Difference between DMM and galvanic for vinyl

[Amba]

Been reading about this on the net, but is there really a big difference finally, sound wise?

[Lost to the Void]

Direct To Metal Mastering, I won`t go into the technicals of it, they can easily be found online, I can tell you my experience of it.
The essential difference is that there are less stages to get to the final stamper, with DMM. The consequence of this is the cut is more precise.

I have used DMM cutting with my old record label (as well as conventional Lacquer then plating/galvanising), and in my opinion,
if you are going to cut vinyl, then cut vinyl.
The sound of vinyl that everyone constantly masturbates about is essentially down to the limitations of that format.
ie

polished, smoothed out transients,
softer top end transients,
softer top end frequencies

These combine to create what everyone calls the "warm" sound of vinyl.

DMM reduces these characteristics due to it being a more accurate process.
There are some technical advantages, but really who cares about that?
If you want accuracy and utter transparency or authenticity, then you go for digital.
We want vinyl for being vinyl right?

My conclusion.

traditional Lacquer cutting is better, if you want the "true" sound of vinyl.

[Mattias]

Yep Steve summed it up.

I'd only like to add that when I delivered masters for a DMM the test press came back way louder then I expected with that long tracks compared to a lacquer.

[Amba]

Great thanks a lot for the advice!

So if I understand well, if you go galvanic you will get that warm vinyl sound and DMM will give you a ''nearly'' copy paste of your wav master. Mattias you mentioned something about the volume, had you not chosen DMM do you think the record would be as loud?

[Mattias]

Well ultimately it's up to the dude making the lacquer master to, if necessary, do what's needed to make the audio suitable for vinyl. Even a flat cut is processed.
With DMM all they did, as far as I can tell was to do the volume increase to best fit the media. Also I didn't choose the DMM, my client did, I think it would be lower in volume if it wasn't a DMM.

[Amba]

Thanks a lot for the infos!