CDs Pressed by Specialty: SRC code?

Hi jh901,

After doing a little research into your Warren Zevon disc, I feel quite certain that it is a 3rd Generation pressing at the earliest. The description you give of the matrix code certainly places it within the 3rd Generation even if it doesn't have the label identifier. I have seen numerous discs without the label identifier in the used bins but were from albums released way too late to be from the 1st. or 2nd. Generation of pressings. So, while it's not common to see a pressing without the label identifier after the 1st. Generation, it certainly isn't unheard of.

There is something that does make your disc interesting though!

I am assuming this is the disc you have:

http://www.amazon.com/Quiet-Normal-...=sr_1_2?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1290370451&sr=1-2

If so, Amazon.com has an original release date for this album as October 25, 1990. That puts it into the 4th. Generation!

However, 4th. Generation discs should have a barcode in the inner mirror band. Also, the M1 S1 wouldn't be located across from the matrix code. It would be located between the matrix code and the barcode.....near the 3 o'clock position.

I have a 4th. Generation disc that was released September 11, 1990. Here is the information about that disc:

Mark Whitfield - The Marksman
Matrix code: 1 26321-2 SRC-01 M1S1 with barcode
1990
CD release date: September 11, 1990

So the question is: How did your 3rd Generation disc get released after my 4th. Generation disc.....assuming that Amazon.com has the correct release dates for these two discs?

Was your disc pressed during the 3rd. Generation but, for whatever reason, the release date was delayed by a month and a half?

Or perhaps the Glass Master was prepared during the 3rd. Generation, the release date was delayed the month and a half, and then the disc went to press. Rather than creating a new Glass Master, they just went ahead and pressed from the Glass Master that was already made.....Who knows? I'm just taking wild guesses!

Doug

 

I think I may have found some important information pertaining to the starting production dates for 1st. Generation discs from SRC!

I found the following bit of information from Billboard Vol. 98 No. 40 dated October 4, 1986 on page 4:


Confab: Cd Fill To Remain Slow by Earl Paige

"......WEA president Henry Druz, although he noted the start-up of production at WEA's Olyphant, Pa. plant. Modules, each with 7 million - 10 million CD capacity, are coming on line. One is running, but he said he doesn't know the start up date for the three others that are projected."


From this, I think it's reasonable to assume that production at the SRC plant probably started in September 1986.

I also suspect (although there is no proof of this other than their own rarity) that all of the 1st. Generation pressings came off this first module, before the other 3 came on line.

So here is what I believe to be the start and end dates for the 6 different Generations of SRC pressings:


1st. Generation:
Production began from the opening of the SRC plant in approximately September of 1986 (Sorry, I don't know the exact date.) and ended before July 7, 1987, if not sooner.

2nd. Generation:
Production began as soon as July 7, 1987, if not sooner, and ended sometime in 1988.

3rd. Generation:
Production began sometime in 1988 and would have ended by September of 1990, if not sooner.

4th. Generation:
Production began as late as September 1990, if not sooner, and would have ended by the Summer of 1992, if not sooner.

5th. Generation:
Production began by the Summer of 1992, if not sooner, and would have ended by June 22nd. 1993, if not sooner.

6th. Generation:
Production began by June 22nd. 1993, if not sooner, and would have ended when SRC stopped pressing under the SRC label. (I have a disc as late as May 14th. 1996.)

