The Exchange Vinyl 2.77

Simon Davey

In 1987 I watched my first vinyl record being cut at Island Records mastering studios. From that moment on my passion has always been cutting vinyl records.

Vinyl has a rich, warm, organic sound that for me is a much more enjoyable listening experience than any other medium.

It’s an honour to say that for 28 years I worked as a mastering engineer at the legendary Exchange studios in London, and am very fortunate to have worked with some of the most influential artists in the world, for both major and independent labels.

In 2015 I opened The Exchange Vinyl, the only professional mastering studio dedicated solely to the art of mastering vinyl.


The Vinyl Mastering Session

For a lot of artists, engineers and producers, attending a vinyl cutting session is the icing on the cake. It can be an exciting experience when all of their hard work, recording and mixing finally comes to fruition. For some, having a mastering engineer work on their music is vital, listening to their mixes with fresh ears and bringing a new perspective to the sound. After hearing their mixes on vinyl some say that it is like hearing their music for the very first time.

Clarity, warmth, dynamics, presence, power, volume: these are the key elements that create a superior, vinyl cut.

At the start of every mastering session the mixes are evaluated and enhancements are made on an individual track-by-track basis. Where necessary equalisation, compression, de-essing, stereo compensation and level adjustments are made to bring out the best sound on the vinyl.

The track running order can then be finalised along with 45 or 33 1/3rpm cutting speeds. This should be considered, as certain mixes will sound more dynamic at different cutting speeds and diameters on the vinyl.

A few minutes of each track is then cut onto a blank lacquer disc. The depth, width and oscillation of the groove is checked under the microscope and if the cut looks correct the test cut is then played on a standard turntable.

Playing back the lacquer and listening to the test cut is a very critical stage in the mastering process. This is where any final adjustments can be made to get the most out of the vinyl. Further changes and test cuts are carried out until the sound is at its best.

Once all of these steps have been completed, the master lacquer disc is cut which will be used by the pressing plant to make the metal stampers for pressing the records.

From EDM to Rock, Drum & Bass to Techno, House to Indie, the same mastering ethos applies.


Where Should I Cut My Vinyl Record?

The relatively new option of cutting your record ‘in house’ with the pressing plant may seem like a convenient way of having both cutting and pressing done under one roof, but it may not be the best choice for you and your music.

The majority of professional mastering studio engineers will have a far better idea as to how your release should sound. They are more likely to have a higher standard of studio equipment to enhance your music and also a better monitoring system to hear it on.

You should ask yourself: “Why does my pressing plant insist on my music being ‘mastered’ before I send it to them” ?

With my experience, the length of time I spend on each mastering session and my attention to detail, the mastering and quality of your vinyl release will simply not be matched by any ‘in house’ mastering offered at a pressing plant.


The Studio

Playing back an artist’s mix without colouring the sound is the starting point for any good studio.

The Exchange Vinyl’s audio chain starts with professional digital to analogue converters, from here the sound is played back at its highest resolution. The signal then enters the analogue domain, each piece of analogue equipment being connected using pure silver cabling, passing through valve equalisers and high-end analogue equipment made specifically for vinyl mastering.

This culminates when the customised Neumann VMS 80 lathe cuts the lacquer. Playback can be heard through valve power amplifiers and large studio monitors. Every mix will pass along this chain.

Using this simple signal path captures all of the sound in the original recording, allowing the mix to breathe so that its true potential can be heard during mastering. The purity of the resulting sound can be heard on the finished record.

For producers and artists who want that true analogue sound from the recording to the mastering stage, there are 1/4 inch and 1/2 inch Studer tape machines ready to roll in the studio. Whether you are providing pre-recorded analogue tape for playback or you are interested in transferring your source material from files, CD, DAT or cassette onto tape using professional analogue tape machines, all can be catered for at The Exchange Vinyl.


Artists Include

Calvin Harris Emeli Sande Swedish House Mafia The Spice Girls Goldie Bjork
The Prodigy Dizzee Rascal Plastikman Alesso Mr.G Rihanna The Egyptian Lover Axwell Adam Freeland Alex Metric Ben Sims Jacques Le Cont Ash Audio Bullys Beck
Beady Eye Boys Noize Dave Clarke Sigur Ros Burns Andy C Chromeo Craig David Cornershop Dianne Tell Dillinja Dj Shadow Donna Summer Empire of The Sun Bryan Ferry Burns Depeche Mode Felix Da Housecat Laibach Erasure Inspiral Carpets House Of Pain Jamiroquai Jeff Mills Lily Allen Killing Joke Roni Size Fatboy Slim Massive Attack The Shamen Faithless Conet Project Neil Landstrumm Dillinja DJ Hell
Aphex Twin Jungle Brothers Laurent Garnier Mirwais Dieselboy Venetian Snares Basement Jaxx Sneaker Pimps Smith & Mighty Tiga Juan Atkins Moby Agoria
Franz Ferdinand Mr Oizo Klaxons Hot Chip The Kills La Roux Surgeon The Grid Metronomy Ladyhawke Pet Shop Boys Kasabian Rita Ora Bombay Bicycle Club Florence And The Machine Femi Kuti Goodiepal Joey Beltram Armand Van Helden
Maroon 5 Roll Deep Royksopp U.N.K.L.E Wiley The do Gene Amy Winehouse
Stereo Mc’s Noah And The Whale Tame Impala Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
The Advent Cassius Groove Armada Renegade Soundwave Westbam Ella Eyre Little Nikki Justice Sam Sparro Eros Ramazzotti The Avalanches The Presets Tricky Timo Maas Hercules And Love Affair Ed Rush & Optical A Guy Called Gerald Asher D Bob Sinclar Cassius X-Press 2 Gorillaz Beastie Boys Bad Boy Bill Moonbootica Radiohead Cut Chemist Nitzer Ebb Paul Oakenfold Layo & Bushwacka Baaba Maal Mark Ronson Karin Park Little Nikki Gesaffelstein Two Door Cinema Club Mel C
Soft Cell US3 Bloc Party Shara Nelson New Young Pony Club General Levy Sneaky Sound System Digitalism Glenn Underground Curiosity Killed The Cat Kool Moe Dee Shirley Bassey Scissor Sisters James Emperor Machine Jonny L Liquid Mathew Herbert Maxim Propellerheads Sam Brown Joe Brown The Normal Yazz
Gold Panda Howie B Adamski Jagwar Ma




(See : DISCOGS for more artists I have worked with).

http://www.discogs.com/artist/92821-Simon-Davey?filter_anv=0&type=Credits