio)

On the same needles and speakers?

How many times had the acetate been played? with what stylus angles and weight?



-Def too many variables to say...

[spiro]

Dubwoofa showed me an acetate from Transition of scare them.
It had lower output and less punch than the vinyl cut I got of the same tune from Henry (dubstudio)

On the same needles and speakers?

How many times had the acetate been played? with what stylus angles and weight?



-Def too many variables to say...

think you read my post a bit to scientific
I was only amazed to hear that my copy on one-off vinyl could play as good
or even a bit better than an acetate disc [never had one] It was just a quick listen on my home setup
and the acetate was absolutely used before but sounded very good!

original post was only my view of the easiest way to get something cut and sounding good, if you dont have a local cutter.
If i had the possibility, i'd go to any local cutter and get it done proper, but the next best doesn't have to sound bad.

[thinking]

Hi, just got two dubplates from dub studio.
Really love spinning my own tunes, but it seems to me that there is less volume in them than in the mass-produced vinyl??
Is that what you can expect, or is it poor mastering?
(Or poor mixing by me from the start? Though I am pretty sure I know what I am doing..)

vinyl dubs are often quieter than a pressed 12" - one of the main reasons is that the equipment used to cut them is not a proper lathe like you'll find at Transition or any other 'proper' mastering house. Places like Dubstudio use something which retro-fits to a 1210, and the cutting head doesn't produce the kind of amplitude that a proper Neumann lathe will.

[rev]

about the high frequency cut, this makes great sense, since you can't cut frequencies above 13000 hz to dubplates anyway.

Incorrect, The Neumann cutting electronics is accurate upto 16k which does not mean that it will not reproduce anything higher.

And nearly every sound engineer you will meet, makes a low cut at 45-50 hz since there is almost only rumble below here, and if there are any sound information there,

I cannot speak for everyone but each track is different so you eq accordingly.

it will be impossible to make the groove wide enough on a vinyl or dubplate.

Incorect .I cannot remember how low the SX74 can go but it is lower than 45hz

I am sorry I did not specify which system I have read that about. And that was not Neumann pro lathe cutter. I am confident that you could have higher frequencies from an acetate, than a vinyl dubplate. Even though the difference between 13000 and 16.000 hz not even 1/3 of an octave.

Let me change the before mentioned low-cut frequency from 45-50 to 40 hz, and most systems would have a really hard time reproducing those sounds. Even a FK1-rig with 18"-woofers needs infrahorns/infrabass to reproduce frequencies between 30 and 40 hz properly. I think that is why a lot of engineers choose to eliminate those frequencies (not saying this should be cutted off sharply, before the engineer even listens to the track)

[ballistics]

Thanks for the advice about dubplates, I will just compensate with the gain-button then..

Apart from the volume, I can only recommend dubstudio.co.uk
the service as well as the products are great!

Just ordered 4 more tracks

[djfoster]

-transition or dubstudio? don't consider prices, their dubplates sounds too different?

-what big names think?

-can I press free 320 that people give?

-can I press free 320 that big names give?

If I understand what you are asking..

Don't cut a 320. Only give your engineer a wave file. 320 kbps mp3s don't sound good cut to dubplate. an Mp3 is a compressed file and sounds like crap cut to dubplate. I have tried it before. trust me. Only cut wavefiles. you will thank me in the end.

I'd ask the origianal artist for permission to cut the dubplate before hand. Remember there are different kinds of dubplates cut for different reasons so look into it and talk to the guy at the studio.

dubplates will sound different cut on different lathes from different studios. I would suggest trying a couple different ones out and go with the one that makes it easier for you.

thanks for this

[charliefoy]

Can we bump this and talk more about dubplates please

[Be-1ne]

good bump here.

My advice from my own experience is, if your on a budget and want some dubs, go to dubs studio and get some vinyl dubs cut. They are hard wearing, last ages, dont wear out like acetates and sound f**king heavy on a system.!

Acetates have a more audiophile quality in my opinion and are good if you are planning on doing a press of a track to hear what it would sound like once pressed. So I usually get acetates of anything im going to release to hear how it will sound, but for playing out I much prefer the vinyl dubs from dub stuido. plus Henry is a top bloke and the service is great!

on a side note, as often gets mentioned. Cutting dubs is often a sign of quality control. Anyone can burn a CD-R, but you will really analyse your tracks before committing to spending £30+ on a dub. Essentially you will end up with a really good selection of tunes that wont go out of fashion in a hurry and you will be much more picky about what you play.

my 2peneth worth.

hope this helps someone LOL.

[charliefoy]

good bump here.

