UPDATE! MoFi is using all digital processing with their vinyl pressings

[dcmfan]

Frank Zappa's London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Kent Nagano, was recoreded in 1983 on 24-track digital recorder. It's one of the earliest pieces of vinyl I have that was digitally recorded. I think Donald Fagan's The Nightfly was the earliest? October of 1982 IIRC.

I thought it was Ry Cooder’s album in 79 that was the first one digitally recorded?

Commercial digital recordings have been around a little longer than those (Per Wikipedia):

January 1971: Using NHK's experimental PCM recording system, Dr. Takeaki Anazawa, an engineer at Denon, records the world's first commercial digital recordings, The World Of Stomu Yamash'ta 1 & 2 by Stomu Yamash'ta (January 11, 1971)[3] and Something by Steve Marcus & Jiro Inagaki (January 25, 1971). Both had to be recorded live, without edits. Marcus is released first (in February 1972), making it the first released digital recording.

November 28, 1977: Denon brings their DN-034R to New York City's Sound Ideas Studios and records Archie Shepp's On Green Dolphin Street, making it America's first released digitally-recorded commercial album.

Early June 1978: Sound 80 records Flim and the BB's debut self-titled album as another direct to disc recording again with the experimental 3M recorder in the background. Again the acetate is deemed not as good as the digital backup, so the digital master is used for the LP record (Sound80 Records S80-DLR-102). This makes it the first U.S. non-classical digital release.

July 11, 1979: The first U.S.-recorded digitally-recorded LP of popular music (with vocals), Bop Till You Drop by guitarist Ry Cooder, was released by Warner Bros. Records.

The first commercial CD's were released in 1982.

 

[Audiofreak71]

Commercial digital recordings have been around a little longer than those (Per Wikipedia):

January 1971: Using NHK's experimental PCM recording system, Dr. Takeaki Anazawa, an engineer at Denon, records the world's first commercial digital recordings, The World Of Stomu Yamash'ta 1 & 2 by Stomu Yamash'ta (January 11, 1971)[3] and Something by Steve Marcus & Jiro Inagaki (January 25, 1971). Both had to be recorded live, without edits. Marcus is released first (in February 1972), making it the first released digital recording.

November 28, 1977: Denon brings their DN-034R to New York City's Sound Ideas Studios and records Archie Shepp's On Green Dolphin Street, making it America's first released digitally-recorded commercial album.

Early June 1978: Sound 80 records Flim and the BB's debut self-titled album as another direct to disc recording again with the experimental 3M recorder in the background. Again the acetate is deemed not as good as the digital backup, so the digital master is used for the LP record (Sound80 Records S80-DLR-102). This makes it the first U.S. non-classical digital release.

July 11, 1979: The first U.S.-recorded digitally-recorded LP of popular music (with vocals), Bop Till You Drop by guitarist Ry Cooder, was released by Warner Bros. Records.

The first commercial CD's were released in 1982.

Good info thanks for that


Audiofreak71

 

[MitsuMan]

Commercial digital recordings have been around a little longer than those (Per Wikipedia):

January 1971: Using NHK's experimental PCM recording system, Dr. Takeaki Anazawa, an engineer at Denon, records the world's first commercial digital recordings, The World Of Stomu Yamash'ta 1 & 2 by Stomu Yamash'ta (January 11, 1971)[3] and Something by Steve Marcus & Jiro Inagaki (January 25, 1971). Both had to be recorded live, without edits. Marcus is released first (in February 1972), making it the first released digital recording.

November 28, 1977: Denon brings their DN-034R to New York City's Sound Ideas Studios and records Archie Shepp's On Green Dolphin Street, making it America's first released digitally-recorded commercial album.

Early June 1978: Sound 80 records Flim and the BB's debut self-titled album as another direct to disc recording again with the experimental 3M recorder in the background. Again the acetate is deemed not as good as the digital backup, so the digital master is used for the LP record (Sound80 Records S80-DLR-102). This makes it the first U.S. non-classical digital release.

July 11, 1979: The first U.S.-recorded digitally-recorded LP of popular music (with vocals), Bop Till You Drop by guitarist Ry Cooder, was released by Warner Bros. Records.

Ok, first US recorded digitally recorded LP of popular music (with vocals) Mea culpa, mea culpa.

