Rush 2112, 2015 Hologram Edition vinyl, running a tad fast?

[TheGreatPretender]

Hey guys!
I bought this vinyl when it came out, and just recently decided to compare the digital download that it came with to the Rush Remasters version I had on CD, and I discovered that the new digital download tracks were shorter and ran slightly faster than the CD version (and as a result, were very slightly sharper in pitch). I checked the track lengths and compared it, and sure enough, the digital download for the title track, for example, ended up being a whole 17 seconds shorter than the CD version (20:34 for the CD version and 20:17 for the digital download. The wikipedia page for the album lists the track length as 20:34). I've also compared the vinyl itself, and the audio on it is also faster and slightly higher pitched although to a slightly lower extent than the digital download.

The pitch difference ends up being significantly less than a semitone, so to me, it wasn't perceivable until I was comparing the digital files just to see how much of a difference there was.

So yeah, this whole thing really perplexed me. Is this common with analog audio formats? And what are the chances that things like this can throw off my own ear training when it comes to pitch accuracy?

[pg1067]

I haven't bought a vinyl record in probably more than 25 years.

However, at some point when I was buying vinyl, I bought a new turntable.  I set it up and the first album I played was Permanent Waves.  It was noticeably slow.  I made sure everything looked ok and tried again.  Eventually, I counted the number of revolutions per minute, and it came up around 30-31.  I took the turntable back, and the only reason I really remember this is that the person at the store gave me a hard time about returning it for this reason.  He played an album by some band I'd never heard of and asked if it sounded ok.  I said I have no idea because I'd never heard the song before.  He even tried to convince me that 33 1/3 was merely "approximate."  Eventually he let me return the turntable.

Anyway, the moral of the story is to check if your turntable is actually spinning at 33 1/3 RPM.  Or...since your accompanying digital download is also off, maybe this particular version was just mastered incorrectly.

As far as ear training, I have no idea.  All I can tell you is that A Farewell to Kings (or maybe it's just Xanadu) is pitched up by about a half step.  I remember when I first tried to learn to play Xanadu, I thought it was in F, rather than E, which really made it a bitch to learn.

[TheGreatPretender]

I haven't bought a vinyl record in probably more than 25 years.

However, at some point when I was buying vinyl, I bought a new turntable.  I set it up and the first album I played was Permanent Waves.  It was noticeably slow.  I made sure everything looked ok and tried again.  Eventually, I counted the number of revolutions per minute, and it came up around 30-31.  I took the turntable back, and the only reason I really remember this is that the person at the store gave me a hard time about returning it for this reason.  He played an album by some band I'd never heard of and asked if it sounded ok.  I said I have no idea because I'd never heard the song before.  He even tried to convince me that 33 1/3 was merely "approximate."  Eventually he let me return the turntable.

Anyway, the moral of the story is to check if your turntable is actually spinning at 33 1/3 RPM.  Or...since your accompanying digital download is also off, maybe this particular version was just mastered incorrectly.

I see. The thing is, if it was just my vinyl, then yeah, I could totally chalk it up to my player, which isn't top of the line by any means, but the fact that the digital download that came with the vinyl is even more off than my vinyl would imply that when they ripped it (presumably, this digital download is a professional rip of the vinyl itself, if not the actual digital master they used to create the vinyl), then that puts the margin of error on the equipment of the studio that produced it (Abbey Road, according to the packaging). That's what I found so perplexing.

[Sacul]

Check this, it's likely an issue on the transfer of the master, so either your vinyl or your CD is the one with the problem. I'd also ask around in some Rush forums and subreddits just in case.

[ytserush]

Hey guys!
I bought this vinyl when it came out, and just recently decided to compare the digital download that it came with to the Rush Remasters version I had on CD, and I discovered that the new digital download tracks were shorter and ran slightly faster than the CD version (and as a result, were very slightly sharper in pitch). I checked the track lengths and compared it, and sure enough, the digital download for the title track, for example, ended up being a whole 17 seconds shorter than the CD version (20:34 for the CD version and 20:17 for the digital download. The wikipedia page for the album lists the track length as 20:34). I've also compared the vinyl itself, and the audio on it is also faster and slightly higher pitched although to a slightly lower extent than the digital download.

The pitch difference ends up being significantly less than a semitone, so to me, it wasn't perceivable until I was comparing the digital files just to see how much of a difference there was.

So yeah, this whole thing really perplexed me. Is this common with analog audio formats? And what are the chances that things like this can throw off my own ear training when it comes to pitch accuracy?

Haven't picked up the 2015 vinyl yet (Don't have the download either) but I haven't read any mention of a problem.

I did pick up that master of the CD and it's probably the best CD version I have. I'l compare the 2015 to the original vinyl copies when I get it.

For what it's worth the 2016 CD 2112 (song) clocks in at 20:38. The Mobile Fidelity is at 20:32.