Don't Sleep On DMM Cuts --- Now Entering Audiophile Bliss!
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- Опубликовано: 1 окт 2024
- Two weeks ago I stumbled upon an OG '91 Pressing of R.E.M.'s Automatic For The People. Upon further review, I discovered that this was a Direct Metal Mastered pressing which led me down a rabbit hole and two weeks of intense listening. Please enjoy...
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I have all my Rush original albums and the DMM pressings(180/200gm)with the hype stickers and can honestly say these pressings are incredible, and there is no comparison in sound quality to anything out there in my opinion. When they first came out out my local record store told me, you have to check theses out. Bought my 1st at regular price and there was no turning back, until I had completed the catalogue. They now demand a small fortune for these pressings. Great video and quite informative, cheers...✌️
I have "moving pictures" and "2112" from the 2015 DMM reissues! There great, I'm glad I got em a couple years ago!
GZ Media runs four DMM cutting rooms in the Czech Republic. So there is a great chance that you own many DMM cuts if you live in Europe.
The Blue Note DMM pressings are not that great. Most of them are thin sounding. But that is due to the mastering, not necessarily to the DMM process.
Some are good, some are great and plenty are down right awful. I will say that the current DMM cuts by say GZ Media are much much better than the 80s DMM cuts. Stockfish Records from Germany also do fantastic DMM cuts of audiophile music. Overall I think a properly executed lacquer process will always sound more natural than what DMM gives us, for some styles of music DMM might be preferred but for things like jazz, classic and a lot of rock they can often the ruin the overall sound character. I think the technology is more hype than substance just like half-speed mastering. Also if DMM was really the best thing ever well established audiophile labels like Analogue Productions, MFSL, Impex, Speakers Corner etc, would actually use it all the time but they don't. DMM is definitely great for electronic dance music but despite some notable exceptions I would say my experience with DMM mostly has been cold, sterile sound with harsh and unnatural treble, hardly what I'm looking for when I want to listen to music on vinyl. An overly "hot" sounding record often times isn't a good thing in my book, not a big fan of compression or the loudness wars :)
Actually one other positive aspect about DMM I forgot to mention is the ability to fit more music on one side with less IGD. It's great for that for sure. I have some modern pressings of modern music which are DMM and one side is close to 30 mins, no issues with IGD and the sound remains almost as good towards the end with a good stylus cut like Microline or Shibata. Achieving that with a typical lacquer cut is much harder and usually dynamics or overall volume have to be sacrificed much more.
I went through my Discogs and these are my DMMs. I knew they all sounded great but never made the DMM connection.
Genesis- Invisible Touch
Grateful Dead- In the Dark
Fleetwood Mac- Tango in the Night
U2- Joshua Tree
Steve Winwood- Back in the High Life Again
Edie Brickell & New Bohemians - Shooting Rubberbands At The Stars
I am a newbie to your channel, I sure appreciate your content. I was starting down a rabbit hole with the latest and greatest re-issues from big labels and I am finding some originals that sound just as good or better. I am going to keep my eye open for DMM’s.
Please keep up the great content, love it!!!
Welcome aboard!
I let a Rush 2112 DMM go because thought it sounded flat compared to the original. So this morning I got up early went to the comic book store after working all night and bought it back Lol. My wife said your getting up too early in which I replied DMM! Lol Thank You
Great video Tim I’ve long been championing DMM records. They don’t seem to be to everyone’s taste but I absolutely love them and how clean they sound. My first thought was my early 80s German White Album and then you wheeled it out! Some other great sounding DMM titles I own that immediately spring to mind (and well worth checking out if you haven’t got them already):
Public Image Ltd - Happy?
Talking Heads - Speaking in Tongues.
Alan Parsons Project - Ammonia.
Hall & Oates - H2O.
Jean-Michel Jarre - Revolutions.
