Collection: Half Speed Mastered

Half-speed mastering slows down both the source audio and the cutting lathe to exactly half their normal speed — for a standard LP, that means cutting at 16⅔ RPM instead of 33⅓ RPM, with the source recording slowed to match. Cutting this way gives the lathe twice as much time to trace the groove for each moment of music, which makes it easier to accurately render fast, high-frequency transients — cymbals, strings, sibilance — that are hardest to cut at full speed. The result is often a more detailed, cleaner top end with better separation between instruments. It's not without tradeoffs: the process can thin out low-end impact on bass-heavy material, and because it reveals more detail overall, it can also expose flaws already present in the source recording, which is why it's typically reserved for well-produced masters rather than every title in a catalog. Mobile Fidelity pioneered the technique in the late 1970s with mastering engineer Stan Ricker, and it's since been revived by engineers at Abbey Road and other top studios. Because of the extra time and expertise required, half-speed titles are pressed in smaller runs and priced at a premium over standard cuts. Below are our current half-speed mastered titles.