Vinyl Reissues - From Analog Planet

Myles B. Astor said:
Where are you getting this info or is it supposition? That's hardly the case. There's plenty of pressing plants out there. I see plenty of new vinyl on Elusive Disc, AS or MD.

C'mon the reason is pure and simple financial. Companies don't see LPs as being financially viable. CDs are dead and they are concentrating their efforts on where they will make the most money eg. iTunes and digital downloads. Plus they don't have to deal with record returns or finding distributors or retailers.
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No supposition here Myles. I will try and find the article that I recently read that went deep into the topic but 'till then here are a few quotes.

6-13-14 "Wondering Sound" - Disc Maker Reopens Vinyl Plant
The ongoing struggle between the rising demand for vinyl and the lack of plants that actually produce it has gotten slightly less daunting thanks to the reemergence of Disc Makers. While the company has long supported the independent music scene by offering small runs of CDs, they got out of the vinyl game 15 years ago and recently decided to refurbish their old factory to handle as little as 200 records at a time.

June 9, 2014 "Pitchfork" Why Aren't There More Vinyl Pressing Plants?
“The album release date for In Conflict has been pushed back to May 27. This is due to a backup at the pressing plant; Record Store Day was a tall order this year. We will be selling CD and vinyl copies of the album at all May tour dates, prior to the ‘street date.’”
As of late, it's been all too common: An artist celebrates a record release show, booked months in advance, but doesn’t actually have the record available at the merch table because of some mysterious hold-up. Or—in Pallett’s case and many others—they release a "pushed back" statement instead, one that has nothing to do with last minute tinkering in the studio. It has to do with a shortage of vinyl pressing plants.

"A Journel of Musical Things"
RIP-V, which began in 2009 after buying up a mothballed plant, has six presses but only four are operating. Try getting parts for the old machines–and even when everything is running, there’s no Canadian company making the lacquer masters, which are the things from which all copies are made. There’s no Canadian supplier of metal stampers, either. This adds to the costs–and the price. Business (and jobs) go south to the US, where apparently 99% of the world’s vinyl production is carried out.

Industry pioneer re-enters the market after 15 years, offering vinyl records to independent artists
Pennsauken, NJ, June 12, 2014 — The market for vinyl records is growing by leaps and bounds—35% per year for the last five years, despite a continued decline in total recorded music sales revenue. Due to vinyl’s niche status and strong growth, production capacity has lagged behind, leading musicians and labels to turn to pressing plants as far away as Eastern Europe to get their records pressed. And even with months-long waiting times, artists sometimes receive vinyl test pressings, only to discover they are not up to snuff.

This one is too long to quote.
The Quietus | Opinion | The Quietus Essay | Is Record Store Day In Crisis? A Quietus Investigation
 
The fact that we are approaching the end of 2014 and we are talking about a shortage of vinyl pressing capacity is almost unbelievable. I hope the demand continues to increase and that more companies come on line to press vinyl. Maybe there should be a kickstarter campaign to fund a new design for vinyl presses since none are being made anymore.
 
still-one said:
No supposition here Myles. I will try and find the article that I recently read that went deep into the topic but 'till then here are a few quotes.

6-13-14 "Wondering Sound" - Disc Maker Reopens Vinyl Plant
The ongoing struggle between the rising demand for vinyl and the lack of plants that actually produce it has gotten slightly less daunting thanks to the reemergence of Disc Makers. While the company has long supported the independent music scene by offering small runs of CDs, they got out of the vinyl game 15 years ago and recently decided to refurbish their old factory to handle as little as 200 records at a time.

June 9, 2014 "Pitchfork" Why Aren't There More Vinyl Pressing Plants?
“The album release date for In Conflict has been pushed back to May 27. This is due to a backup at the pressing plant; Record Store Day was a tall order this year. We will be selling CD and vinyl copies of the album at all May tour dates, prior to the ‘street date.’”
As of late, it's been all too common: An artist celebrates a record release show, booked months in advance, but doesn’t actually have the record available at the merch table because of some mysterious hold-up. Or—in Pallett’s case and many others—they release a "pushed back" statement instead, one that has nothing to do with last minute tinkering in the studio. It has to do with a shortage of vinyl pressing plants.

"A Journel of Musical Things"
RIP-V, which began in 2009 after buying up a mothballed plant, has six presses but only four are operating. Try getting parts for the old machines–and even when everything is running, there’s no Canadian company making the lacquer masters, which are the things from which all copies are made. There’s no Canadian supplier of metal stampers, either. This adds to the costs–and the price. Business (and jobs) go south to the US, where apparently 99% of the world’s vinyl production is carried out.

Industry pioneer re-enters the market after 15 years, offering vinyl records to independent artists
Pennsauken, NJ, June 12, 2014 — The market for vinyl records is growing by leaps and bounds—35% per year for the last five years, despite a continued decline in total recorded music sales revenue. Due to vinyl’s niche status and strong growth, production capacity has lagged behind, leading musicians and labels to turn to pressing plants as far away as Eastern Europe to get their records pressed. And even with months-long waiting times, artists sometimes receive vinyl test pressings, only to discover they are not up to snuff.

