2. analog
  3. 180407-166623

how were copies of vinyl made in "third-party" countries

I have some LPs from the former Yugoslavia, Holland, Hungary, Russia (bought them way back when in bulk) and now I wonder what the process was and how close they are to the original? 

I assume they weren't digitized, they were released in the 70s and early 80s. Anyone knows what they would receive from the recording studio/company/warehouse? Tapes, the "negatives"? Are there copies considered better than others?

 

grislybutter
russ69's avatar
russ69
3,360 posts
 

Pressing vinyl is pretty much a 3rd world process. It's not that tricky. The process is Masters, Mothers, and Stampers. The Masters are cut on a lathe using audio tape as the source in the old days. 

solypsa's avatar
solypsa
462 posts
 

What tapes is the question. And if far enough into 80s the next is did they use a digital delay to create the preview path. Your ears will probably tell you

grislybutter OP
2,467 posts
 

@russ69

if it's not that tricky why are there so many versions rated so differently? And people paying 100s for a specific copy? I am just curious. 

lowrider57's avatar
lowrider57
5,402 posts
 

The pressing plants probably received a 1/4" dub off the mixed master.  In the 80s, that's also what studios received to edit music videos.

russ69's avatar
russ69
3,360 posts
 

...if it's not that tricky why are there so many versions rated so differently?

If you run the Stampers or Mothers too long, don't watch your vinyl temps carefully, or run substandard vinyl, quality can suffer. Cutting the Masters is done early in the process and unless it's a bootleg, it's as good as it gets. 

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