CDs Pressed by Specialty: SRC code?

Very nice. Thanks for posting this. I guess what interests me most though is how detectable the differences in sound quality are. George P asked earlier but didn't get much response. I can certainly understand the collectible appeal of early CD pressings becuase of their rarity but can people really tell the differences in sound between the glass master numbers? Also, probably a dumb question but when glass master numbers get into the twenties, why do so many need to be made?

 

Thanks for the extra information. I'm still learning about this stuff and appreciate any additional input!

 

Unfortunately, I don't have the answers to either of these questions. I don't have multiple matrix codes available for any of the SRC pressings that I have so I can't make any comparisons.

I have, however, heard a difference between the SRC pressing of Led Zeppelins' Houses of the Holy and the Target pressing of it! My money is on the SRC in this instance!

 

Can I ask how you would describe the difference?

 

Hi Dam,

I discussed this in another thread with Barry Diament. You can read it here:
http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showthread.php?p=3724987#post3724987

 

Very interesting information in this thread

I have a HOTH with matrix 250014 SRC-01

I got it this summer and I didn't have the chance to listen to it carefully. I 'll give it a more thorough listening later tonight.

PeaceableKingdom, is there a barcode number on your cd?

 

Hi 5-String,

I'm at work. My disc is at home.

My brain cells don't work as good as they used to and I can't remember!

Come to think of it, it should have the bar code.

I'll check it when I get home and report back in the morning.

 

No problem, thanks!

 

Many thanks, PeaceableKingdom.
I will give both of these CD's a closer listen.

 

Let me know how it turns out. I'd be interested to know if you hear a difference between the two. I'd also like to know if your two discs spin at a different rate like mine do.

Also, can you tell me what the matrix codes are for your copies.

Thanks,
Doug

 

Hi 5-String,

No, there isn't a bar code on either my Target pressing of HOTH or my 19130-2 SRC-01 pressing.

How about yours? Does yours have a barcode?

 

FYI sometimes there is an M0S1 pressing.

 

Thanks! The reason I was asking is because I am trying to figure out when my HOTH came out.

It has a barcode on the lower right of the back cover (7567-81529-2) and the matrix is, as I wrote, 250014 SRC-01.
It 's "Made in Germany".

I know it 's a Barry Diament mastering and it sounds great but I'll like to learn more, since the number does not correspond to the US pressings.

 

Hi Doug,

After repeated listening, I believe they do sound 'different'. Not sure how I would describe that 'difference', though!
Unfortunately, I am unable to tell whether there is any difference in the spin rate as I can not view discs in the cd player.

The CD matrix codes for the pressings I own of HOTH are as follows:-

1. West German 'Target' 7567 19130-2 / 2895 383 01*

2. German 'Non-Target' 250014 SRC-01


Hope this helps.

Regards,

David

 

Hi David,

Thanks for the matrix codes. Every little bit of information helps!

Thanks,
Doug

 

This is all amazingly helpful information! I've been wanting the answers to these matrix number questions for years, and finally I know, thanks to you all.

I would like to get a little more in-depth with Warner Bros. CD releases. Does anyone know when Warner started printing their WEA logo into the back of their jewel cases? I've noticed some releases have it, others don't.

For example, I could find a copy of Metallica's self-titled album at a used record store. Some copies will have the WEA logo on the back of the tray, other will not. Initially, I thought maybe all copies of a CD pressed by WEA (or SRC) originally had the logo on the tray and, in cases of used record stores, the JC had sometimes been swapped out, either by a previous owner, or by the record store to make it look more attractive if the case was cracked. However, I've looked through the shelves of new music retailers, and found that shrink-wrapped copies sometimes have the logo (and most do), while others do not. So, now I'm confused and don't know what to think of all this.

My reasoning behind wanting to know more is, like applying matrix numbers to help determine "first pressings" (I'm going with SRC-01 M1S1 or nothing from here on out ), if I know whether or not a WEA logo was printed on the jewel case before it was shrink-wrapped (or more importantly to me, long-boxed) and shipped to retailers, that will make or break a purchasing decision. I would like everything about the package to be original, even down to the JC.

