In my dark past, I’ve brought up the specter of 1980’s vintage MFSL LP pressings being (in some cases) digitally mastered, largely based on from-the-sidelines logic (If you are doing, say, a greatest hits package from the true stereo masters, either you are 1.) slicing and dicing the LP master reels to create a new reel, 2) not REALLY using master tapes (using dupes); or 3.) transferring the needed songs to hi-rez digital, and cutting from that source) and info from a “tell-all” interview with MFSL’s Gregg Schnitzer.  The last time I brought this up, I was basically told that Mr. Schnitzer didn’t know what he was talking about, and that I was a know-nothing idiot, and having lived with myself most of my life, I can vouch for the fact that I’m a know-nothing idiot.  No argument here.

Regardless, I have to at least ask, as I have many times, “What is going on here?”

The mono master of “Where Are You” is, I assume, housed on two pancakes of 1/4” tape (contrary to popular belief and parlance, Capitol masters are generally not on reels, per se), and those tapes have been largely un-touched since probably about 1967, likely played only a small handful of times since then, so they would logically have a whole bunch of magnetically-induced print-through built up over the years, print-through that would be audible at the start of each song, relatively uniformly.  It happens with time!

On the new MFSL hybrid SACD, you can even hear this phenomenon, notably between tracks 7 and 8.  Here’s that transition, and you’ll hear the tail end of “Autumn Leaves,” followed by all the noise/hiss/grunt that comes between the tracks, followed by at least two revolutions of print through before “I’m a Fool to Want You” starts full-on.  (The last little “blip” of sound you’ll hear is the first split second of “I’m a Fool to Want You” starting in earnest.)  Have a listen: 7 to 8 CD transition.mp3

On the new MFSL LP, print-through is also audible, as I would expect, although it is slightly less obvious due to LP noise: 7 to 8 LP-NORM_02-01.mp3

Here they are side-by-side, CD transition first, LP second: 7 to 8 CD LP.mp3

That’s all well and good, but it raises a question:  Why is this the only track on the LP that has tape print-through?  Now, it’s possible that Krieg Wunderlich at MFSL is really good at turning down the fader between tracks and “hitting the post” (to use radio lingo) by having that fader turned back up where it belongs right at the instant each track actually starts, thereby avoiding that icky tape print-through*, but if so, how did he happen to miss only the print-through at the start of “I’m a Fool to Want You,” while dodging it on the rest of the LP?  It seems odd that somebody who is that good at avoiding print-through would miss the cue on one particular track, and one track only.

*(Tape print-through sounds similar to adjacent-groove pre-echo, that sound you hear at the start of, for instance, an LP side.  It sounds similar, but the causation is 100% different, and the pacing is different.  Pre-echo on an LP will ALWAYS start 1.8 seconds before the track itself due to the speed at which the LP revolves on the turntable.)

Furthermore, on the Rob LoVerde-mastered hybrid disc, there is exactly one spot where tape print-through is heard between tracks.  Which track might that be, you ask?  It’s at the start of “I’m a Fool to Want You.”  On that hybrid disc, all tracks cut to “digital zero” between tracks (likely as a way to -- sloppily -- dodge print-through or other transitional noises) EXCEPT prior to tracks 7 (reel change, so a different circumstance), 8 (already discussed), 9, and 10.  I can’t explain away 9 and 10, but it’s possible that perhaps bad splices were repaired using tape rather than leader (see here), and the newer tape that was inserted ran right up to the start of the track?  I don’t know.  Regardless, all of side one and some of side two has those “digital zero” moments on the CD, and zero print-through on the LP, even on the two tracks at the end of side one that start with the always-obtrusive-and-audible upper-register French horn passages. 

Here is the 4-to-5 transition, CD first, LP second.  Note the cut to “digital zero” on the CD, and the lack of print-through on the LP.  You will hear the end of track 4, some noise, the start of track 5 (as a quick “blip”), then some space, then the same sequence from the LP: 4 to 5 CD LP.mp3.  Under normal circumstances, that loud French horn opening note would result in audible print-through.

Here’s the 5 to 6 transition, laid out the same way: 5 to 6 CD LP.mp3.  Again, this song opens with French horn.

I’m not accusing MFSL of ANYTHING.  I go way, way back with them, being a fan of theirs for probably 32 years, and an ongoing patron.  They have a great set of products here, and deserve plaudits for them!  Frankly, I couldn’t care less if an LP was mastered on the GAIN 2 system or the Fisher-Price system, as long as it SOUNDS good, as these MFSL products definitely do, and I recommend that you go out and buy them!  I’m just trying to figure out what’s going on here, and why there are these similarly-placed quirks on both the LP and CD.  *ONE ANSWER* would be that the LP is sourced from the digital files that have that gunk all cut out (except before track 8 for some reason -- on both versions).  There likely are other explanations!

Discuss....