Each has their own merits and the decision is ultimately subjective and personal. We can and do work with both processes each day.

That said, DMM has a lot going for it. It is more streamlined and typically less expensive. As such it is a good choice for smaller runs as we simply need WAV Files to begin the process.

DMM does affect the sound of a finished record. DMM is more responsive to the treble due to the grooves being etched into metal rather than a soft lacquer disc. There is also a different bass response with DMM. A metal master disc also has a more solid “groove wall” which can cut down on groove echo (neighboring grooves being affected by each other in an undesirable way) and can also improve the depth of the stereo field. In addition, DMM creates less chance for extra surface noise to be added during the plating process due to one less plating step and is ideal for longer sides.