What is the point of Polycarbonate Discs?
Moderators: piaptk, tragwag, Steve E., Aussie0zborn
What is the point of Polycarbonate Discs?
What is the point of a polycarbonate disk? does anybody use those here?
They are like one-off records.
Pros: Durability, can be queued up many times without degradation of the groove unlike a lacquer, can be played thousands of times not hundreds of time like a lacquer, are close to the weight and feal like pressed vinyl.
Cons: They are close to the cost of a lacquer (12" about $8 vs 11 for a lacquer), they have some amount of background noise not present in a lacquer, they are very staticy and will attract a lot of dust (even more than pressed vinyl), they are sort of a pain in the arse to cut right, a diamond stylus is required and is very expensive and can go bad quickly and esily.
Pros: Durability, can be queued up many times without degradation of the groove unlike a lacquer, can be played thousands of times not hundreds of time like a lacquer, are close to the weight and feal like pressed vinyl.
Cons: They are close to the cost of a lacquer (12" about $8 vs 11 for a lacquer), they have some amount of background noise not present in a lacquer, they are very staticy and will attract a lot of dust (even more than pressed vinyl), they are sort of a pain in the arse to cut right, a diamond stylus is required and is very expensive and can go bad quickly and esily.
Cutting, Inventing & Innovating
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- dietrich10
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Amen.piaptk wrote: They are really the only financially viable way to do runs of lathe cuts that still sound decent.
Thinking a bit more about the clarification of the sound difference between , with the Shank stylus now can cut poly with the most cutterheads , not ?
how really sounds a good serious lathe cutting with a diamond ? ( on Neumann or similar for example ).
In other words
Talking about a serious lathe (like a Neumann), we can compare the traditional lacquer cut (with the appropriate stylus ) with the same machine cutting poly with a diamond in terms of sound quality ?
That limitation is inherent to the materials and the extra hardness , or are more lathe quality related ? guess many many other differences between the machine that usually cut lacquers and the one(s?) that cut poly (in all terms , precision , costs , etc )
Someday , someday hope can try by myself.
Very Busy days , some cutting works at least , soon online again
We must promote the use and abuse of vinyl records.
We must promote the use and abuse of vinyl records.
thanks very helpful postopcode66 wrote:They are like one-off records.
Pros: Durability, can be queued up many times without degradation of the groove unlike a lacquer, can be played thousands of times not hundreds of time like a lacquer, are close to the weight and feal like pressed vinyl.
Cons: They are close to the cost of a lacquer (12" about $8 vs 11 for a lacquer), they have some amount of background noise not present in a lacquer, they are very staticy and will attract a lot of dust (even more than pressed vinyl), they are sort of a pain in the arse to cut right, a diamond stylus is required and is very expensive and can go bad quickly and esily.
Good results are possible with some work. I hope I didn't deter you from trying to cut plastic. Everything is a give and take you know.
Cutting, Inventing & Innovating
Groove Graphics, VMS Halfnuts, MIDI Automation, Professional Stereo Feedback Cutterheads, and Pesto 1-D Cutterhead Clones
Cutterhead Repair: Recoiling, Cleaning, Cloning of Screws, Dampers & More
http://mantra.audio
Groove Graphics, VMS Halfnuts, MIDI Automation, Professional Stereo Feedback Cutterheads, and Pesto 1-D Cutterhead Clones
Cutterhead Repair: Recoiling, Cleaning, Cloning of Screws, Dampers & More
http://mantra.audio
Aha , I can't imagine , I only saw a Neumann a years ago , never touch one , If I'm not wrong the Nickou's one is the only Neumann alive in the city.
Maybe seems and stupid idea but modding a Neumann to cut poly can mean the best durable dub ever seen , and can give new life to a Neumann, in the sense of how many weekly cuts have to do to make it profitable , not ? I imagine the master recording business are relatively limited , the pressed production are far far away of the good times , not ?
In all sizes plant ( from relatively small as my45 until giants as GZ media ) the lathe use is relatively necessary , but have a serious lathe that isnt part of a pressing chain seems me totally non-viable , Now knowing this maybe can think in that as very very long term project.
Maybe seems and stupid idea but modding a Neumann to cut poly can mean the best durable dub ever seen , and can give new life to a Neumann, in the sense of how many weekly cuts have to do to make it profitable , not ? I imagine the master recording business are relatively limited , the pressed production are far far away of the good times , not ?
In all sizes plant ( from relatively small as my45 until giants as GZ media ) the lathe use is relatively necessary , but have a serious lathe that isnt part of a pressing chain seems me totally non-viable , Now knowing this maybe can think in that as very very long term project.
Very Busy days , some cutting works at least , soon online again
We must promote the use and abuse of vinyl records.
We must promote the use and abuse of vinyl records.
I didn't have to mod anything. Just used a diamond instead of a sapphire. And, had a lamp with a 100W incandescent bulb pointed at the surface of the disc. Let the disc heat up. When it is at optimal temperature start cutting.
Cutting, Inventing & Innovating
Groove Graphics, VMS Halfnuts, MIDI Automation, Professional Stereo Feedback Cutterheads, and Pesto 1-D Cutterhead Clones
Cutterhead Repair: Recoiling, Cleaning, Cloning of Screws, Dampers & More
http://mantra.audio
Groove Graphics, VMS Halfnuts, MIDI Automation, Professional Stereo Feedback Cutterheads, and Pesto 1-D Cutterhead Clones
Cutterhead Repair: Recoiling, Cleaning, Cloning of Screws, Dampers & More
http://mantra.audio
- ArchaicRecords
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