This all might go above and beyond nitpicking, but I figured if ever there was a place on the web to find people who know about this kind of thing, it would be the readers of this forum.

 

From the evidence I've seen, WEA started molding the "(\\`)" logo into the back of the jewel case by 1993, and stopped doing so by 2006. Both older and newer copies of Warner-label CDs, as well as record club versions and of course anything that has been swapped out, will lack the logo.

 

I've acquired a few more SRC-01 and SRC-01 M1S1 pressings recently and I have some more observations to add to the information above.

First of all, I think it will be easier to think of the Specialty Record Corp. pressings in terms of Generations rather than in years of release as I was trying to do above. This is will allow us to accept the idea that the different styles of matrix codes, and the information contained in the inner mirror bands, were implemented at non-specific points during a specific year.

With this system in mind, 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!)



So there you have it! These are the 6 Generations of SRC pressings from the point that they started producing cd's until they were dissolved by WEA. Please understand that this information is in no way complete and the dates given will most definitely change as more SRC-01 pressings are found and release dates for these discs are revealed. My small collection of these discs are all that I had to go by to determine the dates given above and this should in no way be considered a definitive statement on the pressings of SRC. Instead, it should be considered what it really is....a starting point!


I'm going to start a new post in this thread and relist all of the SRC-01 pressings that I have along with their known release dates if I have that information. You can use that information to verify what I have written above.

Please, if you have any SRC-01 pressings, list them (along with their release dates, if known) so we can all benefit from the available information and try to make the above information more accurate.

Finally, if there is anything above that you know to be inaccurate don't be afraid to speak up. We live in an imperfect world and I'm a perfect example of that!

I hope you find this helpful!

 

Wow! Thanks for posting that, PK!

 

1st. Generation SRC Pressings:

Jackson Browne - The Pretender
matrix code: 107-2 SRC-01
1976
CD release date: unknown



Led Zeppelin - Houses of the Holy
matrix code: 19130-2 SRC-01
1973
CD release date: unknown



Talking Heads - True Stories
matrix code: 25512-2 SRC-01
1986
CD release date: unknown, but most likely, sometime in 1986



David Sanborn - Hideaway
matrix code: 3379-2 SRC-01
1980
CD release date: unknown



Dwight Yoakam - Hillbilly Deluxe
matrix code: 25567-2 SRC-01
1987
CD release date: July 7, 1987



Fleetwood Mac - Rumours
matrix code: 3010-2 SRC-05
1977
CD release date: unknown



Genesis - Genesis
matrix code: 80116-2 SRC-07
1983
CD release date: unknown



Genesis - Invisible Touch
matrix code: 81641-2 SRC-04
1986
CD release date: unknown, but most likely, sometime in 1986



Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin III
matrix code: 19128-2 SRC-02
1970
CD release date: unknown



Van Halen - Diver Down
matrix code: 2-03677 SRC 03
1982
CD release date: unknown

Unique matrix code for this release. The 2 appears before the catalogue number instead of after it. If this had been a later generation pressing, I would have assumed the 2 was the Label Identification Number. However, this wouldn't make sense because a 2 represents an Electra release and this album is on the Warner Bros. label.
Also, notice that there isn't a - between SRC and 03.



Wang Chung - Mosaic
matrix code: 24115-2 SRC 06
1986
CD release date: unknow, but most likely, sometime in 1986

Again, notice the absence of the - between the SRC and 06.



Atlantic Jazz - Post Bop
matrix code: 781705-2 / 81705-2 SRC-01
1986
CD release date: unknow, but most likely, sometime in 1986

A German pressing. The Glass Master was prepared by SRC and then sent to Germany to be pressed. At the 6 o'clock position on the outer perimeter on the face of the disc it says: MANUFACTURED IN GERMANY BY RECORD SERVICE GMBH, ALSDORF

I have placed this disc in with the 1st. Generation SRC pressings because the disc doesn't have a Label Identification Number at the beginning of the matrix code. However, if the disc was really pressed in 1986 or 1987, it should say W. GERMANY not just GERMANY!

