Abbey Road Vinyl User Guide
Welcome
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Introduction
For over 50 years, vinyl records were central to music. They were affordable, easy to store, playable on any turntable, and offered a distinct sound. Vinyl's analogue production and playback, with its specific frequency and dynamic specifications, provided a listening experience often described as more life-like than digital processes. This subjective nature led to debates over turntable components. Records were also susceptible to scratches and dust, leading to specific care practices. Despite these challenges, the sound quality of vinyl was highly valued.
The Waves Abbey Road Vinyl plugin emulates this authentic vinyl sound. It goes beyond simply adding pops and clicks, dissecting the technical elements that define vinyl's character. It allows users to create subtle recreations or aggressive vinyl artifacts suitable for various settings. The plugin offers control over vinyl's personality without being bound by its physical limitations, such as loudness.
This manual includes descriptions of the technology behind vinyl production and playback, helping users understand the physical world the plugin recreates, along with a brief history of vinyl records.
Chapter 1: Components
Abbey Road Vinyl offers four components:
- Abbey Road Vinyl Mono – Mono to Mono
- Abbey Road Vinyl Stereo – Stereo to Stereo
- Abbey Road Vinyl Mono Lite – Mono to Mono
- Abbey Road Vinyl Stereo Lite – Stereo to Stereo
The mono and stereo Lite components can introduce and control Noise and Crackles, with adjustable levels and crackle density. They also feature Slow Down effect controls. However, Lite components do not include the modelled sonic attributes of the Generation/Turntable/Cartridge functions found in the full components, nor do they offer control over Tone Arm position, Wow, Flutter, or Phase Distortion. Lite components require less CPU resources than the full versions.
Chapter 2: Quick Start Guide
Abbey Road Vinyl emulates the entire vinyl process, from mastering at Abbey Road Studios, through processing and cutting on a vinyl lathe, to the pressing factory. It offers layback options with two turntable setups: the high-end turntable from the Abbey Road lathe or a common DJ turntable, with three popular cartridges available.
To get started:
- Listen to your material with different setups: Turn the TG Desk on/off. Toggle between Generation, Turntable, and Cartridge options to find the best combination for your material.
- Adjust Noise, Crackle, and Click levels: Control the intensity of these vinyl artifacts, from subtle to exaggerated.
- Adjust Wow and Flutter: Control these modulation effects, exaggerating or removing them as desired. Note that values may vary between setups.
- Adjust Phase Distortion: This effect is created by duplicating the input signal and modulating one copy. Adjusting the bandwidth of the modulated signal shapes the phase distortion. HP/LP filters alter the spectrum of the modulated signal. For example, increasing the HP filter results in a thinner signal to the modulator, reducing low-frequency phase distortion.
- Experiment with Tone Arm position: Moving the tone arm towards the center of the record (0=beginning, 100=end groove) affects frequency response and harmonic distortion. This control can be automated to simulate the cartridge's journey across the record.
- Determine Drive levels: Adjusting the Drive level adds saturation/distortion to the signal without affecting loudness.
- Experiment with the Slow Down Mechanism:
- Select the Time Format (Time or Bars, synced to session tempo).
- Enter the Length of the slow-down effect in time or bars/beats. This can be done by typing or dragging. If using Bars, the length adjusts with tempo changes.
- Press Stop to initiate the slow-down effect for the specified length. Playback pauses until Play is pressed or Auto Resume is activated.
- Auto Resume can be turned on for creative effects, resuming playback automatically when the slow-down completes.
- Experiment with automating these controls.
Note: You can stop the record from spinning by clicking the left-hand side of the record graphic.
Chapter 3: Interface and Controls
Interface Panels
Full Vinyl Component: The interface includes controls for Cartridge, Turntable, Generation, and the TG Desk. Other controls include Input, Input Drive, Wow Rate / Depth, Flutter Rate / Depth, Noise, Crackle, Density, Clicks, Clicks Gain, Output, Monitor Selector, Meters In/Out, Phase Distortion Level, Phase Distortion On/Off, Stop / Play, Auto resume, Length, Time Format, Tone Arm Position, VU Calibration, and Phase Distortion HP / LP Modulators. The interface visually represents a vintage vinyl playback setup.
