Apollo Masters Burned Down
- I'm Painting Again
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Apollo Masters Burned Down
https://pitchfork.com/news/devastating- ... rd-supply/
I hear they produced 90% of the world's lacquers ?!
if you're on any gigs destined for vinyl best look into the issue
sad
I hear they produced 90% of the world's lacquers ?!
if you're on any gigs destined for vinyl best look into the issue
sad
Re: Apollo Masters Burned Down
This is potentially very bad. As I understand it, their Japanese "competition" is a one man operation, so not much hope of picking up much slack there.
But on the flip side, with the vinyl resurgence there's been a lot of investment in all the downstream aspects - there are more cutting, electroplating, and pressing operations. And the demand means there are more turntable manufacturers, the reappearance of physical music shops, etc - my hometown went over a decade without a music store of any kind before someone recently opened a vinyl only store that seems to do a respectable amount of business. So I wonder if the combination of demand and investment will help motivate some to tool up for lacquer and cutting stylus production.
But on the flip side, with the vinyl resurgence there's been a lot of investment in all the downstream aspects - there are more cutting, electroplating, and pressing operations. And the demand means there are more turntable manufacturers, the reappearance of physical music shops, etc - my hometown went over a decade without a music store of any kind before someone recently opened a vinyl only store that seems to do a respectable amount of business. So I wonder if the combination of demand and investment will help motivate some to tool up for lacquer and cutting stylus production.
Village Idiot.
Re: Apollo Masters Burned Down
TBH there seems to be a few very specialized niche trade skills like this. Another one I think about, anyone using reel to reels...some day JRF will probably retire?
- losthighway
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Re: Apollo Masters Burned Down
Can someone clarify for me.
The first time this was brought to my attention it was described as, "Oh know. This was the main company that cut vinyl masters. There will be no one left to do it." And I was like, "I know two other great companies who've done it for me. One is in my town."
But then someone else was saying that this company actually supplies the raw materials to everyone who manufactures in the U.S.
What's the real deal?
The first time this was brought to my attention it was described as, "Oh know. This was the main company that cut vinyl masters. There will be no one left to do it." And I was like, "I know two other great companies who've done it for me. One is in my town."
But then someone else was saying that this company actually supplies the raw materials to everyone who manufactures in the U.S.
What's the real deal?
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Re: Apollo Masters Burned Down
Yes, they supply the blanks. What the people who are cutting masters put onto the lathe.losthighway wrote: ↑Sat Feb 08, 2020 9:34 pmCan someone clarify for me.
The first time this was brought to my attention it was described as, "Oh know. This was the main company that cut vinyl masters. There will be no one left to do it." And I was like, "I know two other great companies who've done it for me. One is in my town."
But then someone else was saying that this company actually supplies the raw materials to everyone who manufactures in the U.S.
What's the real deal?
--
A friend of mine has a couple months worth from the Japanese company. In one article I saw it said the Japanese company isn't taking on new clients.
A speculation about Apollo is that California EPA regulations may make it very difficult for them to rebuild. Its going to be a rough year (or more) for those making physical records.
My guess is Jack White or Chris Mara will at least try to figure out how to start producing lacquers.
- markjazzbassist
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Re: Apollo Masters Burned Down
bad news for vinyl collectors. great news for proponents of the Cassette format.
Re: Apollo Masters Burned Down
Mara just expanded his electroplating operation, so I would imagine he has incentive.
I do wonder about DMM facilities and the small lathe cutting operations. As I understand it, these are generally lower quality products, but perhaps they'll fill the void for a while? Or are they too dependent on the Apollo styli?
Village Idiot.
- losthighway
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Re: Apollo Masters Burned Down
I hear DMM when done correctly is actually a superior method. Also that there's no one in the U.S. who can do it.
I've just checked in with a cutting room and they said, expect long delays waiting for Japanese lacquers in high demand to reach engineers here in the states. I think right now is a rush to find anyone who had a better stock of lacquers on their shelf and hasn't gone through them yet.
We have a 7 inch single that's burning a whole in our pocket, and it's a race to figure out who can actually cut it.
I've just checked in with a cutting room and they said, expect long delays waiting for Japanese lacquers in high demand to reach engineers here in the states. I think right now is a rush to find anyone who had a better stock of lacquers on their shelf and hasn't gone through them yet.
We have a 7 inch single that's burning a whole in our pocket, and it's a race to figure out who can actually cut it.
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Re: Apollo Masters Burned Down
That's been running for a few years. They cut on the first floor and walk the lacquer up stairs and into the baths. Its a pretty cool system.floid wrote: ↑Sun Feb 09, 2020 12:31 pmMara just expanded his electroplating operation, so I would imagine he has incentive.
I do wonder about DMM facilities and the small lathe cutting operations. As I understand it, these are generally lower quality products, but perhaps they'll fill the void for a while? Or are they too dependent on the Apollo styli?
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Re: Apollo Masters Burned Down
https://www.jeffpowell.net/losthighway wrote: ↑Sun Feb 09, 2020 8:00 pmI hear DMM when done correctly is actually a superior method. Also that there's no one in the U.S. who can do it.
I've just checked in with a cutting room and they said, expect long delays waiting for Japanese lacquers in high demand to reach engineers here in the states. I think right now is a rush to find anyone who had a better stock of lacquers on their shelf and hasn't gone through them yet.
We have a 7 inch single that's burning a whole in our pocket, and it's a race to figure out who can actually cut it.
- digitaldrummer
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Re: Apollo Masters Burned Down
I feel a resurgence of the CD format coming on!
said no one ever...
said no one ever...
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Re: Apollo Masters Burned Down
Stranger things have happened.digitaldrummer wrote: ↑Mon Feb 10, 2020 7:11 amI feel a resurgence of the CD format coming on!
said no one ever...
Re: Apollo Masters Burned Down
I got the disc duping machine ready to sell to some hipsterdrumsound wrote: ↑Tue Feb 11, 2020 6:43 amStranger things have happened.digitaldrummer wrote: ↑Mon Feb 10, 2020 7:11 amI feel a resurgence of the CD format coming on!
said no one ever...
- markjazzbassist
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Re: Apollo Masters Burned Down
CD is an awful format and it's no surprise it's dying a slow death. Cassette and Vinyl will always be popular because they are Analog. Until a superior analog format is devised, it will be those 2 and whatever is the latest/greatest Digital option (which will always be changing).
- winky dinglehoffer
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Re: Apollo Masters Burned Down
Keep on hating the CDs, folks. That means I can scoop up even more of them at ridiculously low prices.
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