Vivaldi – Marin Marais – Sarasate – Interpreti Veneziani – 45rpm D2D 180g LP

Mike Valentine is a big fan of the work of Doug Sax’s & Lincoln Mayorja’s Sheffield Lab recordings. The vision was to produce a truly unique and vibrant classical release on vinyl. This method, although technically risky (A problem with the cut or pressing could result in total failure) is certainly purest and eliminates the multi tracking stage entirely. A few microphones (including Mike’s preferred Neumann M50 Decca Tree array) and two tracks straight from Studio One’s Custom Neve 8056 were all that was used apart from a passive insert box, elliptical equaliser and the lathes electronics.

The sound of the test cut genuinely knocked everyone’s socks off. John says “The mids shone like I’ve never heard before, in fact they were quite forward so I asked Jake to back them off a bit on the console, I feel like this is what I want to hear every time from vinyl”. Anyone who entered the room that day for a playback was in agreement that it sounded three dimensional and open. Certainly this is no gimmick, it’s a wholly impractical and expensive way to work, but cutting straight to lacquer has an unequivocally pure but rich tonality and clarity. “With a clean, quite pressing we knew this would be great, there was excitement in the air that day” – Mike Valentine.

Valve Microphones – Gefell – Akg – Flea

Recording Desk – AIR Custom Neve

Cutting Lathe Neumann VMS80

Pressed at RT Holland

Producer – Mike Valentine