Lite Vinyl Component: This interface is similar but omits controls for Tone Arm Position, Wow, Flutter, and Phase Distortion. It includes Cartridge, Turntable, Generation, Noise, Crackle, Density, Clicks, Clicks Gain, Output, Length, Time Format, Auto resume, Stop / Play, and VU Calibration.
Controls
Input Level: Determines the signal level entering the plugin. Range: -18 to +18 dB. Default: 0 dB. Reset: 0 dB.
Input Drive: Increases the input level while inversely decreasing output to maintain loudness. Higher Drive levels increase harmonic distortion and may cause clipping, potentially reducing perceived loudness. Range: 0 to 100. Default: 0. Reset: 0.
Generation: Selects the vinyl production type:
- Lacquer (Default/Reset): Acetate disc cut on the Abbey Road vinyl lathe.
- Print: Vinyl disc pressed at a vinyl print factory.
Turntable: Selects the playback turntable:
- Abbey Road (Default/Reset): Playback on the Abbey Road vinyl lathe's built-in turntable.
- DJ: Playback on a popular DJ direct-drive turntable.
Cartridge: Selects the playback cartridge:
- MM – Moving Magnet (Default/Reset): A classic 1980s cartridge used at Abbey Road, known for good transient response and flat frequency response.
- MC – Moving Coil: A high-end audiophile cartridge with good high-frequency response, lower noise, and strong low-frequency response.
- DJ – Disk Jockey: A popular, midrange moving-magnet cartridge used by DJs, providing a "dirty, gritty" sound.
TG Desk: Applies the modelled frequency response, harmonic distortion, and noise profile of the Abbey Road TG12410 mastering console. Range: Off, On. Default: On. Reset: On.
Noise Level: Adjusts the level of added noise, which varies with Generation/Turntable/Cartridge selection. Range: -INF to +48 dB. Default: 0 dB. Reset: 0 dB.
Crackle Level: Controls the level of granular noise from the record groove, varying with setup. Range: -INF to +48 dB. Default: 0 dB. Reset: 0 dB.
Clicks Level: Adjusts the level of short, loud bursts caused by stylus interference, varying with setup. Range: Off to 100. Default: Off. Reset: 50.
Clicks Density: Adjusts the approximate frequency of clicks. At the lowest setting, clicks occur roughly once every 5-10 seconds; at the highest, up to 2 clicks per second. Range: Off to 100. Default: 20. Reset: 20.
Tone Arm Position: A graphic control simulating the tone arm's movement across the record (0=beginning, 100=end groove). Moving the tone arm inward alters HF frequency response and harmonic distortion. Range: 0 to 100. Default: 0. Reset: 0.
Length: Sets the duration of the Slow Down effect in seconds or beats. Range: 00.001 to 30.000 sec / 1 Beat to tempo-dependent Bars. Default: 12 Sec. Reset: 12 Sec.
Time Format: Toggles the Length display between Time and Bars.
Stop/Start: Engages the slow-down effect manually for the set Length. The control remains "stopped" until Play is pressed or Auto Resume is activated.
Auto Resume: When engaged, playback resumes immediately after the slow-down effect. When disengaged, playback pauses until Play is pressed again. Range: Off, On. Default: Off. Reset: Off.
Phase Distortion On/Off: Toggles the phase distortion effect. Range: Off, On. Default: On. Reset: On.
Phase Distortion Level: Controls the amount of phase distortion added, determined by HP/LP modulator controls. Range: -48 to 48 dB. Default: 0 dB. Reset: 0 dB.
Phase Distortion HP/LP Modulators: Shape phase distortion by determining which frequencies are removed from the signal's bandwidth. Settings vary by Generation/Turntable/Cartridge selection. Range: 0.1 (16 Hz) to 100 (20 kHz). Default: Setup dependent. Reset: Setup dependent.
Wow Rate: Determines the rate of Frequency Modulation (FM) applied, varying by setup. Range: Off (-) to 100. Default: 50. Reset: 50.
Wow Depth: Determines the amount of Frequency Modulation (FM) applied, varying by setup. Range: -50 (off) to +50. Default: 0. Reset: 0.