And Flim and the BB's, I have their CD Big Notes and it's a go-to for testing any equipment or speakers for me. The dynamics on that particular CD are scary.

 

[dcmfan]

Good info thanks for that


Audiofreak71

Ok, first US recorded digitally recorded LP of popular music (with vocals) Mea culpa, mea culpa.

And Flim and the BB's, I have their CD Big Notes and it's a go-to for testing any equipment or speakers for me. The dynamics on that particular CD are scary.

Didn't intend to come across as a "gotcha!" - Apologies for that!

I looked this up about a year ago and was surprised at how long the technology had been in use before I became aware of it. (But to be fair, the place I was living back then wasn't exactly on the cutting edge of new technology.)

 

[Audiofreak71]

Didn't intend to come across as a "gotcha!" - Apologies for that!

I looked this up about a year ago and was surprised at how long the technology had been in use before I became aware of it. (But to be fair, the place I was living back then wasn't exactly on the cutting edge of new technology.)

Oh I didn’t take it that way at all, you learn something new every day and I did today with the info you gave. I think it’s pretty amazing that digital recordings have been out that long.


Audiofreak71

 

[MitsuMan]

Didn't intend to come across as a "gotcha!" - Apologies for that!

I looked this up about a year ago and was surprised at how long the technology had been in use before I became aware of it. (But to be fair, the place I was living back then wasn't exactly on the cutting edge of new technology.)

Dude, we're fellow Missourians. No apologies needed. MIZ

 

[Ken Boyd]

A number of classical records were recorded early on digital tape machines using the PCM sound stream systems, I have most of them, and I think they sound just fine, and at the time they made a big deal about it. But it seemed to me MoFi makes a big deal about the releases being from the original masters, and in their ads it has a pic of tape reels, so it they are not that is a problem, it is false advertising. Let us see what comes up out of it, we shouldn't make quick judgements. I have not made it a point to spend a lot for MoFi records, I have found many other labels which I like just as much or more, Analogue Productions, Speakers Corner, and even MOV has been providing some great records for decent prices.

 

[Hajidub]

A number of classical records were recorded early on digital tape machines using the PCM sound stream systems, I have most of them, and I think they sound just fine, and at the time they made a big deal about it. But it seemed to me MoFi makes a big deal about the releases being from the original masters, and in their ads it has a pic of tape reels, so it they are not that is a problem, it is false advertising. Let us see what comes up out of it, we shouldn't make quick judgements. I have not made it a point to spend a lot for MoFi records, I have found many other labels which I like just as much or more, Analogue Productions, Speakers Corner, and even MOV has been providing some great records for decent prices.

Lately MOV have been the best bang for the buck for me. 2 recent purchases off of Amazon for under $25 ea. w/free shipping and they sound fantastic (great outer/inner sleeve quality also).

 

[Audiofreak71]

Lately MOV have been the best bang for the buck for me. 2 recent purchases off of Amazon for under $25 ea. w/free shipping and they sound fantastic (great outer/inner sleeve quality also).

I’ve never had one MOV pressing that has been bad and sent back but I’ve had to send back a $125 One Step for having issues as well as a few MoFi pressings I’ve had to send back.


Audiofreak71

 

[qdrone]

I thought the digital sourced vinyl was under the Silver Label. I just got the Electric Light Orchestra - Eldorado album and it clearly kicks ass. If they are all digital and sound like this one, then I don't care. Now they need to do Fire on High.

You mean Face the Music? And New World Record. Eldorado is an ass kicker for sure.

 

[Vintagear]

Commercial digital recordings have been around a little longer than those (Per Wikipedia):

January 1971: Using NHK's experimental PCM recording system, Dr. Takeaki Anazawa, an engineer at Denon, records the world's first commercial digital recordings, The World Of Stomu Yamash'ta 1 & 2 by Stomu Yamash'ta (January 11, 1971)[3] and Something by Steve Marcus & Jiro Inagaki (January 25, 1971). Both had to be recorded live, without edits. Marcus is released first (in February 1972), making it the first released digital recording.

November 28, 1977: Denon brings their DN-034R to New York City's Sound Ideas Studios and records Archie Shepp's On Green Dolphin Street, making it America's first released digitally-recorded commercial album.