This one is too long to quote.
The Quietus | Opinion | The Quietus Essay | Is Record Store Day In Crisis? A Quietus Investigation
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Let me put it another way. How many of these companies would have their LPs pressed by QRP, Pallas or RTI? None. As a matter of fact, one doubts the author of the article even heard of the above pressing facilities. And this article doesn't show what you claimed about the impact of reissues upon the release of new LPs. None of the reissues are pressed at these plants.
 
Sometimes I wonder where vinyl is pressed these days with the reissues. I try to avoid reissues when I can. (I don't have but maybe two out of the 400+ records I have and the two I have are early reissues latest one dated 1981). The reissues tend to feel cheap, look cheap and sound lack-luster at least if not down-right crappy. (Even some first issues from the early 80s through today are poor quality as well. Rush vinyl is a good example such as Moving Pictures and even before. The covers are not much thicker than the inner sleeves and the records bend if you just blow on them. I hate saying that about one of my favorites, but reality is reality).
There's the good facilities such as QRP, etc, but as Myles points out...the flood of reissues are not pressed at these places.
Of course, part of the sound quality problem is the fact that they are trying to turn digital back into analog.
That's part of the reason I like buying used LPs (which also makes sense since I'm into the music I grew up with from the early 60s through 70s when vinyl was still king and pure). Plus it was mainly analog to analog. Sure, there was digital even back then in some studios, but it was not what it is today and they weren't trying to put MP3s or whatever onto analog media such as vinyl.
 
MusicDirector said:
Sometimes I wonder where vinyl is pressed these days with the reissues. I try to avoid reissues when I can. (I don't have but maybe two out of the 400+ records I have and the two I have are early reissues latest one dated 1981). The reissues tend to feel cheap, look cheap and sound lack-luster at least if not down-right crappy. (Even some first issues from the early 80s through today are poor quality as well. Rush vinyl is a good example such as Moving Pictures and even before. The covers are not much thicker than the inner sleeves and the records bend if you just blow on them. I hate saying that about one of my favorites, but reality is reality).
There's the good facilities such as QRP, etc, but as Myles points out...the flood of reissues are not pressed at these places.
Of course, part of the sound quality problem is the fact that they are trying to turn digital back into analog.
That's part of the reason I like buying used LPs (which also makes sense since I'm into the music I grew up with from the early 60s through 70s when vinyl was still king and pure). Plus it was mainly analog to analog. Sure, there was digital even back then in some studios, but it was not what it is today and they weren't trying to put MP3s or whatever onto analog media such as vinyl.
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So you came to that conclusion after owning a total of two reissues in your collection of 400 records?
 
mep said:
So you came to that conclusion after owning a total of two reissues in your collection of 400 records?
Click to expand...

Not exactly. I go to a monthly record swap meet and new open reissues will show up there somewhat frequently and I sometimes look at them just for giggles. I also have 4 Rush records on vinyl that are not reissues (I wanted to try Rush on vinyl), but they feel like the cheap ones I see and unfortunately, sound more lifeless than a CD for some reason. (Ordinarily, I prefer vinyl). The two reissues I own are from mid 70's and very early 80s respectively and are not bad.
I do hear a few folks that keep telling me the Neil Young reissues are not bad at all and made from the analog masters as well. I was considering getting one on the list I wanted, but then the used prices on original pressing Neil Young LPs hit rock bottom all of the sudden and I was able to grab a stack of VG condition LPs for a song. (They were up around a $30 average).
Besides, most of what I want on vinyl has not been reissued anyway. I also can't see myself paying $20 for a vinyl record of any stripe either. The good pressings from the good plants are higher yet, but using good pure PVC and doing good quality pressings don't come cheap, so it stands to reason.

I was really just commenting because I do wonder where the mass market vinyl reissues is pressed these days. China perhaps? I don't know. I know the record companies are not using places like QRP and such for the mass market stuff.
I'm not talking about the Beatles box set and such, those type things are a different animal.
 
We live in different worlds. I will leave it at that.
 
mep said:
We live in different worlds. I will leave it at that.
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I think the gap is that everyone else here picks up the 180 gram stuff and all that, but I can't do that myself and I'm not talking about that type of thing either. I'm talking about what one would find on the shelves at Target or Walmart or Best Buy or a record store and what have you, not something one orders from SoundStage Direct or Elusive and all those places.
I just wondered where that stuff was pressed, but I guess that is an illegal thought.

I'm giving serious consideration to leaving the whole audio world anyway as I am rapidly losing understanding and any interest of it now. So at the end of the day it doesn't matter if I find the info I seek or not.
 
Myles B. Astor said:
Let me put it another way. How many of these companies would have their LPs pressed by QRP, Pallas or RTI? None. As a matter of fact, one doubts the author of the article even heard of the above pressing facilities. And this article doesn't show what you claimed about the impact of reissues upon the release of new LPs. None of the reissues are pressed at these plants.
Click to expand...

I haven't found the original article as of yet but what do those pressing plants have to do with with the dearth of newer music available in a timely fashion. Just go to Amazon or MusicDirect and see how many relatively current releases are out of stock or waiting for repress. Yea we really need pressing capacity for another round of Beatles, Kind of Blue......