Flutter Rate: Determines the rate of Amplitude Modulation (AM) applied, varying by setup. Range: Off (-) to 100. Default: 50. Reset: 50.
Flutter Depth: Determines the amount of Amplitude Modulation (AM) applied, varying by setup. Range: -50 (off) to +50. Default: 0. Reset: 0.
Meter selector: Toggles meter display between input and output. Range: In/Out. Default: Out. Reset: Out.
Output Level: Controls the total signal output level. Range: -18 dB to +18 dB. Default: 0 dB. Reset: 0 dB.
Monitor selector: Changes the plugin's monitoring mode. Range: Stereo/Mono/Left/Right. Default: Stereo. Reset: Stereo.
VU Calibration: Controls VU meter headroom calibration via a screw-head below the display. For most users, the default 18 dB headroom is recommended. Range: 8 dB to 24 dB. Default: 18 dB. Reset: 18 dB.
Chapter 4: Vinyl Record Production and Playback
Creating the Record
Making a vinyl record is a labor-intensive process. Most pressing machines are older than current consumers. The production involves several steps:
- Transcribe the music to lacquer:
- TG 12410 Transfer Desk: The final mixed audio passes through this desk, providing mastering engineers with tools (EQs, filters, limiters) for optimal lacquer mastering. These desk characteristics can be turned on or off.
- Neumann SAL-74 cutting rack: After the transfer desk, the signal goes to this rack, the final stage before vinyl. It's designed for a flat response with minimal harmonic distortion and includes a de-esser to protect the cutting head. It applies RIAA encoding and sets the signal level for cutting. This device does not measurably alter the signal, so there is no corresponding control.
- Neumann VMS-80 cutting lathe: This is where the lacquer is cut. A precise, heated cutting head shapes grooves into a spinning lacquer disc. A "groove width logistics board" analyzes incoming audio for 1.5 seconds to adjust groove width, accommodating high-energy, low-frequency sounds. The cutting head moves horizontally. Playback turntables use a pivoting tone arm, which can induce phase distortion. The RIAA curve is added during cutting, significantly impacting the final signal. The Abbey Road VMS-80 RIAA curve was precisely modeled.
- The pressing plant: This process significantly impacts sound, contributing to the "vinyl sound" by increasing noise and crackling.
- Master acetate: The 14” acetate disc cut by the lathe is the master. It's aluminum coated with vinyl, with grooves cut into it.
- The "Father": The master is plated with silver and then nickel to create the "Father."
- The "Mother": The father is oxidized and plated again. Separating this metal plate from the father allows for error checking via playback. The mother is used to create stampers.
- Stamper: Stampers are negative molds that press grooves into vinyl records, good for about 1000 copies. Switching between "Lacquer" and "Print" in the Generation section demonstrates how program material is altered by this process.
- Confirm quality: About ten records are produced for evaluation after a stamper is created. The mastering engineer assesses noise level and profile, expecting them to be 3-6 dB louder than the master. Approved test pressings lead to mass pressing using the stampers. To experience playback in Abbey Road mastering suites, select "AR" in the Turntable section. A standard DJ turntable offers a classic "vinyl sound" but is less pristine.
Playing Back the Record
Turntable playback involves several elements, each with its own characteristics.
Turntable: The circular platform that spins the record. A quality turntable ensures correct, consistent rotation speed, minimizing irregularities like wow (once-per-revolution speed distortion) and flutter (short-term speed changes). Most turntables from the 1970s onwards used belt drives to prevent motor noise. Audiophile turntables often featured isolated direct-drive systems.
Tone Arm: A lightweight, counterbalanced lever connecting the turntable chassis to the pickup cartridge. It requires minimal weight to avoid damaging grooves but sufficient mass to track accurately and prevent motor rumble. Philosophical differences exist regarding tone arm design. During playback, the stylus moves obliquely near the inner record grooves, potentially causing phase distortion. Tone arm design influences this distortion. Linear tracking turntables offer lateral stylus movement, reducing phase distortion but are rare and expensive.
Cartridge and Stylus: The pickup cartridge converts stylus vibrations into an electrical signal. The stylus, typically diamond, is at the end of a metal cantilever. It connects to a magnet within a coil or a coil within a magnetic field, generating the signal. Two main types are moving magnet (MM) and moving coil (MC). MM cartridges are common in inexpensive players, while MC cartridges are used in critical applications. Good MM cartridges can outperform comparable MC ones. MC cartridges generally have lower inductance, impedance, and mass, reducing groove wear.