Early June 1978: Sound 80 records Flim and the BB's debut self-titled album as another direct to disc recording again with the experimental 3M recorder in the background. Again the acetate is deemed not as good as the digital backup, so the digital master is used for the LP record (Sound80 Records S80-DLR-102). This makes it the first U.S. non-classical digital release.

July 11, 1979: The first U.S.-recorded digitally-recorded LP of popular music (with vocals), Bop Till You Drop by guitarist Ry Cooder, was released by Warner Bros. Records.

The first commercial CD's were released in 1982.

Here's another one:

Recorded in June of 1979 and released in August, Giorgio Moroder - E=MC² (NBLP 7169) was Recorded live digitally (direct to digital except for pre-recorded 2nd & 3rd part harmonies) by Soundstream, Inc. with computerized editing done by Jules Bloomenthal and Bruce Rothaar.
http://www.arpjournal.com/asarpwp/s...rcial-digital-recording-in-the-united-states/

 

[Ken Boyd]

A quote from the article,
"Despite the popularity of the Soundstream machine with producers of classical music, the recorder remained largely incompatible with the recording practices of rock and pop musicians who were accustomed to the extensive overdubbing facilities offered by analogue multi-track tape systems. Nevertheless, some rock musicians did experiment with Soundstream equipment. In the late 1970s, Fleetwood Mac became one of the first rock bands to use the Soundstream recorder on Tusk (1979) and Fleetwood Mac Live (1980). However, as Soundstream engineer Bruce Rothaar notes, this was not a recording process as such, but a digital mastering process, making stereo mix masters from an analogue multi-track.36 As with the classical music producers who used digital recording systems as a backup to established solutions, rock and pop artists also employed the equipment at less critical junctures in the recording chain, typically as a method of saving on generations of tape copies.

 

[Taketheflame]

Lately MOV have been the best bang for the buck for me. 2 recent purchases off of Amazon for under $25 ea. w/free shipping and they sound fantastic (great outer/inner sleeve quality also).

MOV might be my favorite reissue label overall. Nothing against the more "serious" reissue labels like MoFi, but I've never bought a MOV record that I wasn't pleased with. Great pressing quality, nice jackets, good sound - all reasonably priced too IMO.

 

[Vintagear]

A quote from the article,
"Despite the popularity of the Soundstream machine with producers of classical music, the recorder remained largely incompatible with the recording practices of rock and pop musicians who were accustomed to the extensive overdubbing facilities offered by analogue multi-track tape systems. Nevertheless, some rock musicians did experiment with Soundstream equipment. In the late 1970s, Fleetwood Mac became one of the first rock bands to use the Soundstream recorder on Tusk (1979) and Fleetwood Mac Live (1980). However, as Soundstream engineer Bruce Rothaar notes, this was not a recording process as such, but a digital mastering process, making stereo mix masters from an analogue multi-track.36 As with the classical music producers who used digital recording systems as a backup to established solutions, rock and pop artists also employed the equipment at less critical junctures in the recording chain, typically as a method of saving on generations of tape copies.

Yes interesting stuff. As for the Moroder album I assume all the synths and computer generated/electronic music went straight to digital and the rest went to analog multi-track. I have the original album and it sounds incredible.
If you look at ~00:40 in the video below you can get a quick glimpse of the actual Soundstream digital recorder on the upper left.

 

[LF240]

The moment we've been waiting for -

 

[Audiofreak71]

The moment we've been waiting for -

I was just about to post this , Thanks


Audiofreak71

 

[Audiofreak71]

Well here you have it folks , straight from the horses mouth.


Audiofreak71

 

[BamaBilly]

Pretty much what I figured. Back to our regularly scheduled programming

 

[SpyderTracks]

MOV might be my favorite reissue label overall. Nothing against the more "serious" reissue labels like MoFi, but I've never bought a MOV record that I wasn't pleased with. Great pressing quality, nice jackets, good sound - all reasonably priced too IMO.

MOV are consistently high quality, I have a lot of their records, always good price and relatively easy to get.

 

[Toblerone]

Quote from Mofi's website on One Steps:

"MFSL engineers begin with the original master tapes and meticulously cut a set of lacquers."

I'm not debating digital vs 'this' or 'anything' vs 'that.' I'm not trying to start any debate what so ever.

However, I find that statement to be misleading. Plain and simple. That statement is deceptive and misleading.