Great episode on DMM - I rushed to my collection afterwards I never knew my OG Workbook and Stolen Momenta LPs were DMM. Also had the first Tracey Chapman’s in DMM - both bought from the dollar bins! Woo hoo! I also have a number of Cadre Rouge Blue Note reissues from France pressed in the mid-1980s - a lot of jazz heads think they sound “fatiguing” …. I say phooey.
Love it!
I have a few. The DMM logotype was on the sticker or printed within the artwork. In Europe, they usually had Alsdorf in the stamper info. Many reviewers at the time also said that DMM signature sound was a little colder and sterile more CD like. I personally, never found this to be true. The pressings were definitely cleaner and clearer and cut hotter in general.
A few years back I picked up 4 classic jazz French DMM titles. Got home and researched them and the consensus from the online folks were that the French DMM's were kind of substandard in terms of sound quality. Not sure how they came to that conclusion. The sound is fine to me and the vinyl is super quiet. Great video.
Another fine video! I was lucky enough to pick up a Dylan Oh Mercy dmm a bit back. Sounds great of course!
Hey Tim, thanks for the video. Im going to go against the grain a bit here in that Im not a big fan of DMM in general. One reason is they just cannot be cut as a lacquer can be. Grooves are thinner. I dont discount them all but I wouldn't say DMM is a fail safe for great sound. I have a Sabbath DMM that sounds nice but a Prince DMM that sounds pretty thin-ish.
Takes alot of power in the cutting amp to cut into metal which results in alot of the subtle tones being hijacked leaving a rather sterile sound and less musical sounding imo. Strings and vocals that don't require much bass are pretty amazing (I have some Teldec (Telefunken) german Bach lps that sound pretty awesome) but when you get into more rock oriented music the low end suffers. That is due to physics. The cutter head is much smaller that cuts through the copper. It just isnt for various reasons physically better than lacquer cuts. DMM is a good idea for long running sides of say a classical symphony. Also, it's a finer cut groove and results in a longer side if that is what's needed.
I think one of the reasons the DMM sound so good is because many times we have nothing to compare them with. Such as the Tracy Chapman lp. Id venture to say that if the recording was done on AAA mastertape and we could hear a great lacquer cut version we would possibly think differently. Cutting to metal, grooves just cannot be cut as deep and can give a recording a harshness or forwardness in the high frequencies in many instances. Sonic compromises have to be made to cut to copper such as bass reduction.
Of course there are exceptions. And mastering does play into the picture also. I'd never discount them all but I dont think I can say DMM is always a good choice for best sound. Björk DMM cuts go for crazy money for a good reason. And as you showed, the White album is anything but lacking in bass. I just wouldn't be under the impression when one sees DMM in the deadwax it is a given that the lp will sound incredible.
Case by case basis IMO.
Thanks for the video Tim and the room is looking killer! ..
Some fair and salient points as always👍🏻 - thanks!
I have owned the DMM of "Big Generator" by Yes from new (since the late 80s). To this day, it sounds, quite honestly, just phenomenal ..and huge in sonic width and depth!!
Great video! Just a couple things Stolen Moments was produced by Glyn Johns not Ethan Johns. Ethan is Glyn’s son who does play on the record. Also, perhaps when you posted this video you could get Stolen Moments for $10-$12, but now it’s double or triple that price. The cheapest on Discogs would be around $35 with shipping.
Hi Tim, You might to check out Kevin Gray's: Kirsten Edkins Shapes & Sound Tube Recording. Best recording I have in my record collection.
Additional DMM :
Aerosmith, "Pump"
Bonnie Raitt, " Nick of Time"
Def Leppard, "Hysteria"
RUSH, "Hold Your Fire"
"A Show of Hands"
"Presto"
Blue Note reissued many of their greatest titles with DMM mastering in the mid-80's when I was just getting into jazz...Herbie Hancock, Freddie Hubbard, etc and they sound good. I think they are still reasonably priced now. Also Paul Simon's Still Crazy After All These Years (and possibly Graceland) are DMM.