 

Came across another disc to add to this list today:

Other 1st. Generation pressings:
The Cult - Love....................SRC-02.....................Smooth sided with long bar booklet stops
Fleetwood Mac - Rumours......SRC-05......................Smooth sided with long bar booklet stops
Genesis - Genesis.................SRC-07......................Rib sided with round dimple booklet stops
Genesis - Genesis.................SRC-05......................Rib sided with round dimple booklet stops (This one differs from the SRC-07 listed above in that it came with a tray card and booklet that say Printed in Japan where the SRC-07 has U.S. inserts.)
Genesis - Invisible Touch.......SRC-04......................Smooth sided with long bar booklet stops
INXS - Listen Like Theives......SRC-02......................Rib sided with short bar booklet stops
Led Zeppelin - III..................SRC-02......................Rib sided with long bar booklet stops
I have 2 identical copies of this disc and they both have wider spacing between the long bar booklet stops when compared to all the other SRC pressings with long bar booklet stops.
Madonna - True Love.............SRC-04.....................Rib sided with round dimple booklet stops
Van Halen - Diver Down..........SRC-03.....................Rib sided with round dimple booklet stops
Wang Chung - Mosaic............SRC-06.....................Smooth sided with long bar booklet stops
ZZ Top - Eliminator................SRC-03.....................Rib sided with round dimple boolet stops

 

Don't trust Amazon. This album was released in '86. In any event, it's not qualified for my list.....

 

Oops! I have to correct a little error in my list! Thanks for pointing it out for me SecondHandNews!

Other 1st. Generation SRC pressings:
The Cult - Love....................SRC-02.....................Smooth sided with long bar booklet stops
Fleetwood Mac - Rumours......SRC-05......................Smooth sided with long bar booklet stops
Genesis - Genesis.................SRC-07......................Rib sided with round dimple booklet stops
Genesis - Genesis.................SRC-05......................Rib sided with round dimple booklet stops (This one differs from the SRC-07 listed above in that it came with a tray card and booklet that say Printed in Japan where the SRC-07 has U.S. inserts.)
Genesis - Invisible Touch.......SRC-04......................Smooth sided with long bar booklet stops
INXS - Listen Like Theives......SRC-02......................Rib sided with short bar booklet stops
Led Zeppelin - III..................SRC-02......................Rib sided with long bar booklet stops
I have 2 identical copies of this disc and they both have wider spacing between the long bar booklet stops when compared to all the other SRC pressings with long bar booklet stops.
Madonna - True Blue.............SRC-04.....................Rib sided with round dimple booklet stops
Van Halen - Diver Down..........SRC-03.....................Rib sided with round dimple booklet stops
Wang Chung - Mosaic............SRC-06.....................Smooth sided with long bar booklet stops
ZZ Top - Eliminator................SRC-03.....................Rib sided with round dimple boolet stops

 

NEW ADDITIONS!!!!!

The Association - Greatest Hits
AC/DC - Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap
Bad Company - Fame and Fortune
Benson, George - In Flight Cat# 256 327 Mfg in Germany
Brown, Jackson - The Pretender
Charles, Ray - The Great Ray Charles
Crosby, Stills & Nash - S/T
Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt, Emmylou Harris - Trio
Doobie Brothers - The Best of the Doobie Brothers
Eagles - Eagles
Foreigner - Head Games
Gabriel, Peter - So
Gramm, Lou - Ready Or Not
Hendrix, Jimi - Kiss The Sky
Isaak, Chris - S/T
Jones, Grace - Warm Leatherette
Jones, Grace - Nightclubbing
Led Zeppelin - Presence
Led Zeppelin - Houses of the Holy
Led Zeppelin - Houses of the Holy (Mfg by Record Service-Germany)
Led Zeppelin - In Through The Out Door []16002-2 SRC-01[]
Led Zeppelin - Physical Graffiti
Madhouse - 8
Palmer, Robert Clues []90493-2 SRC-01[]
Pretenders - S/T
Prince - Sign 'O' The Times
Propaganda - A Secret Wish
Sandborn, David - Hideaway
Sandborn, David - A Change of Heart
Simply Red - Picture Book
Talking Heads - True Stories
Time, The - S/T
Time, The - What Time Is It? (possibly)
Townsend, Pete - White City
Van Halen - Women and Children First
Van Halen - Fair Warning
Vanderberg - Best of...
Violent Femmes - The Blind Leading the Naked
Williams, Andy - Close Enough for Love
Yoakam, Dwight - Hillbilly Deluxe
XTC - Skylarking

 

Recent find:

Jimi Hendrix, Electric Ladyland (2-disc version) 1 6307-2.1 SRC-01 (Disc One) and 1 6307-2.2 SRC-02 (Disc Two), both in the long-bar, smooth-sided jewel case, with "patent pending" on the rear.

