CDs Pressed by Specialty: SRC code?

I have these early Jackson Browne SRC pressings:

Late for the Sky: "1017-2 SRC-01"

The Pretender: "107-2 SRC-01"

 

ah forgot about that before, mine is:

1017-2 SRC-05


two more:

Paul Simon: Graceland

Matrix: 925 447-2 SRC-02

Label states: Made in Germany



Depeche Mode: Violator

Matrix: 1 26081-2 SRC=02

Label states: Made in USA

 

I have a question to the OP. Where we should place WEA/SRC pressings with a very narrow central matrix ring? Princesskiki claims, that these discs are the first WEA/SRC pressings that come out from their plant. Does these discs hasn't been manufactured before the "first generation matrix style" pressings?

 

I think these were the very first WEA pressings, where the glass master was used from a PDO plant, but the disc was pressed by WEA.

Is that correct?

In my experience, these pressings are some of the flat out rarest, maybe the rarest pressings of WEA titles that I have seen. And many times, I suppose by coincidence, if I do find them, they are in poor condition.

 

Yes, It seems like these are the very first WEA/SRC pressings. Not many of these is reported. I think these discs should be considered as SRC pressings and placed at first in WEA/SRC line.

 

bump. can anyone offer any information on these? Which titles have you seen or own? How rare are they in your experience?

 

Van Halen - Van Halen [s/t] - 3075-2 SRC-01
Finally found this 1986 SRC 1st pressing and in nice condition. I see it's not on the list.

 

My opinion is that timing has limited correlation with the style of disc. I was buying lots of CDs then from when WEA Mfg discs started showing up at retail and through the period where any title outsourced was rare in a few years.

I have owned, seen, still have quite a few first pressing WEA discs, including Record Service discs from Germany, their affiliate. I did not see any glass master discs from other sources pressed by WEA until at least 1988 and very rare, probably one run.

There was no reason to do so, as both Record Service in Germany had glass master technology since 1985, as did WEA Mfg from the begining, TELDEC, who they acquired, invented the stamping process, which is what made CD replication very low cost. WEA mfg was also doing glass masters for Capitol JAX in the early years of their plant.

The reason to use others' glass masters is either your plant doesn't have the capability (a very few did not like Capitol JAX, but eventually all got it) or a spot run is faster to run by reusing anothers', which was commonly done among plants in different countries owned by the same owner, but not as common between different owners' plants. Capacity related. Higher volume repetitive runs, would usually result creating another glass master in house.

Most of this went away by 1990 or so, as capacity started to exceed demand in North America, Europe, and Japan, other than the spot run here and there.

 

Thank you for your insight. You made great points. I suppose it wouldn't necessarily be accurate that they came first. Like you said, WEA could have used other glass masters for spot runs, and there's no indication that this would have been the first pressing of the title. It does seem that they are indeed quite rare, however.

 

OK. There's a CD that has been manufactured earlier! 80035-2 SRC 03

 

Doug,

Thanks very much for the list above. Finally I manage to find both of Genesis Self-titled first generation SRC pressings. My releases are exactly the same as you described.

These are very hard to find discs IMHO. I took me nearly a two years to find it. I should also mention that, "SRC 05" came with a smooth-sided jewel case with a long bar stops whereas the "SRC 07" came with a ribbed-sided jewel case and long bar stops.

I also have a one more copy on the way to me. It may be "SRC 05" with "West Germany" inserts. However, I am not certain about, since I bought the CD yesterday and I didn't receive it yet.







I am also wondering if there are other Genesis first generation titles not mentioned in this topic?

Regards,
Mariusz

 

I only have the WG Vertigo and the Virgin "Genesis" and didn't know about the "With Genesis, the group of the same name returns..." blurb on the Atlantic version. I might pick a copy just for that!

btw new recent additions:

Yes - Time and a Word

Matrix: 3 8273-2 SRC-01 M4S5

Label states: Made in U.S.A. by WEA manufacturing


Yes - The Yes Album

Matrix: 2 40106 SRC-01

Label states: Made in Germany


Morrissey - Viva Hate

Matrix: 1 25699-2 SRC-01

Made in Canada

 

Nice finds Mariusz! These 1st. Generation SRC discs are extremely difficult to find no matter what glass master they are produced from. For many of the discs in that list of 1st Gen. pressings with glass masters other than SRC-01, I'm beginning to think that there may not be SRC-01 pressings of those discs. The SRC-05 and SRC-07 pressings of the self titled Genesis discs may be the only 1st. Gen SRC pressings available for that particular title.

