The very best sound: Direct to Disc

I had purchased a number of Sheffield discs when they were released. Specific to this conversation I purchased two of each of the Amanda McBroom albums.  At that moment in time these two records were used relentlessly at stores to audition equipment. How many times did the staff have to hear Amanda?  I confess  my wife and I brought West of Oz into stores and auditioned, then bought, speakers based on her voice alone. Jump ahead a couple of decades and the same reaction was had at stores when Jennifer Warnes' Ballad of the Runaway Horse" was requested. I was a witness for that as well.

On more than one occasion I have offered my still-sealed second copies of the Sheffield McBroom albums for sale on-line. I have never received one response, let alone an offer. I have tried to sell them to record stores, but the re-seller business calculus prohibits any reasonable offers from the proprietors (it's not their fault, it's just the way it is).   So the second copies have sat, sealed, on the shelf for about 40 years. 

We sold Sheffield Labs in the 70's.   The Tower of Power direct to disc was great.  Wasn't Esther Satterfield on one?

Dear @rvpiano and friends: I wasn't aware that this 45ropm LP is D2D and I'm referring to the Toshiba/EMI Jun Fukamachi at Steinway ( Nocturne Chopin . ) recorded in 1976. At the front LP jacket is the picture of the face of a black cat.

Very good indeed.

In the information page inside the jacket we can read this:


"" a cartridge is required which can handle a much higher dynamic range.....sometimes it migth not be able to track correctly the grooves which has been recorded at such high level. Distortions, vibration, or, in some cases skipping of the stylus migth occur....... """""

Yes, they are totally rigth: the self tracking cartridge abilities is very important and makes a paramount differences in the quality sound when we are talking of these kind of LP D2D recordings.
Several times at micro levels the stylus tip is skipping and we not even be aware of. So the cartridge is the  must important link in the room/system to achieve and honor the very high quality sound levels that many of the D2D recordings have ( obviously along a good tonearm match. ).

Cartridges with high tracking abilities is the name of the game here and with well recorded digital LP's.


Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,
R.

Dear @rvpiano and friends : I need to fix my mistake on what I posted on that D2D 45rpm LP of my last post.

"  Very good indeed. "

No, it's not that way. The player performance is mediocre one but the sound is not good even that is a D2D 45rpm recording.
The sound is lifeless, that Steinway instrument sounds just bad and this could be because the engineers choosed four Neumann microphones and they chossed that at least 2 of them were at only 5cms. above the strings and did not let the instrument possibility to breathe. All instruments needs its own minimum space to performs at its best and that did not happens in this recording.

I can be wrong but this is my take on it.

R.

@rauliruegas  Interesting post that you said about the Opus 3 LP's not being in the 'same league' as the well recorded D to D's. Maybe you could elaborate on why you think that. Owning a large number of both D to D's and Opus 3's, I think that the best Opus 3's are competitive with the average to better D toD...not quite as dynamic as the very best D to D's...but I certainly would NOT state the Opus 3's are 'not in the same league'. 
For instance, I was recently listening to the excellent M&K LP 'Flamenco Fever' which is IMO one of the best D to D's that I own...I then compared it to my copy of Opus 3 Yuyachifca. The M&K is more dynamic and has a slightly deeper soundstage, but the recording SQ of the Opus 3 is extraordinary...and is certainly close to the M&K!