Could those ones be printing mistakes? Like, maybe somebody copied and pasted something they shouldn't have? Or are Japanese pressed CBS CDs containing the symbol common enough that it can't have simply been an error?
What kind of error? I have several Japanese CDs with the symbol, I never assumed that there was any kind of error.
Steve is reading this probably laughing his you know what off! Here is my guess: it's an upside down satanic pyramid. satan must have worked in the mail room at Columbia records. the beave
Like, for example, the art department of the Japanese manufacturer received the image files that accidentally contained the triangle symbol, and printed the CDs with them on it when they weren't supposed to. I just think that the DADC connection is so obvious and clear (the symbol started appearing precisely when DADC opened), that any exceptions to that should be cataloged and examined separately.
I agree that the DADC connection is there and I certainly think it's possible that the same artwork could have been mistakenly transferred to CDs manufactured in Japan. But that still doesn't explain the widespread appearance of the symbol on cassettes and LPs of that era.
Right. We still have no explanation for why the symbol appears on cassettes and LPs. But I think we can be pretty sure that when it appears on a CD it's supposed to mean that it was manufactured at DADC.
I disagree. I think there is a DADC connection, but that doesn't mean we can be sure that the symbol is supposed to mean "manufactured at DADC"
Someone should ask (if no one has already) Vernon from the Pink Floyd Archives. He might know what it's for.
Using the process of elimination, the royalty issue really makes little sense, and sign of a pressing plant is way off of course. Digital master is still the leading prize winning explanation.
I asked former Billboard editor Bill Werde and he replied: https://twitter.com/bwerde/status/491623188246179841 "the great @edchristman tracked it down: it's the logo for DADC plant in Terre Haute. Appears on any format they manufactured."
It looks like it has the DIDY matrix number, which indicates a Columbia House Record Club pressing, according to Wikipedia. DIDC – Classical recordings released on Sony-affiliated record labels. DIDP – Popular (i.e., non-classical) recordings released on Sony-affiliated record labels. DIDX – Recordings pressed by DADC for release on non-Sony-affiliated record labels. DIDY – Recordings pressed by the US division of DADC for the Columbia House Record Club. DIDZ – Recordings released on WEA Japan. (This code was only used from 1983 to 1985.)
The explanation sounds good but did DADC manufacture LPs and cassettes? I have been looking into this online and from what I can tell it really is only optical media like CDs, DVDs, Playstation games, etc.
I have a Telarc disc with "Made in USA - Digital Audio Disc Corp." in the hub and no upside down triangle. This connection with DADC's Terre Haute plant looks bogus.
http://www.discogs.com/Bob-Dylan-Empire-Burlesque/release/1762679 The real killer is the above entry. Unless the user is making up stuff, the mould SID code refers to the Pitman, NJ plant.