Waves Abbey Road Vinyl offers three modelled cartridges:
- Moving Magnet (MM): Modeled after the Abbey Road Studios cartridge, known for excellent transient response and flat frequency response.
- Moving Coil (MC): A high-end cartridge with superior high-frequency response, lower noise, and strong low-frequency response.
- DJ (DJ): A "cheap" DJ cartridge providing a "dirty, gritty" sound.
These options provide a wide variety of vinyl playback characteristics. The stylus tip shape (conical, elliptical, etc.) also significantly influences the listener's subjective experience. Price and performance are linked for styli and cartridges; a poor stylus can damage a record. Tone arm shape, cantilever material, and design also impact sound reproduction. Consumers have considerable freedom to shape their vinyl listening experience based on personal taste, music preferences, and budget.
Chapter 5: Vinyl, A Brief History
A vinyl record is an analogue sound storage medium, typically made from polyvinyl chloride. Sound is recorded in a spiral groove from the outer edge to the center. Like magnetic and optical recording, vinyl uses groove shape and depth to reproduce sound.
Analogue recording dates back to the 1880s. Thomas Edison's recording of "Mary Had a Little Lamb" on a tinfoil-covered cylinder is often cited as the first sound recording. Early acoustic recordings involved artists' sounds moving a diaphragm, which cut into wax (later lacquer) mastering material. Electric recording emerged in the 1920s with vacuum tubes, preamps, and electrical cutting needle movement, enabling electrical sound amplification.
By the 1910s, discs replaced cylinders as the preferred media. While discs sometimes sounded worse due to higher linear speed at outer grooves, they were cheaper to mass-produce via stamping. Shellac became the common material, though durable, it had high surface noise. Vinyl became dominant during World War II when shellac was scarce.
Playback speeds varied until the mid-1920s when 78 rpm became standard. The 45 rpm format (1949) held eight minutes per side, suitable for popular music. The post-war market demanded higher quality sound and longer playing times. The introduction of tape recorders pressured music companies to develop good-sounding vinyl. The 33 1/3 rpm microgroove format, initially for radio, was standardized by the late 1950s.
Improvements in Vinyl Sound
Until the late 1950s, records were mono. While sound quality improved, "sound space" was absent. Mono records use needle movement to generate a signal. Stereo, introduced in the '50s as part of "hi-fi," created a more realistic sound space by using two channels. Stereo playback required a new method of tracking grooves, involving both lateral and vertical needle movement to construct a stereo image, posing technical challenges.
To accommodate more information in narrower grooves, the RIAA established specifications for recording and playback. Adapting the RIAA equalization curve allowed for narrower grooves, increasing recording times, improving sound quality, and reducing groove damage.
High-fidelity sound reproduction surged in the 1970s with improved turntables (belt/dampened direct drives), precision tone arms, exotic materials, and advanced cartridges. This era provided audiophiles with exceptional sound, and decent stereo systems became more affordable.
The Decline of Vinyl
The 1970s were vinyl's peak. However, the next decade saw challenges from the audiocassette, notably the Sony Walkman, offering portability and recording capabilities. By the mid-1980s, cassette sales surpassed vinyl. In the early 1990s, the compact disc (CD) presented a greater challenge. While CDs initially offered quiet playback, vinyl's unique sound quality, despite surface noise and fragility, remained appealing. Advancements in A/D/A converters and noise reduction technologies improved CD sound and enabled the resurrection of archived albums. Despite audiophiles' continued preference for LPs, market forces led to the declaration of vinyl's demise by the early 1990s.
Vinyl Revival
Even as CDs gained market share, vinyl attracted audiophiles and collectors, particularly through DJ and hip-hop markets where scratching is essential. Since the mid-2000s, CD sales have declined while vinyl sales have surged. By the mid-2010s, vinyl's resurgence was evident, driven by the same factors that made it popular 50 years prior: the tactile experience of opening a sleeve, lowering the needle, and the unbeatable sound quality of a well-made record.
