Robin L
Master Contributor
I've been getting in a twist at sites like Stereophile lately concerning LPs. To my mind, the source for a recording should be the best version of a recording. To the best of my knowledge, there are multiple ways that transferring a high resolution master file of a recording to LP would necessarily degrade the sound quality of that master. The one most obvious way this would create sound degradation, and the one than can't be avoided, is the way the velocity of the groove continuously decelerates from beginning to end. I'm not sure how much reduction of speed happens. Does anyone know the specific figures for this? Does this necessarily result in increased, measurable, distortion?
And I have come to understand that monaural LPs have only lateral motion inscribed, stereophonic LPs utilize vertical motion in the groove. What I have read is that the vertical motion has high inherent distortion, more than would be acceptable in amplifiers or DACs. What is the minimum distortion of this aspect of LP reproduction any of you are aware of? There's a recent Hi-Fi News review of an Audio Technica Moving Coil cartridge that measures starting off at 1% in the lower frequencies, going up to 2% at 3k, 9% in top octave. I owned an earlier version of this cartridge. I was the best phono cartridge I've ever owned, easily.
https://www.hifinews.com/content/audio-technica-oc9xsh-cartridge-lab-report
I would guess this variable would affect the increase in distortion due to the reduction in groove velocity. Would these two factors interact/amplify each other?
I realize that there are other issues. These are two that are inherent, baked into the formula.
Thanks in advance.
And I have come to understand that monaural LPs have only lateral motion inscribed, stereophonic LPs utilize vertical motion in the groove. What I have read is that the vertical motion has high inherent distortion, more than would be acceptable in amplifiers or DACs. What is the minimum distortion of this aspect of LP reproduction any of you are aware of? There's a recent Hi-Fi News review of an Audio Technica Moving Coil cartridge that measures starting off at 1% in the lower frequencies, going up to 2% at 3k, 9% in top octave. I owned an earlier version of this cartridge. I was the best phono cartridge I've ever owned, easily.
https://www.hifinews.com/content/audio-technica-oc9xsh-cartridge-lab-report
I would guess this variable would affect the increase in distortion due to the reduction in groove velocity. Would these two factors interact/amplify each other?
I realize that there are other issues. These are two that are inherent, baked into the formula.
Thanks in advance.