My advice from my own experience is, if your on a budget and want some dubs, go to dubs studio and get some vinyl dubs cut. They are hard wearing, last ages, dont wear out like acetates and sound f**king heavy on a system.!

Acetates have a more audiophile quality in my opinion and are good if you are planning on doing a press of a track to hear what it would sound like once pressed. So I usually get acetates of anything im going to release to hear how it will sound, but for playing out I much prefer the vinyl dubs from dub stuido. plus Henry is a top bloke and the service is great!

on a side note, as often gets mentioned. Cutting dubs is often a sign of quality control. Anyone can burn a CD-R, but you will really analyse your tracks before committing to spending £30+ on a dub. Essentially you will end up with a really good selection of tunes that wont go out of fashion in a hurry and you will be much more picky about what you play.

my 2peneth worth.

hope this helps someone LOL.

So you still cut and play dubs?

[Be-1ne]

good bump here.

My advice from my own experience is, if your on a budget and want some dubs, go to dubs studio and get some vinyl dubs cut. They are hard wearing, last ages, dont wear out like acetates and sound f**king heavy on a system.!

Acetates have a more audiophile quality in my opinion and are good if you are planning on doing a press of a track to hear what it would sound like once pressed. So I usually get acetates of anything im going to release to hear how it will sound, but for playing out I much prefer the vinyl dubs from dub stuido. plus Henry is a top bloke and the service is great!

on a side note, as often gets mentioned. Cutting dubs is often a sign of quality control. Anyone can burn a CD-R, but you will really analyse your tracks before committing to spending £30+ on a dub. Essentially you will end up with a really good selection of tunes that wont go out of fashion in a hurry and you will be much more picky about what you play.

my 2peneth worth.

hope this helps someone LOL.

So you still cut and play dubs?

Yes. I only play dubs and vinyl. Played 1 CD set once and to be honest, It was soul destroying. Would rather not bother and play my dubs to myself in my house TBH. LOL.

[charliefoy]

good bump here.

My advice from my own experience is, if your on a budget and want some dubs, go to dubs studio and get some vinyl dubs cut. They are hard wearing, last ages, dont wear out like acetates and sound f**king heavy on a system.!

Acetates have a more audiophile quality in my opinion and are good if you are planning on doing a press of a track to hear what it would sound like once pressed. So I usually get acetates of anything im going to release to hear how it will sound, but for playing out I much prefer the vinyl dubs from dub stuido. plus Henry is a top bloke and the service is great!

on a side note, as often gets mentioned. Cutting dubs is often a sign of quality control. Anyone can burn a CD-R, but you will really analyse your tracks before committing to spending £30+ on a dub. Essentially you will end up with a really good selection of tunes that wont go out of fashion in a hurry and you will be much more picky about what you play.

my 2peneth worth.

hope this helps someone LOL.

So you still cut and play dubs?

Yes. I only play dubs and vinyl. Played 1 CD set once and to be honest, It was soul destroying. Would rather not bother and play my dubs to myself in my house TBH. LOL.

Haha fair! So do you cut to vinyl more than you do acetate? I'm still in two minds about which to go for

[Be-1ne]

hope this helps someone LOL.

So you still cut and play dubs?

Yes. I only play dubs and vinyl. Played 1 CD set once and to be honest, It was soul destroying. Would rather not bother and play my dubs to myself in my house TBH. LOL.

Haha fair! So do you cut to vinyl more than you do acetate? I'm still in two minds about which to go for

I much prefer the vinyl dubs from dubstudio than acetates. I personally prefer the sound and the robustness of them.

Vinyl dubs from dubstudio and a piece of vinyl from a shop are 2 different things! JFYI. TBH the best thing to do is get the same 2 tunes cut on both formats then make your decision which you prefer. Little more costly, but you'll have come to your own conclusion rather than guessing from what people on the internet say.

[garethom]

I've been thinking about getting some tunes that were sent to me cut at dubstudio. May have to go through with it if I have enough $$$ at the end of the month.

[Be-1ne]

I've been thinking about getting some tunes that were sent to me cut at dubstudio. May have to go through with it if I have enough $$$ at the end of the month.

i look at it like this... £30 equals a night in the pub or a one of piece of music? hmmm not much comparison when you look at it like that LOL.

All i will say is, if you dip your toe you will most likely be hooked.

[charliefoy]

Aren't digital masters about £15 each anyway? So even though it isn't strictly mastering (dubstudio say when they cut the process is more or less the same) you're kind of getting more for your money?

[Be-1ne]

Aren't digital masters about £15 each anyway? So even though it isn't strictly mastering (dubstudio say when they cut the process is more or less the same) you're kind of getting more for your money?

Exactly!