New vinyl's noisy little secret

:-) Zenblaster
that's funny and sad at once.
I was NEVER aware that direct(was it?)-metal-mastering was already done in the 20s - 30s!

In fact, I have no real knowledge of the actual process. All I understand is, that in place of a lacquer (cut with a diamond) a metal disc is cut from which then the stampers (I guess!) would be 'pulled'.
This cuts down a couple of steps from the normal process. But that cutter (of the cutting lathe) will have some tough job, and I guess plenty more diamonds will be used.
In fact, that disk would have to be non-ferrous (some alu-alloy mix I guess) since one can not use diamonds cutting ferrous metals.

Cheers,
Axel

There's a bit of misinformation in this thread. If you want to understand the pre-tape "mastering" process, watch a two-part video on ewetube called "Rca Victor records manufacturing process" and you can see it for yourself step by step.

Actually this is interesting as today I picked up some old (second hand) vinyl from my favourite charity store and playing one of the records this arvo, I realized that despite the occasional click and plop, the basic noise (vinyl) floor was very low and considerably quieter than more recent vinyl records. Regards, Fap.

Hi Zowie
can you provide a link at all?

Hi, just to try and keep this a bit less cryptic:
note:
"pre-echo associated with conventional lacquer mastering are eliminated and transient response is greatly improved. DMM record pressing sound brighter, cleaner, more detailed, with 15% more playing time than with lacquer technology. Stampers are plated directly from the DMM Copper Master, eliminating two of the three plating steps required for lacquers."

AND

"direct metal mastering (DMM) : A system for cutting a metal mother on a record mastering lathe, eliminating the lacquer master and metal master steps. Release pressings made from a stamper are thus only two stems from the DMM and thus have less noise and distortion than those made by the older, five-step process. The DMM process is also used in CD mastering."

Also:

"DMM is a modern process, developed by Teldec in Germany. Rather than cutting a lacquer, then plating, then creating a mother then stampers, you use the DMM cut disc as the mother and create stampers directly from that. Hence 2 steps saved. So, the theory is the steps saved lead to fewer "generations" in the record-making process, hence better sound."

No misinformation this far as i can see.
My own information is derived from the current (non-metal master) of the Pallas press-plant from an article in Image HiFi some time past.

I think the mis-information is about 'metal-masters' (i.e. not master*ing*?) of the pre-tape , so:

http://www.virtualvictrola.com/2008/03/metal-parts.html

will provide some, if not most of those pre-tape aera answers.

Greetings,
Axel