I just got a copy of The Amazing Bud Powell vol 1 extremely clean .... What a great sounding record! Clarity and detail is pretty great.
Oh yeah... The Cult's US pressing of Electric is a DMM master and sounds fantastic, WAY the hell better than the US pressing of Love, the album prior to that (for that one and Sonic Temple the 1st UK pressings are quite a bit better) I believe the US pressing of the excellent iconic Cure album Disintegration is also a DMM pressing, and that is why although it has more than usual minute-wise pressed onto a single album, it still sounds very good! (BTW, the 2-LP remaster done later is a significant improvement) Ah, I didn't know that the OG's of Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss me and The Joshua Tree were DMM, great! And Tim, nothing wrong with the first 10 minutes whatsoever. Your presentation as always was fun, informative, and most enjoyable! thank you! 👍
Thanks much!
I have Genesis's Invisible Touch, but until recently I just thought DMM was some more of the acronym soup they used on everything back then. Seems pretty typical that they would put all that wasted effort into ruining the cover art with those stickers, but not a peep about describing the process and why it could be better. Maybe that was their goal, to transition everyone to CDs instead of investing all that money into the equipment needed to get the official DMM labels.
A very timely video Tim. I was recently looking at a DMM remaster of Fly By Night by Rush. One reviewer said that it topped his Gilbert Kong mastered OG, high praise indeed. Do you have any insight on this pressing? Best regards, Bob Ratliff.
The Sheffield Labs direct cuts are much much better, I have many of both bought at the time and the DMM are patchy in terms of sound quality. The Sheffield labs sound wow BUT the choice is very limited. I have a NM 1st UK EMI DMM press of the Joshua Tree and it sounds, flat, lifeless and perhaps compressed very disappointing.
I can concur on the Sheffield Labs - I only have the Thelma Houston and the Tower of Power albums but both are the the top 10 sounding records I own - absolutely incredible.
Kevin Gray doesn't like the technology. I have DMM EMI Dark Side of the Moon
Yep, there are differing opinions out there 🤷🏻♂️
@@Universityofvinyl Kevin Gray did a RUclips this past Saturday where he talked about DMM
I didn't know the DMM process was something that had been around for a while. Interesting. I think my first experience with it was with the recent Scorpions anniversary remasters of their LPs. I didn't have any Scorpions vinyl and I wound up buying four or five of their 1970s - 1980s LPs and all were DMM on the hype sticker.
I just took a look at my Discogs notes on each of those albums and every last one of them sounded really spectacular I had noted. I think they were digital remasters and transfers but DMM pressings. I've seen other albums and I believe I have a few that are also DMM pressings. I can't remember the various ones right now but from what I recall I was pleased with all of them.
Thanks for explaining things a little better because I wasn't 100% sure what DMM meant or how it was done. I was wrongly assuming it was just for digital format transfer only but that obviously isn't the case.
Brian in Fort Worth 🎶
I have a Donald Byrd Blue Note, "A New Perspective", which is DMM from Pathe Marconi, which is French. I normally seek out the current remasters from the usual companies versus digging for OG's or reissues, but this particular record was only remastered as a Blue Note 75th, which are usually poor quality. So when I found this DMM at a Portland record store, I decided to take a chance. It sounds excellent, comparable to a Blue Note Classic, and it has a nice OBI. It is called a "Cadre Rouge Audiophile Edition", and though DMM is not etched in the deadwax, the runout matrix matches the Discogs info. The OBI shows several Blue Note titles reissued by this pressing plant. FYI, Discogs states the record was digitally remastered, and the reissue is from 1984. I am hoping Blue Note will make this title a Tone Poet in the future, since Music Matters did not do this one, but until then this is a great sounding copy. By the way, the DMM logo appears on the bottom left of the back cover, and below that it states "Original historical master tape", so I am not 100% sure if Discogs has the source correct. Sounds as analogue as any Blue Note Classic to me. Bottom line, I would not hesitate to buy other DMM's if the condition is good, the price is fair (I paid $35 for the Byrd record) and there is not a newly remastered audiophile version available.
