Community dubplate cutter - Good Idea??

[CLOKWIZE]

Let me preface this by saying, that I am very much a novice in the production field, and have only barely begun noodling around on software and a borrowed sampler, and it will be a VERY LONG time before I have a track ready to be heard by anyone else.

That said, this is an idea I pitched to Ariel, and thought I'd drop here. This is an idea for the future, not right now, but something to definitely consider once we have enough local producers putting out product to make this cost-effective.

Moniker has a connect in FL that works for Vestax, and can get us the Vestax dubcutter at cost ($3500 out the door).

Would anyone be down to go two (or three, or four, etc.) ways on this dubcutter, and have it be a communal cutter, for use by everyone who pitches in on it? Having a dubcutter on hand would be handy for getting more locally produced tracks cut and played quickly and easily, with minimal hassle and immediate turnaround. A track finished Friday afternoon could be cut and played by Friday evening. We could even make it an investment for all those involved, charging others a nominal fee for cutting their own dubs, thus letting the machine pay for itself.

Thoughts? Ideas? Are the Vestax cutter's dubs good in sound quality? I know they are made from an actual vinyl derivative rather than acetate on a plate, so one would think they sound better and get more plays.

Lemme know.

CLOKWIZE

"Better pack your dubs and move in a hurry..."
-Smif and Wesson , "Sound Bwoy Burial" :reload

Don't forget Hive and Freaky flow, July 27th at Freedom

[Preecha]

Yeah it would be a good deal if the sound qualitiy is just as good as Acetate. But the ting about technology in the future in dub cutting will be come a thing of the past. With the advent of the new CD players at the major clubs its much much much cheaper to spend 50c and make a CD to play out. From the word at the Winter Music Conference thats one of the tings ppl are doing.

[Consumer]

I had this thought a few years ago, but with a traditional dub cutter. As for the Vestax cutter, what's the hold up? How long is it going to be vapourware?

In the meantime, dj's can always expect a pitchable cd player to be at subConscious.

[Preecha]

Ok im told you have to order them and they are out. I think the sound is not as good also. 1k each for a cutter would be kewl but i dunno anyone here who has that kind of cash and is really pressured to have dubs cut on a reg basis. I thought of this a few years back but CDs are the key imo.

[Zero]

I like dubs cause you have to be able to spin them...

[CLOKWIZE]

Zero, I dont understand...explain....

Of course yo uhave to be able to spin them. MAybe I am miunderstanding.

-WIZE

[king egorock]

they don't feel like regular records...they are much heavier. it is a totally different feel.

[CLOKWIZE]

no, I understand that, egorock. I have a few plates,myself and I agree, I like the weight.

Perhaps it was the way his comment was worded, I misunderstood what he meant.

Oh well. I still think its a good idea to have a communal Sub-Conscious Dubcutter, if not for cutting dubs for our own scene, then at least as a side business to raise money for a "drum n bass in AZ" fund, to bring out headliners, Etc.

-WIZE

[king egorock]

having gone to a few cutting houses in my time i'd have to say that:
a. you get what you pay for...if you get the home kit it'll probably show in your quality.
and
b. most of the guys doing the cutting have been doing it forever (before the advent of c.d.'s) or were trained by some guy who's been doing it forever.

so if you compound those two things with the fact that you'll probably waste tons of laquers (the most expensive part of the process) before you get it right it's not a very profitable venture.
as well it helps immensely to have a shitload of finalizing and eq equipment which is also hella expensive.

bad plan!

[some guy]

all i haveto say is how much a plate?

[f3/\r teh Phorced Access]

50 bucks.... thats what turnstyle records charges.

[gary]

The actual plate cutter would be extremely expensive!

[sebastian]

we can all pitch in and get a sub:conscious final scratch setup!! maximum quality, minimal hassle!! most people have laptops as it is, and most people have mp3's.. for anyone that doesn't know check this..

final scratch (http://www.finalscratch.com)

sebastian

[gary]

I am curious as to how well that thing works!!!

Real Presses cost like 40g's

[CLOKWIZE]

I dunno, Ive heard mixed results.

Some say its great, others say its shit. It's endorsed by Qbert, but then again they pay him, so he will endorse anything they make, so it might be a piece of shit. If its any indication, he also endorses Vestax turntables (they pay him), yet uses Technics 1200s when he plays, so....

I do know that it presses the tracks onto a vinyl derivative, not quite vinyl, but not acetate dubplates. IVe talked to people who have used it and played its records and they say it works fine, but I guess it depends on a lot of things.

It was a thought. Just an idea.

-WIZE

[*U-OME*]

the vinyl derivative is cheaper in quality compared to a real dubplate causing it to wear down a lot quicker.
just my 2 cents

[Mantis Claw]

I was told that the frequency range is pretty limited, I don't remember what it was exactly. It may be about the same as a cd, which doesn't compare to vinyl or accetate.

[shabda]

you need to be splittin something a little more professional;
www.vinylrecorder.com www.mixmachines.com www.vinylium.com . try the vms70 with like an upgraded technics direct drive.

[MikeDiggity]

so did this ever work out or what?

[jcb]

Originally posted by Mantis Claw
I was told that the frequency range is pretty limited, I don't remember what it was exactly. It may be about the same as a cd, which doesn't compare to vinyl or accetate.

yeah, I heard the same about the frequency range;

anyway, don't you need to really know what you're doing engineering wise to properly use one of these cutters?

[Dub-U-Eff]

just get the new technics CD player...it looks to be the hot shit ...but I hear that CDs play only like 25 million times....what a bummer

[NextLevel]

I have to disagree with the point on frequency limitation of CDs. Cds in theory cover the whole range from 20 to 20 (or your hearing range) I personally feel that you are far more limited by vinyl which cannot produce some of those frequencies since it relies on a physical styls to vibrate.

just my humble opinion peace

[Dub-U-Eff]

stereo bass in yer face!