'DYNAFLEX'...Why?

You're not ****ing wrong!

 

Don't you mean CED videodiscs that were the software in RCA's ill fated Selectavision video format? CAV discs were formatted for laserdiscs.


RCA dynaflex LP's for the most part are horrible, and noisy. I have a copy of David Bowie's "Changesonebowie" that's so thin I can read a newspaper through it!!! RCA apparently did press some vinyl LP's for Motown in the early 70's also. The copies I have of Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On" and The Jackson 5's "Greatest Hits" are pressed on that ultra thin crap vinyl that couldn't be from anywhere other than the folks at RCA.

 

Ah, that explains why my '***** Cats' LP (US pressing, not a local knock-off with a Dynaflex label) cracked in half when I tried the U-shape trick .

Seriously.. I do have the aforementioned LP (in one piece) and it's not as floppy as I expected after all these years of reading about Dynaflex discs. It is, though, very quiet.

 

Two reasons: each disc was cheaper to manufacture and shipping costs were lowered because cases of albums didn't weigh as much. This is what happens when accountants run your company.

GM

 

Yup. That's the one. Pretty amazing how they did it though... Put a tiny FM signal in the grooves of a disc who's technology resembles vinyl, basically.

 

When RCA was first promoting Dynaflex, I remember seeing a photo in an audiophile magazine (Stereo Review?) of someone holding a Dynaflex record almost folded in half. Looked pretty weird.

 

My copy of the jackson 5's "Maybe Tomorrow" LP from 1971 was pressed on Dynaflex.

Whan did RCA stop using it? The latest one I have is from 1974, but it must have been much later if "CHangesbowie" was pressed on it.

 

As noted atleast Dynaflex is vinyl. It got much worse from there.......

 

As others have noted:

1) RCA contined to use the Dynaflex notation on labels long after they stopped pressing albums using Dynaflex--in some cases through the late '70s for repressings of albums originally issued on Dynaflex.

2) RCA pressed a lot of albums for Motown in the early '70s, including both stock and promo copies. I have lots of early '70s motown white label promos on Dynaflex.

Well, that sounds like the CD-4 quadraphonic technology, if that's the case.

Kwad

 

Bobby Conn did a parody of this label on his Llovessonngs E.P on Thrill Jockey records. This itself was a parody of the Nilsson - Nilsson Schmilsson LP sleeve.
See attached images...........

 

I used to be able to do the "wubba wubba" sound from "Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport" with my old blue label Fantasy copy of Cosmo's Factory.

 

I just found one of those too, still in the shink and absolutely mint.

Was interesting to listen to, but more interesting to hold. Wubba-wubba-boing!

 

I saw that too...and I think the first Dynaflex I remember buying was THE BEST OF THE GUESS WHO. Took it out of the DynaFlex sleeve, tried bending it myself.

Broke it in half...turns out the label area was much thicker than the rest of the disc!

Went out, got a second copy, didn't bend that one....lesson learned!

 

That was the formats' big problem. Because the discs functioned like a vinyl record(a diamond tip stylus attached to a titanium electrode) but spun at a variable speeds between 375 and 450 RPM, a lot of them skipped.

 

I think it was as late as 1976 or 77 since "Changesonebowie" came out in '76.

 

Selectavision: I almost got one from a thrift, was in great condition with some really nice piles of movies. However, the arm and stylus is kinda cost prohibitive. :/ Most decks need that replaced right off the bat.

 

There are a couple of web sites that sell spare parts for these machines. It certain instances you can still find Selectavision players still new in the shipping box. Surprisingly there is a real underground collector's market for these players.

 

The movies too. Some transfers are pretty nice.

 

Did you know that black vinyl records can hold video? Very bad idea.

Tim

 

Nah, I think it's a neat trick. Not the best, but they had to do something.

 

As to my answer to the question "Why?" with respect to RCA's Dynaflex, I'd've said: Because they could.

I should note, though, that the circular indent around the label area on their albums changed 1-2 years before "Dynaflex" was first foisted upon -- er, introduced to the public (depending on which of RCA's three pressing plants made the switch -- to the circular indent, that is, not the record thickness). Prior to 1968-69, they had a 2¾” circular groove around the label area; afterwards, they went with a 1” ring. Rockaway, NJ, used the 2¾” groove on their LP pressings as late as mid-1969; I may've seen a copy of Creedence Clearwater Revival's Green River album with that particular indent, and maybe even Jefferson Airplane's Volunteers. But some Rockaway copies from between mid-1969 and the 1970 intro of Dynaflex had the 1” ring indent around the label, that is usually associated with Dynaflex and post-Dynaflex pressings. (Indianapolis, IN, certainly had the 1” ring by the time that, if not before, RCA's own label design switched from the 1965-68 black label, dog on top with white "RCA VICTOR" to the bright orange label with the "modern" RCA logo at a 90-degree angle on the left and "Victor" on the right. I can't vouch for the Hollywood, CA plant though, except maybe a 2¾” groove on CCR's Bayou Country LP that they pressed; if anyone has LP pressings from there - "H" stamped on the dead wax - made between 1968 and '70, I'd appreciate input as to when the circular indent change took effect.)

 

Indianapolis, IN plant went to the 1" ring in mid-1968 - very late in the "white dog" era.

 

Thanks for that info. I did see some later "white dog" pressings with that 1” ring, so that would correspond with your timeline. Now, as to when the Hollywood plant went to that 1” ring, I'm open to suggestions . . .

 

I've had several Dynaflex labeled records that were pressed on heavy vinyl. Also,the thickness of the vinyl on the Dynaflex's seemed to vary-on some it was so thin you could bend the record and the rims could touch.Others were thicker.