Fantastic stuff! 🤘🏻
Very interesting topic! I have a good amount of DMM albums! Many of which were recorded/pressed in Germany! A good amount of my Chris Rea albums were done this way! Very amazing sounding records!
I have quite a few of the DMM pressings and have to say they all have excellent playback and enjoy very much, great video my friend !
Great stuff as always tim. Always was curious why Dmm doesn’t get more attention.
Thanks!
Great video. Very informative as usual. It would be a needle in a haystack to find these records.
When you shared your DMM “conclusion”, I loved it. Well played sir 👏🏻
Thanks Chance! 😄
Found a mint R.E.M Green album DMM Masterdisk Bob Ludwig issue for $60. Sounds OMG better than the CD of the same album. The album is Specialty Pressing. Just amazing.
Great album 👏🏻
Hi Tim,
and thank you for another good and informative broadcast. I'm a little unsure about the assumption that Direct To Disk started in the 1980s.
I may be wrong and have misunderstood the definition and differences in the working methods used in the creation of the part that creates the album itself, but I think you will be the right one to clarify it.
On an album by Thelma Houston, I've Got The Music In Me from 1975 where the following is advertised on the cover:
"Recorded live from the studio direct to the master disc".
Could this be an earlier but similar method used here - i.e. an earlier DMM?
The actual production took place in Germany
If it is of any interest the Matrix/Runout is the following:
SL7-4-S 19811
or just SL7.
and once again thank you for a fantastic and educational channel
Direct to disc was yet another process. See this- aagservices.org/blog/f/direct-metal-mastering-and-direct-to-disce28094whats-the-difference
Great video. I found a brand new DMM copy of "Frank's Wild Years" Tom Waits. I've been wanting to learn more about DMM since. Thanks for the info.
Thanks ✌🏻
Thank for posting. Really enjoy and appreciate your vids. I own the Cars door to door DMM version and it really does sound great. Question I also own the 2013 DMM cut of Brothers and Sisters from the Alman Bros and it came w a DMM hype sticker but does not have the inscription in the dead wax. Do you know if the inscription is the final judgement on its authenticity?
Hi Mark, thanks for the kind words. RE the hype vs. deadwax info....in the old days it would seem that you can always find the DMM distinction in the deadwax. For more modern pressings....not so sure. Curious if there is also mention of the DMM mastering in the jacket's or inner sleeve credits? Thanks
That's because DMM is , basically a "one-step" ! Only difference is the father (master) disc is not destroyed in the process, therefore you can make more stampers from them!
Yup, we share the same hypothesis
"Door to Door" right behind their debut. Underrated album
Door To Door is 46 minutes long making it a good choice for DMM. If you like Door To Door like I do, the Westwood One concert recording from 1987 features 4 or 5 songs from the album. It’s not DMM but worth a listen.
Glad you mentioned Paul Simon - Graceland. That's one of my favorite albums and sounds so alive. Other DMMs I have that I think sound good: Skid Row (s/t), Def Leppard - Hysteria, Queen - The Works. It doesn't hurt that Bob Ludwig and George Marino mastered those last two.
The new intro is awesome! Great video as always
Thanks Tim. The one DMM record I have is a 1988 Earthworks compilation of Rai music from North Africa called “Rai Rebels”. The music is fantastic but it does sound thin and clinical in a way that doesn’t serve the music well. I need to find an original UK (non-DMM) copy to compare. But I will be on the lookout for other DMM titles given your recommendation.
Hey Tim, this is trivial, but I remember your video about Alan Zentz masterings??? I found a copy of “Hang On For Your Life” by Shooting Star and it is mastered by Alan Zentz!!! Just thought I’d run that one by ya!!! Awesome band and love the album and the album art!!!
