Djabe | Djabe – Art In Tone full analogue direct-to-disc recording safety master tapes DSD256 Transfer

Djabe – Art In Tone full analogue direct-to-disc recording safety master tapes DSD256 Transfer

Full analogue direct-to-disc recording seassion’s safety master tape DSD256 transfer

GR-164-9, GR1993 Records

DSD 512, 256, 128, 64, DXD 32, FLAC 192, 96

In October 2022, Djabe took part in a special recording session at the ARTONE studio belongs to Record Industry pressing plant in Haarlem, The Netherlands. The band direct-to-disc recorded 4 sides of the double album at 45 RPM. The recording was done on the Direct Metal Mastering cutting machine, using High-End analogue equipments only.

Djabe is known for the excellent sound of its recordings and vinyl records. They recorded several of their albums using analogue technology, and they always cut their records from analogue master tapes, but they have not yet recorded any of their albums directly to record.

The high-quality technique of the ARTONE studio and the professional knowledge of the studio’s staff make the result unique in the band’s history. The discs reproduce analog sound at a level that is also outstanding internationally.

Tamás Barabás, the band’s sound engineer and bassist, worked closely with the studio’s professionals, including engineers Rinus Hooning and Martijn Schouten during the recording.

At the same time as the direct-to-disc recording, the band also recorded the music on tape. There were two reasons for this. On the one hand, they could listen back to the album sides’ takes, they had to play in one run, and they were able to decide whether the given album side could be the master or whether a new take should be recorded. At the same time, the master tapes in this way made it possible to produce high-quality master tape copies.

The documentary film about the project can be seen here.

Attila Égerházi’s article about the recording can be read here

Product Description

Since the successful introduction of the Art In Tone LP at the High-End Show in Munich, we have been considering making the Djabe full analogue recorded master tapes available at the highest possible sampling rate and sound quality, in DSD.

We used the highest quality tape machines, analogue to digital converters, and accessories like cables, stands, and mains filtering for transferring of the Art In Tone master tapes.

• Otari MTR20 mastering tape recorder
• Complete cabling from Siltech and Crystal Cable:
• 880 series XLR, power cables, Crystal Cable Reference 2 XLR, power and Micro network cables
• Puritane power distributor with a custom-made Siltech 20A 880P power cable
• Merging Anubis analogue to digital converter, with a custom- made linear power supply
• Merging Pyramix audio production software, running on a custom-made workstation with internal OCC copper cabling and internal linear power supply by Luxor Audio

The original master tapes were used to create the DSD256 recordings. These tapes recorded at the same time with the direct-to-disc DMM 45 RPM recordings for safety and checking reasons. There was no further editing, processing, mastering, or conversion. The high-definition digital recording is a faithful, authentic replica of the original master tape.

Equipment list used during the recordings:

Microphones:
Telefunken drum-kit set
Classical guitar – Neumann TLM-170
Electric guitar/Roland GR-55 – DI
Trumpet, flugelhorn – AKG-C414 EB / RCA KU – 3A
Percussion – 2 × KM254 tube Stereo setting
Fender Rhodes, Nord Stage – DI
Bass guitar – DI
Vocal – DPA d:facto™ 4018
Studio Equipment list:
Tree Audio Roots console tube 16 channels
Midas console analoque 8 channels
EMT Gold plate
Maselec mastering console
VMS 82 DMM cutting lathe (Direct Metal Mastering)
Studer A80 for safety recording
Studer A80 for playback Steve Hackett tape
Mastering Equipment:
Altec Tube Limiters 322 – C
Cinema Engineering Passive filters 400031 – B
Maselec Equalizer MEA – 2
Maselec Compressor MLA – 2
Maselec H.F. Limiter MPL – 2

Musicians on the record:

Tamás Barabás bass guitar, sound engineer
Attila Égerházi classical and electric guitar, percussion
Áron Koós-Hutás trumpet, flugelhorn
Péter Kaszás drums, vocal
Zoltán Bubenyák keyboards
Steve Hackett pre-recorded electric guitar from tape (D/3)

Tracklist

1. Clouds Dance 6:06
2. Turtle Trek 6:38
3. Distant Dance 4:27
4. Lava Lamp 9:15
5. Two Little Snowflakes 7:49
6. Deep Lights 8:35
7. Buzzy Island 6:40
8. Island 4:55
9. Beats Of Haarlem 5:49
10. In That Quiet Earth 5:02
1:05:16