Half-speed mastering is a technique occasionally used when cutting the acetate lacquers from which phonograph records are produced. The cutting machine platter is run at half of the usual speed (16 2⁄3 rpm for 33 1⁄3 rpm records) while the signal to be recorded is fed to the cutting head at half of its regular playback speed.[1]
The reasons for using this technique vary, but it is generally used for improving the high-frequency response of the finished record.[2] By halving the speed during cutting, very high frequencies that are difficult to cut become much easier to cut since they are now mid-range frequencies.[3]
Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab used half-speed mastering for its Original Master Recording LP's.
References
Wikiwand in your browser!
Seamless Wikipedia browsing. On steroids.
Every time you click a link to Wikipedia, Wiktionary or Wikiquote in your browser's search results, it will show the modern Wikiwand interface.
Wikiwand extension is a five stars, simple, with minimum permission required to keep your browsing private, safe and transparent.