I have a DMM of Traffic’s Last Exit that I picked up a couple years ago. Sounds great
Nice observation; I've been playing and enjoying DMM's for years and have never been less than impressed with the whole experience. There are a lot of pressings available (especially in Germany where the technique was developed). My all time favourite is The Beatles White album which sounds better than any other version I've heard.
Great video. I always keep an eye out for DMM etched in the deadwax. Bruce Springsteen's Tunnel of Love is DMM and sounds wonderful. Paul Simon's Graceland is a given of course.
Have heard the Led Zeppelin crop circle box set is DMM. Based on the sound it makes sense to me. Sounds HOT!
Oh Tim, I wanted to mention that thanks to YOU I am going back and listening to all my original pressings of R.E.M 😊 which I haven't done for many years. I listened to Document today, that is a pretty good album! Heh, I guess I haven't gotten around to that section in a while, but today I just noticed that I had a sealed copy of Out of Time! Unfortunately, I don't have Automatic for the People, I don't know why I missed that one and that sux since you said it is worth so much 😁 Out of Time came out in 1991 just before that one. Even sealed, I don't think it is worth as much as you were saying the other one is. I should listen to the FLAC album to see how much I like it and if I want to keep it or maybe trade it to someone like you! 😃
Maybe a new U of V "Amazed" drinking game? Good video Tim!
Early Beastie Boys Lp’s are Masterdisk DMM pressing’s.
Tracy chapan,metallica,rem records have DMM
Great video as usual👍 Bummed....the only album I had that you showed was the Joshua Tree....unfortunately not a DMM😥 Would love to see the Vinyl Archivist do a DMM shootout against UHQR or MOFI....would laugh out loud if they outperform both of these overpriced, overhyped options....On a sidenote...
Picked up my favorite album of all-time the Rolling Stones Sticky Fingers on the Mazzy Auction....thought I would be bidding on a UK pressing....turns out it was a Canadian pressing...still went ahead and purchased. Have been on the Hoffman Forums and multiple posts are saying that this is the go to copy to get....if this sounds better than my MOFI, OG Presswell, and Japanese pressings.... I will be a very very happy camper!! Keep up the great work on your channel with all these dead wax and pressing plant videos....have stopped getting new releases and gone back to crate digging and searching for grails in the wild from my want list on Discogs. Cheers
Live to hear this - thanks
I scored a sealed copy of 'The Beatles' a few years back (DMM, all analogue, white vinyl). It was the most I ever paid for a record, but since it's in my top ten all-time favourite list, I felt I was lucky to find it...
Love it!
Great video. This was new to me. I bought a Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald Lp on a DMM pressing. Now I understand why it sounds amazing.
Great to hear! 👍🏻
DMM can be at bit bright on certain turntables
Bright lights, big city was written by Jay McInerney :-)
Oops, thanks👍🏻
Great vid Tim. Always learn something new on U of V.
Glad to hear it!
Hey Tim. Another great video on mastering. I have a Thelma Houston with pressure cooker in direct to disk vinyl album. It is an absolutely beautiful sounding record. Is this what you are referring to when to talk about DMM?
Nope, that’s yet another process, see here- aagservices.org/blog/f/direct-metal-mastering-and-direct-to-disce28094whats-the-difference
Both, see if you can get hold of the Tower of Power ‘Direct’ also from Sheffield Labs. Quite a claim, but I think it’s even better than the Thelma Houston! Also have a look for Larry Coryell & The Brubeck Bothers ‘Better than Live’ by the similar Direct-disc Labs - another sensational sounding record!
cool!
Where do you buy these metal records?
Used bins or Discogs
Tim, are you familiar with the Warner Bros. 1983 various artists compilation “Attack Of The Killer B’s”? There is a great John Hiatt track on it, along with a lot of other great stuff. Highly recommended!
not a DMM cut by the way.
Sounds vaguely familiar, will keep my eyes peeled - thanks