For now, I'll leave the disc here. But, I am prepared to move it if someone who knows more about this stuff can help me correctly place into a different Generation. (Honestly, I think it really belongs in the 3rd. Generation catagory.)




Well, those are all of my 1st Generation discs. This is the only catagory that I intend to list pressings other than SRC-01. Because I have found these discs so hard to find, I don't think it unreasonable to list the SRC-02, -03, -04, etc. pressings. However, for all of the other Generations, I will only list SRC-01 and SRC-01 M1S1 pressings.

 

2nd Generation SRC pressings:

The Robert Cray Band - Who's Been Talkin'
Matrix code: 3 81730-2 SRC-01
1986
CD release date: unknown



George Benson - Twice the Love
Matrix code: 1 25705-2 SRC-01
1988
CD release date: unknown



The Wave - The Wave
Matrix code: 3 81755-2 SRC-01
1987
CD release date: unknown, but most likely, sometime in 1987



Dorsey, Then and Now - Lee Castle and the Fabulous Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra
Matrix code: 3 81801-2 SRC-01
1987
CD release date: unknow, but most likely, sometime in 1987



Sheila E. - in The Glamorous Life
Matrix code: 1 25107-2 SRC-01
1984
CD release date: unknown

 

3rd. Generation Pressings:

Dokken - Two For Tuesday
Matrix code: 2 PR 8042-2 SRC+01 M1S1
1988
CD release date: unknown, but most likely, sometime in 1988

The rear tray card of this cd says: LICENSED FOR PROMOTION ONLY SALE IS PROHIBITED
This is also repeated on the cd.

Interpreting the matrix code, the first 2 represents Electra and the PR, obviously, represents Promotional

 

4th. Generation Pressings:

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



Rachmaninoff: Symphonic Dances; Vocalise: Dallas Symphony
Matrix code: 4H APCD 006-2 SRC-01 M1S3 with barcode
1991
CD release date: unknown, but most likely, sometime in 1991

A cd release on the Analogue Productions label. This explains the 4H APCD in the matrix code. Why 4H? I don't know, but since all the other Label Identification codes use numbers instead of letters......why not!?!? Just another mystery waiting to be solved, I guess.



I know, I know. I said I wasn't going to list discs that weren't SRC-01 M1S1 pressings but, this one, at least, lets me know that 4th. Generation SRC pressings were still in production in 1991. It also shows a different Label Identification Number that hasn't been discussed yet.
.....and M1S3....come on! That's pretty close isn't it!?!?

 

5th Generation Pressings:

Mark Whitfield - Mark Whitfield
Matrix code: ********* 1 45210-2 SRC##01 ********* M1S1
1993
CD release date: April 13, 1993


If your paying attention, you will have noticed that I don't have any pressings from 1992 in either my 4th. or 5th. Generation pressings. Yeah, that's a big gap! One whole year missing. I haven't got the slightest idea if 1992 saw a change in Generatations or not. I hope I find something soon to help plug up this hole.

....or perhaps someone out there is sitting on a load of SRC-01 M1S1 pressings and can give us a little help!

If not, I'm sure something will turn up soon. I only started looking for 4th - 6th Generation pressings about a week ago. It's just a matter of digging into the bins a little deeper!

 

6th. Generation Pressings:

Greg Holland - Let Me Drive
Matrix code: 1 45638-2 SRC**01 M1S1 with barcode and circle with S logo
1994
CD release date: September 13, 1994

The booklet for this disc has this printed on the front cover: FOR PROMOTIONAL USE ONLY. SALE OR OTHER TRANSFER IS PROHIBITED. MUST BE RETURNED ON DEMAND OF RECORDING COMPANY.

I hate to tell you this Warner Bros., but, you ain't gettin' this one back no matter how nicely you demand!



Kenny Garrett - Triology
Matrix code: 1 45731-2 SRC**01 M1S1 with barcode and circle with S logo
1995
CD release date: May 9, 1995



Jaco Pastorius - The Birthday Concert
Matrix code: 1 45290-2 SRC**01 M1S1 with barcode and circle with S logo
1995
CD release date: September 26, 1995