 

Nice find! I've never come across a 2nd Generation pressing in smooth sided jewel cases before...just 1st Gen. pressings!

 

This is a 2nd generation, so while it won't make the cut for my list within this thread (only the first generation), it is the earliest that I'm aware of. I have this set and it is also the set referenced in Keith's CD Resource. Mine did not come with smooth siders, but they may have been replaced or more likely not all were issued in smooth siders.

 

Someone should compile this kind of info (along with what the various matrix prefixes mean) and make a sticky thread. Interesting stuff.

 

I found a new disc to add to the 1st Generation list from Glass Masters other than SRC-01.
New title is listed in RED.

Other 1st. Generation SRC pressings:

TITLE........................GLASS MASTER #..............JEWEL CASE
Chicago - 17........................SRC-02.....................Rib sided with long bar booklet stops
The Cult - Love....................SRC-02.....................Smooth sided with long bar booklet stops
Fleetwood Mac - Rumours......SRC-05......................Smooth sided with long bar booklet stops
Genesis - Genesis.................SRC-07......................Rib sided with round dimple booklet stops
Genesis - Genesis.................SRC-05......................Rib sided with round dimple booklet stops (This one differs from the SRC-07 listed above in that it came with a tray card and booklet that say Printed in Japan where the SRC-07 has U.S. inserts.)
Genesis - Invisible Touch.......SRC-04......................Smooth sided with long bar booklet stops
INXS - Listen Like Theives......SRC-02......................Rib sided with short bar booklet stops
Led Zeppelin - III..................SRC-02......................Rib sided with long bar booklet stops
I have 2 identical copies of this disc and they both have wider spacing between the long bar booklet stops when compared to all the other SRC pressings with long bar booklet stops.
Madonna - True Blue.............SRC-04.....................Rib sided with round dimple booklet stops
Van Halen - Diver Down..........SRC-03.....................Rib sided with round dimple booklet stops
Wang Chung - Mosaic............SRC-06.....................Smooth sided with long bar booklet stops
ZZ Top - Eliminator................SRC-03.....................Rib sided with round dimple boolet stops


I also finally found a cd that I've been after for quite a while! I have a copy of 10,000 Maniacs - MTV Unplugged that is a 6th. Generation SRC-01 M1S24. I've come across numerous used copies of this disc over the past couple of years. I must have checked at least 50 or 60 different copies of this cd looking for an SRC-01 M1S1 with no luck! The closest I ever came was an SRC-01 M1S2 but it looked like someone had cleaned it with sandpaper! Finally, on Sunday, my search came to an end! There, sitting in the bins for $4, was an absolutely beautiful copy of an SRC-01 M1S1 pressing! It has a very light 1/4" scratch on the outer perimeter of the play side of the disc. But, other than that, it is in nearly perfect condition with a very clean label side and perfect, unblemished, inserts! Even the jewel case is in really nice shape!

So, after searching through what seemed like a never ending stream of used copies of this cd, I've learned that when all else fails, persistance prevails!

Now if I could just find SRC-01 M1S1 copies of Natalie Cole's - Unforgettable and Dr. John's - In A Sentimental Mood. I have SRC-01 M1S2 copies for both of these.....but, that's not quite the same thing as an SRC-01 M1S1 now is it?

The search continues.....

 

TWO NEW ADDITIONS!!!!!