I'll be interested to know if the disc with the W. German inserts is also a 1st. Generation SRC pressing. Please let us know once you receive it.
Doug

 

The process is very simple
Glass Master > Father > Mother(s) > Stamper(s)

Father is the same as stamper
M0S1 is just Father used to replicate CDs (M0 - means no Mother, S1 - first and the only stamper)
it occurs when there are no need to electro-form Mother for future use or many stampers for high quantity parallel replication
mostly low quantity promos are made like that as they are one run item replicated at limited quantity (below wear out limit of stamper)

it is the same way as vinyl is made (1 -Step, 3-Steps)

Lacquer > Father ---- 1-Step - father is used as stamper (after wear out to make additional copies the whole process must be re done)
Lacquer > Father > Mother(s) > Stamper(s) ---- 3-Steps for high quantity parallel pressing

 

Thanks for the information, ventor. This is very helpful!

 

Hi Doug,

Finally, I received a copy of mentioned Genesis "Self-titled" CD. The CD has a smooth-sided jewel case with a long bar stops, the same ones have the "SRC-05" copy from my post above. The front insert has printed "Manufactured by JVC, Japan. Printed in Japan" at last page of booklet, whereas the rear insert has "Printed in West Germany" and It does have a barcode. The CD is manufactured by "WEA Manufacturing Inc." and it has "SRC-05" matrix. Below are photos of the CD. I am not quite happy about that one. The CD is not even in good condition. Jewel case and disc has a plenty of marks and visible tear, however, the disc plays without problems. I only paid $1 for this copy so is OK.

 

(this is a second part of my message, since I can only attach 5 images to my post)

I was wondering why WEA U.S.A. has supplied foreign inserts on this one? Perhaps, they don't have yet own fully printing facility? I am fairly sure the CD was issued this way. Inserts and jewel case does not looks like it were replaced at some point. The front insert has even "long" indents form the bar stops.

A very interesting find though.

Mariusz

 

After digging through my collection this morning, I found a 1st gen:

Led Zeppelin - SRTS - (disc 1) 201-2.1 SRC-02 (disc 2) 201-2.2 SRC-01

 

I just picked up a copy used for $1.
A2-90863
matrix 3 90863-2 SRC
11 11-3-7 CAPITOL JAX 24 C
At the 6 o'clock: MADE IN U.S.A. BY CAPITOL RECORDS

 

Today I received Genesis - Invisible Touch CD by Atlantic with the matrix numbers 81641-2 SRC-03. Probably the earliest copy from WEA of this title. So far, I am aware of SRC-03, SRC-04 and SRC-05 from the fist generation. I also have or have seen a CD with SRC-06 which has a label identification (means second generation SRC pressing).

 

Hi. I can elaborate later (if you wish) but the reason why I think the WEA/SRC discs with the top half of the WG target matrix on the plastic ring are the very first CD's manufactured by that plant is the INSERTS, JEWEL CASES and PLASTIC DISC TRAYS. I now have almost 10 of these discs and every one of them came in the inserts/cases/trays used for the particular title in the mid-1980's (around 1986).

 

Doug and other members.

How often you find a CD where it has ARC in the matrix instead of SRC? I recently have found a CD where it has an ARC in the matrix. This is a very unique for me, because I have never had a chance to see it before. I think the ARC pressings are not that common.

 

I don't think I've ever seen one with the ARC replacing the SRC. However, I've seen discs where there is an ARC and then M_S_ after the matrix. Interesting. From what I can remember, I think the discs where I've seen an ARC in them are from the mid-90's or after. I don't recall seeing ones with this early of a matrix, though I could be mistaken.

 

Hi Corey,

It is unique, I'd say. ARC in the matrix simply (for me) signify that the glass master of this copy was made by WEA plant in Los Angeles. Usually, in the 1980s, the glass master for WEA releases was made by SRC plant in Olyphant. However, In the late 1980s WEA plant in Los Angeles (ARC) began to create own glass master's (I suppose due to overload of their mother plant in Olyphant at that time), but I've never found any of these release.

Yes, these copies are much easier to locate in my opinion. If the ARC is stamped in the matrix area and the matrix still have "SRC" markings, this means that the glass master was done by SRC plant in Olyphant, but the physical disc was made at ARC plant in Los Angeles, for many reasons. An example below.

 

Now that I'm thinking about this more, ARC stands for Allied Record Corporation, doesn't it? or maybe it's Allied Record Company. I think I've seen one of those somewhere before.