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Turntable Speed - Syncs Better With Certain Albums

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drhc

New Member
I am wondering if anyone has an answer for why my turntable would sync perfectly with one album --playing a record simultaneously lined up with the same digital version from iTunes-- while falling behind with another. With Sgt. Pepper's the sync was terrific. It lined up almost perfectly for the entire first side. Maybe falling off by a fraction of a second, if that. But when I did the same test with a Fleetwood Mac album, the digital version flew ahead by over a second after just one song. What would be the reason for this? The turntable isn't changing speeds, if it were, then the Pepper's album would've shown similar sync issues. Also, a Weezer album stayed on point for most of a side, falling off by about a second by the end of the first side. I'm not super concerned about the variance, just genuinely curious if anyone has an answer. My only theory is that perhaps the digital version of the Fleetwood Mac album is, oddly, faster than the vinyl. I calibrated my turntable speed using the iPhone app RPM, getting it to 33.4
 
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sounds like the engineering of them was set at different speeds in the mastering labs. Anything have you convinced the speed of the playback of the CD is the correct one?
 
Consider that the turntable speed being at 33.4 rpm instead of 33.3 will result in an "extra" revolution every 10 minutes. Not normally significant, but given the comparison you are doing is relevant.

Also, I have noticed subtle pitch/speed variances between CD transports. Lots of variables there too.
 
Well without specifics the sorce material would be the starting point for change, original or remaster.

Then did the same mastering studio and technician do both copies, analog and digital file, if the sorce was the same. The mastering studio did not do a digital file in mp3 so more equipment is in the chain now and we also don't know how many changes where made to the file.

The thing is there is so so many variables going on in the chain from the first recording till it makes it out your speakers. Including your equipment and theirs even your internet speed and DAC in the computer or what have you.
 
Consider that the recordings may have been different sessions originally and not all CDs are from the same masters. This would account for the variance.
 
Yeah. I was thinking that maybe, between the LP and the CD (or MP3 or whatever) you simply have different amounts of time between songs.
 
mprince said:
Consider that the turntable speed being at 33.4 rpm instead of 33.3 will result in an "extra" revolution every 10 minutes. Not normally significant, but given the comparison you are doing is relevant.

Also, I have noticed subtle pitch/speed variances between CD transports. Lots of variables there too.
Click to expand...

And....who says the master of either format didn't have problems? In the case of pure analog records, we have the opportunity to off on the speed thru many different machines during the making process. And then there is the issue or our own playback machines.

Probably a wonder that the whole thing works as good as it does.

BTW, the earth does not have a uniform spin, or yearly cycle if things like that bother you. The GPS satellites also lose time and have to be adjusted periodically.
 
mprince said:
Consider that the turntable speed being at 33.4 rpm instead of 33.3 will result in an "extra" revolution every 10 minutes. Not normally significant, but given the comparison you are doing is relevant.

Also, I have noticed subtle pitch/speed variances between CD transports. Lots of variables there too.
Click to expand...

I actually cannot confirm that the speed of the TT is truly exactly 33.4. I'm just going off what the iPhone app measured. I have a feeling that I'm probably much closer to 33 1/3 considering the sync I achieved with Pepper's and the Weezer vinyl, when played in sync with their iTunes versions. I think I'm leaning towards the digital master of the Fleetwood Mac album being too fast. Hard to believe there could be such a discrepancy with one digital file, while two others line up so well.
 
WaynerN said:
And....who says the master of either format didn't have problems? In the case of pure analog records, we have the opportunity to off on the speed thru many different machines during the making process. And then there is the issue or our own playback machines.

Probably a wonder that the whole thing works as good as it does.

BTW, the earth does not have a uniform spin, or yearly cycle if things like that bother you. The GPS satellites also lose time and have to be adjusted periodically.
Click to expand...

Totally agree with you on the "wonder it works" thing. It's amazing when you think off all those variations and variables from recording, post production, manufacturing and then playing. I wanted to get the music I really like as close to the right speed as possible, matching their digital counterparts. Through my adjustments to the TT speed, I realized that this would not necessarily meant the TT itself would be exactly at 33 1/3. It's running the slightest bit faster, actually, if my app is correct. But that was what got my vinyl in sync with the music I referred to. And the vinyl Fleetwood doesn't sound "wrong" at the speed it's playing on my TT.
 
It's not a problem with your turntable speed. I have two Technics turntables and also have used iRPM on my Iphone to confirm they are running at the same speed. I've compared several records and CDs to each other. For example, I've compared various reissues of many Beatles records and found speed variations between copies of the same record from different pressings. With CDs there is also the likelihood of slight speed variations when compared to the record or even other reissues of the CD. Each time a CD or Record is mastered there are opportunities for speed variations. They are usually but not always slight but are very common. I've gotten reissues of America's greatest hits, Blood Sweat and Tears greatest hits and others on vinyl and when comparing to the original release from the 70s, there is always a slight speed variation.
 
I've had a couple of interesting experiences with speed variation. The first came when I put a digital copy of an LP into iTunes and Gracenote actually recognized it correctly, every track. Apparently my timings were perfect with the digital reference.

The other has to do with Led Zeppelin IV. I put a LP copy on the Ariston RD11s turntable and a friend (who has perfect pitch) claimed he couldn't listen to it because it was pitched too low. We then put on a CD copy and sure enough, the LP was slower and at lower pitch. The CD does sound fast and too high to my ears (I have excellent relative pitch and have been listening to the album on various tables since it first came out).

I then took the album up to another system and played it on the dialed-in Technics SP-15 (same table that got the perfect match on Gracenote) and while it sounded just a titch higher and faster than on the Ariston it was still notably lower and slower than the CD or the digital file on my friend's phone. Sorry, but the digital transfer just went wrong somewhere along the line.....
 
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