Vinyl Pressing Plant Recommendations?

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BrownSound
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Vinyl Pressing Plant Recommendations?

Post by BrownSound » Wed Apr 12, 2006 5:12 pm

Wasn't sure which category to post this in...

I intended on using United Pressing for my band's upcoming LP. The recording is 24 bit and I would like to send it to the pressing plant as 24 bit data files rather than 16 bit CD audio.

Unfortunately, I just learned that United does not accept 24 bit files. Does anyone know of a pressing plant who does? Or even just a pressing plant that you've had a great experience with?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

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Mark Alan Miller
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Post by Mark Alan Miller » Wed Apr 12, 2006 7:48 pm

Pirates Press makes excellent vinyl. They're who I plan on using for a 12" single I wanna do this year.
They use a Czech pressing plant that is wonderful. I have several things done through them (a Meat Beat Manifesto 7" and a few Angels Of Light LPs) that look, feel, and sound superb.

http://www.piratespress.com/vinyl.html

Serious, high quality stuff. No, I don't work for them - this is unsolicited recommendation.
he took a duck in the face at two and hundred fifty knots.

http://www.radio-valkyrie.com/ao/aoindex.htm - download the new record (free is an option!) or get it on CD.

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trodden
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Post by trodden » Wed Apr 12, 2006 9:10 pm

Mark Alan Miller wrote:Pirates Press makes excellent vinyl. They're who I plan on using for a 12" single I wanna do this year.
They use a Czech pressing plant that is wonderful. I have several things done through them (a Meat Beat Manifesto 7" and a few Angels Of Light LPs) that look, feel, and sound superb.

http://www.piratespress.com/vinyl.html

Serious, high quality stuff. No, I don't work for them - this is unsolicited recommendation.
This is who we are using this time around as well. Gatefold double 12"!!!!

BrownSound
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Post by BrownSound » Thu Apr 13, 2006 10:59 pm

I've heard lots of good reviews of the Czech plant, but I wasn't sure of the name. Thanks!

I'm still trying to find a place who accepts 24 bit masters. No luck yet.

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Mark Alan Miller
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Post by Mark Alan Miller » Fri Apr 14, 2006 6:29 am

Pirates Press says CD-R on their site, but have you asked? Maybe they can take 24 bit masters.

The tricky thing with a 24-bit master is how is the sequencing done? How is that logged? Are there tones on the head of each side, etc, etc. I suspect CD-R masters make their job simpler.

But yeah, I too would like to send a 24 bit master when I go to do that 12" later this year...
he took a duck in the face at two and hundred fifty knots.

http://www.radio-valkyrie.com/ao/aoindex.htm - download the new record (free is an option!) or get it on CD.

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Post by NickPirate » Fri Apr 14, 2006 12:03 pm

Hey - a friend forwarded me this conversation - I work at Pirates Press.

We do accept 24 bit masters - you can just send them in as seperate data files on the CD. You can include a test tone if you want but it's DMM and it's all digitally analyzed before cutting. The one thing we do require is a very clear PQ/tracklist so that the files don't get sequenced wrong. However, depending on what you want, this could be as simple as a list of the filenames of each 24-bit wav in order, and a note like "1-5 on A, 6-10 on B, 2 second gaps between tracks."

Hope this helps - and of course you can always get in touch with questions. I'm glad to see so many happy customers on here. We love you guys.
Nick Palatucci
Production Manager
www.piratespress.com

BrownSound
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Post by BrownSound » Fri Apr 14, 2006 2:03 pm

Nick, thanks so much for the reply!

I just e-mailed my order specs for a quote.

Couple questions...

What is the average turnaround for 500 LPs without any jacket printing?

What does "PQ" stand for?

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Mark Alan Miller
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Post by Mark Alan Miller » Fri Apr 14, 2006 3:33 pm

Now THAT rocked.
Definitely gettin' my business...
Thanks, NickPirate.

PQ stands for P and Q Subcode data, used on Redbook CDs to delineate track IDs.

You can use the PQ data list model to specify sequencing for an LP. Start times, end times and durations for each track...
he took a duck in the face at two and hundred fifty knots.

http://www.radio-valkyrie.com/ao/aoindex.htm - download the new record (free is an option!) or get it on CD.

Morris
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Post by Morris » Thu Apr 20, 2006 7:16 am

Or. Send your 24 bit files to a vinyl mastering house to have your laquer masters made for United. I just send my 24 bit files to SAE Mastering in AZ. Roger mastered them and made my laquers. Sent them to URP for me and I recieved the test pressings yesterday. They sound great. The high end is silky without being to much, you know how 7 inchs can have that tinty high end. The lows are tight and rockin. There are many mastering houses that will make the laquers for you. In the end it cost me just a little more to have it mastered than to just send it to URP. Because URP charged me less for not making the laquers. Just my 2 cents.
Pirates DMM sounds cool though.

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Roman Sokal
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Post by Roman Sokal » Tue Apr 25, 2006 2:19 am

dunno if this place does- but ask them!
http://acmevinyl.com/

treymonfauntre
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Post by treymonfauntre » Sun Apr 30, 2006 7:17 pm

if you go with pirates please don't do splatter...

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trodden
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Post by trodden » Sun Apr 30, 2006 8:54 pm

treymonfauntre wrote:if you go with pirates please don't do splatter...
just got the new Order of the Vulture lp and its on awesome black and red splatter. It was pressed at pirates.

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Post by Mark Alan Miller » Mon May 01, 2006 6:19 am

treymonfauntre wrote:if you go with pirates please don't do splatter...
Why not? (Hypothetical why not... I'm curious as to your reasoning. Sound? Personal aestheic tastes?)
he took a duck in the face at two and hundred fifty knots.

http://www.radio-valkyrie.com/ao/aoindex.htm - download the new record (free is an option!) or get it on CD.

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Post by drumsound » Mon May 01, 2006 7:41 am

I've always felt that the black vinyl sounded better than any of the colored stuff.

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Post by Mark Alan Miller » Mon May 01, 2006 8:36 am

drumsound wrote:I've always felt that the black vinyl sounded better than any of the colored stuff.
I find that to be true most of the time, too... but I wanted some qualification behind the splatter vinyl comment.
I've heard some grey and some white vinyl from Pirates Press and it sounded really good. Didn't have any black vinyl of the same titles to compare to, though, so I don't know if the black sounded better for those or not.
he took a duck in the face at two and hundred fifty knots.

http://www.radio-valkyrie.com/ao/aoindex.htm - download the new record (free is an option!) or get it on CD.

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