The Association - Greatest Hits
AC/DC - Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap
Bad Company - Fame and Fortune
Benson, George - In Flight Cat# 256 327 Mfg in Germany
Brown, Jackson - The Pretender
Charles, Ray - The Great Ray Charles
Crosby, Stills & Nash - S/T
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young - So Far [] 19119-2 SRC-01 []
Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt, Emmylou Harris - Trio
Doobie Brothers - The Best of the Doobie Brothers
Eagles - Eagles
Foreigner - Head Games
Gabriel, Peter - So
Gramm, Lou - Ready Or Not
Hendrix, Jimi - Kiss The Sky
Isaak, Chris - S/T
Jones, Grace - Warm Leatherette
Jones, Grace - Nightclubbing
Led Zeppelin - Presence
Led Zeppelin - Houses of the Holy
Led Zeppelin - Houses of the Holy (Mfg by Record Service-Germany)
Led Zeppelin - In Through The Out Door []16002-2 SRC-01[]
Led Zeppelin - Physical Graffiti
Madhouse - 8
Palmer, Robert Clues []90493-2 SRC-01[]
Pretenders - S/T
Prince - Sign 'O' The Times
Propaganda - A Secret Wish
Sandborn, David - Hideaway
Sandborn, David - A Change of Heart
Simply Red - Picture Book
Talking Heads - True Stories
Time, The - S/T
Time, The - What Time Is It? (possibly)
Townsend, Pete - White City
Van Halen - Women and Children First
Van Halen - Fair Warning
Vanderberg - Best of...
Violent Femmes - The Blind Leading the Naked
Williams, Andy - Close Enough for Love
Williams Jr., Hank -Hank "Live" [] 25538-2 SRC-01 []
Yoakam, Dwight - Hillbilly Deluxe
XTC - Skylarking

 

New Addition

Led Zeppelin I -- 19126-2 SRC-01

Technically not the first U.S. pressing, though, as I have an early DADC version.

 

Me too!

 

Right, but this thread is for SRCs and my list is specifically for 1st gen SRC-01s. This LZ you found hasn't made it onto the list yet. Just to confirm, the matrix looks like this:

[] 19126-2 SRC-01 []

 

Great find! I'd love to come across one of those someday!


Thanks to one of the members here, I finally acquired a copy of Deep Purple's Machine Head as a 1st. Generation 1st. Glass Master SRC pressing. I already had a copy of this title as a 1st. Gen./1st. Glass Master pressing, but it was an early BMG Direct Marketing pressing and was labeled as such on the disc itself.

Both discs have identical matrix codes which read as: 3100-2 SRC-01

 

Noticed this morning that my copy of Little Feat's self-titled debut is an SRC-01

 

Yes, that's it.

 

Ok, so we'll be adding LZ-I, Deep Purple Machine Head (sweet!) and I found Clapton Behind the Sun today.

 

Got a nice 2nd generation SRC today:

Linda Ronstadt - Mad Love
2 510-2 SRC-01

 

And another:

Linda Ronstadt - Living In The U.S.A.
2 155-2 SRC-01

 

bump.

 

Found this for $2.00

Alanis Morissette's Jagged Little Pill

1 45901-2 SRC##01 M1S1

I think that is the 1st pressing. The RE-1's quickly replaced it. IIRC the EAC peaks are the same but on the non RE-1 compared to the RE-1 the channels are inverted. Not wrong/switched channels but each individual channel was inverted.

 

I was hoping to get some help with this question: I recently bought an early SRC copy of Devo's "Are We Not Men" cd. The matrix is 1 3239-2 SRC-02 M4S13 and it has no barcode around the hub.

Thus, based on this thread, it should be a WEA 3rd pressing dating it to around 1990-92 because of the "-" after the SRC (rather than a "#" or a "**") and lack of barcode.

However, it also has IFPI 2U1A in the clear plastic hub, which should date it no earlier than 1994-95.

Can anyone explain this seeming discrepency? Thanks!

 

Hi scocs!

It's been a while since the descriptions of the different generations has been listed so I've decided to relist it here. Hopefully, this will make it easier for everyone to find. I think it was originally post on page 3 of this thread.