Just another recent article about waiting times.
Manufacturers are struggling to keep up with the resurgence in vinyl records - Features - Music - The Independent
 
Because you said that repressings are killing the release of new vinyl. Today's repressings from AP, Impex, MMJ, ORG, MOFI, etc. are done at Pallas, QRP and RTI, not the schlock houses that do the releases you see mentioned in the article. See some of Fremer's visits to these places. Quality is the last thing on their mind. So how is that killing the new vinyl issues market?

You may not want another KOB but the record labels wouldn't do it if they didn't think it would sell.
 
still-one said:
I haven't found the original article as of yet but what do those pressing plants have to do with with the dearth of newer music available in a timely fashion. Just go to Amazon or MusicDirect and see how many relatively current releases are out of stock or waiting for repress. Yea we really need pressing capacity for another round of Beatles, Kind of Blue......

Just another recent article about waiting times.
Manufacturers are struggling to keep up with the resurgence in vinyl records - Features - Music - The Independent
Click to expand...

What LPs from what bands are you waiting for to be released but are being held up because the best pressing plants in the world are busy reissuing the best quality vinyl they can produce for the reissue market?
 
Myles B. Astor said:
Because you said that repressings are killing the release of new vinyl. Today's repressings from AP, Impex, MMJ, ORG, MOFI, etc. are done at Pallas, QRP and RTI, not the schlock houses that do the releases you see mentioned in the article. See some of Fremer's visits to these places. Quality is the last thing on their mind. So how is that killing the new vinyl issues market?

You may not want another KOB but the record labels wouldn't do it if they didn't think it would sell.
Click to expand...

Hmm, yes. I just don't see re-pressings like the ones I'm thinking of killing the new release vinyl at all. Most new release vinyl is the Audiophile or better stuff, 180 gram, virgin vinyl, etc. Even adding "delays" into the equation, I don't see it. Come to think of it, I wonder if it may be a bit hard to find a studio willing or able to put down an analog master? I'm sure there are at least 1 or 2 someplace, but not like the amounts there once was.
Myles, did Mr. Fremer visit some of the "schlock houses" on video? I've seen some of his visit videos to places like RTI, but not to the slop houses. Where do I find those? I love watching stuff like that, I could go all day. I'm guessing I'd have to know the names of those places. Could you direct me please? Thanks.

~Eric
 
mep said:
The fact that we are approaching the end of 2014 and we are talking about a shortage of vinyl pressing capacity is almost unbelievable. I hope the demand continues to increase and that more companies come on line to press vinyl. Maybe there should be a kickstarter campaign to fund a new design for vinyl presses since none are being made anymore.
Click to expand...

So do I, Mark. But I think therein lies the dichotomy of vinyl nowadays. We audiophiles see it as the medium of choice for sonic fidelity, but I bet as much of the shortage is caused by record companies trying to ride the resurgence of vinyl to make a quick buck. As I look at my kids favorite artists (Imagine Dragons, Panic at the Disco, Katy Perry, Maroon 5, etc), they all have vinyl LPs released with their CDs. It's no longer limited to special editions or reissues produced with high fidelity in mind.
 
socfan12 said:
So do I, Mark. But I think therein lies the dichotomy of vinyl nowadays. We audiophiles see it as the medium of choice for sonic fidelity, but I bet as much of the shortage is caused by record companies trying to ride the resurgence of vinyl to make a quick buck. As I look at my kids favorite artists (Imagine Dragons, Panic at the Disco, Katy Perry, Maroon 5, etc), they all have vinyl LPs released with their CDs. It's no longer limited to special editions or reissues produced with high fidelity in mind.
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I understand that, but as Myles pointed out, those artists aren't having their LPs pressed at the premium record plants. They are two different worlds and therefore the argument that premium reissues are somehow holding back current pressings from new artists doesn't hold a lot of water.
 
socfan12 said:
So do I, Mark. But I think therein lies the dichotomy of vinyl nowadays. We audiophiles see it as the medium of choice for sonic fidelity, but I bet as much of the shortage is caused by record companies trying to ride the resurgence of vinyl to make a quick buck. As I look at my kids favorite artists (Imagine Dragons, Panic at the Disco, Katy Perry, Maroon 5, etc), they all have vinyl LPs released with their CDs. It's no longer limited to special editions or reissues produced with high fidelity in mind.
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Not this audiophile.
 
mep said:
What LPs from what bands are you waiting for to be released but are being held up because the best pressing plants in the world are busy reissuing the best quality vinyl they can produce for the reissue market?
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Who knows if they are held up or just not getting pressed. There is finite capacity. That capacity is being used to feed a bunch of old audiophiles the SOS that we listened to years ago. Use that capacity to press product that might capture the attention of a younger audience.
 
still-one said:
Who knows if they are held up or just not getting pressed. There is finite capacity. That capacity is being used to feed a bunch of old audiophiles the SOS that we listened to years ago. Use that capacity to press product that might capture the attention of a younger audience.
Click to expand...

Why? Just listen on CD or download the music.

I really don't understand what isn't clear about the different between pressing plants.
 
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