As to your question, the key to your pressing is the IFPI number. This didn't exist on those first few Generations. Most likely, this disc was pressed around the time frame you mentioned (1994-1995 or later). But, the Glass Master that was used to press the disc was a Glass Master created during the 3rd. Generation.



Just out of curiosity, is this a record club pressing? I have found that record club pressings often times used old glass masters for their pressings. Perhaps this may explain why some people claim to hear a difference between record club pressings and original release pressings. The worn out pits are oversized and the gaps between pits are no longer at the correct spacing since the pits are oversized....thus, creating more errors for the D/A converter to "fix".

Perhaps, the record clubs get a better price on pressings using old Glass Masters instead of creating new ones. Maybe this is what allows them to sell their discs at such a big discount.

This, of course, is just speculation.



Here, again, are the descriptions of the 6 Generations-

There are 6 generations of matrix codes that I have been able to identify. They are:

1st. Generation:
These would be the first cd's that SRC put into production
starting in 1986. To the best of my knowledge, the 1st.
generation of discs would stay in production until at least
July 1987.
These discs will not have a Label Identification Number at
the beginning of the matrix code and no Mother or Stamper
identification. An example would be: 25512-2 SRC-01

2nd. Generation:
All I can verify at this point, is that this generation began
pressing sometime in 1987 (I'm assuming it would have to
be after July.) and ended sometime in 1988.
These discs will have a Label Identification Number at the
beginning of the matrix code but will not have the Mother
or Stamper information. An example would be: 1 25705-2 SRC-01

3rd. Generation:
I can only verify that these pressings began sometime
during 1988 and would have ended by September of 1990, if
not sooner.
These discs will have a Label Identification Number at the
beginning of the matrix code. They will also have the Mother
and Stamper information contained in the inner mirror band.
An example would be: 3 80070-2 SRC-01 M1S5

4th. Generation:
I can verify that these pressings began as late as
September 1990, but could have started sooner than this
date. They would have gone out of production by
April 1993, if not sooner.
These discs will have a Label Identification Number at the
beginning of the matrix code and also the Mother and
Stamper information. They also would have, for the first
time, a barcode contained in the inner mirror band.

5th. Generation:
I can verify that these pressings had begun by April 1993,
if not sooner. They would have gone out of production by
September 1994, if not sooner.
(At this time, I only have one 5th. generation disc to
examine, as I've only recently decided to search for the
later generation SRC pressings.) This generation has a
couple of significant differences from the other generations.
First, the symbol used to seperate the letters SRC from the
Glass Master number has changed. Instead of looking like
this: SRC-01 it now looks like this: SRC##01 (The symbol,
from what I understand, indicates which laser was used to
cut the Glass Master. All of my 1st., 2nd., 3rd. and 4th.
Generation SRC01 discs use the -. All of the discs that I
own from the 5th. and 6th. Generation SRC01 pressings use
## (5th. Generation only) or ** (6th. Generation only) to
seperate the SRC from the 01. (Is it possible that the laser
indicated with the - wore out and was replaced by these
lasers as the primary Glass Master cutting devices?)
The other big difference between the 5th. Generation disc
and the previous generation is that the barcode has
disappeared from the inner mirror band and has been
replaced by a row of stars going around each side of the
mirror band. An example of the 5th. Generation mirror band
would be: 1 45210-2 SRC##01 ************** M1S1
***************

6th. Generation:
I can verify that these pressings had begun by September
1994, if not sooner. I have a pressing as late as September
1995, but I would assume that this is the format that was
used until SRC, as it is known here, stopped pressing under
the SRC label. I believe this occured in 1996, but I don't
have the exact date.
These discs eliminate the stars from the inner mirror band
and replace it, once again, with a barcode. They also now
have a very small round circle with a swirl pattern with an
S in the middle of it in the inner mirror band. (You better
have a good magnifiying glass if you hope to see it!)