Sony to press vinyl again ...

[chebby]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-40445192

 

[GeoffreyW]

They've got a potential treasure trove in their back catalogue. Just hope they can do good quality with reasonable prices.

 

[Al ears]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-40445192

Just hope they are pressing quality vinyl rather than quantity. They have to do better than some sub-standard start ups and compete with European pressing plants such as Pallas. I don't hold out much hope for that happening.

 

[DougK]

Ah, damn, didn't see this thread *diablo* I just posted the same news in the Turntable section!!

 

[Al ears]

Ah, damn, didn't see this thread *diablo* I just posted the same news in the Turntable section!!

Probably a better place for it but whatever I enjoyed reading it twice....

 

[chebby]

Probably a better place for it ...

Hardly anyone (except died-in-the-wool vinylphiles) would see it in the turntable section.

I felt the news deserved a bigger audience than the already converted.

Admittedly I don't browse just one 'niche' sub-forum but - instead - look at all active topics (all fora) in one hit ...

https://www.whathifi.com/forum/active

... that way it's easier to see potential duplications. However I understand that some people only want to see vinyl related subjects in their own 'proper' sub-section. So sorry to them but I was sort of making up for the fact that - when first posted - WHF? hadn't yet featured it in their own news section. I'll not do it again

Edit: Now changed to appear in Turntable and LPs sub-forum.

 

[plastic penguin]

Does this also point to production of a new range of turntables?

 

[DougK]

No worries chebby, my fault entirely, I viewed the TT forum first last night and couldn't see any mention of it *smile* Tried deleting mine but it won't let me.

 

[MajorFubar]

Ok shoot the cynic...but I can't view this as anything but Sony/BMG hoping to cash-in on a fad. Though presumably they expect it to be a pretty long term fad: investing in a vinyl pressing plant is not cheap.

 

[Al ears]

Does this also point to production of a new range of turntables?

Apparently they did elude to making a vinyl player bat last year's CES.

 

[chebby]

Does this also point to production of a new range of turntables?

Apparently they did elude to making a vinyl player bat last year's CES.

Favourably reviewed a year ago ...

http://www.hifichoice.co.uk/news/article/sony-ps-hx500/23881

Excellent user feedback on JL website and amazon, Richer Sounds etc.

If I had any LPs left I think i'd buy one given it's only £275. (Luckly I sold the last and best 100 or so LPs a few years ago to avoid the temptation of getting back into it again No regrets.)

 

[Al ears]

Does this also point to production of a new range of turntables?

Apparently they did elude to making a vinyl player bat last year's CES.

Favourably reviewed a year ago ...

http://www.hifichoice.co.uk/news/article/sony-ps-hx500/23881

Excellent user feedback on JL website and amazon, Richer Sounds etc.

If I had any LPs left I think i'd buy one given it's only £275. (Luckly I sold the last and best 100 or so LPs a few years ago to avoid the temptation of getting back into it again No regrets.)

Fair enough. There seems to be a few issued now for the purpose of ripping to hi-res including a new one from Pro-ject... Killing the hand that feeds it????

 

[plastic penguin]

Yup, I was alluding to a proper table, not one that rips.

Sony seem to be covering a whole multitude of sins. Let's hope they put more thought and effort into their vinyl than 'that' turntable.

 

[chebby]

Yup, I was alluding to a proper table, not one that rips.

Sony seem to be covering a whole multitude of sins. Let's hope they put more thought and effort into their vinyl than 'that' turntable.

Apparently it also performs well as just a turntable. (Again, I am only going by user feedback and favourable reviews from two different magazines rather than your - presumably - personal experience.)

 

[GeoffreyW]

Sony are also still trying to find experienced engineers, I believe?

 

[DougK]

Ok shoot the cynic...but I can't view this as anything but Sony/BMG hoping to cash-in on a fad. Though presumably they expect it to be a pretty long term fad: investing in a vinyl pressing plant is not cheap.

I can see where you're coming from Major. Apparently the new pressing plant is to produce for the Japanese domestic market only.

 

[plastic penguin]

@Chebby

"Apparently it also performs well as just a turntable. (Again, I am only going by user feedback and favourable reviews from two different magazines rather than your - presumably - personal experience."

I don't doubt it's a good performer for the price (or don't question those who've left a review). Don't have any personal experience of this table, just pointing out a pertinent point that Sony are pandering to more than one format, dressed in a vinyl frock.

Unless this table is equal or better than a dedicated £200-odd spinner my view won't change.

 

[thescarletpronster]

Just hope they are pressing quality vinyl rather than quantity. They have to do better than some sub-standard start ups and compete with European pressing plants such as Pallas. I don't hold out much hope for that happening.

According to the article I read, it's their Japanese operation that's going to be pressing records, at least to start with. It sounds as though they're going to recommission their Japanese presses, which pressed some pretty damned fine records back in the day, so there's hope for quality. But it might only be reaching the Japanese market to start with, and the first issues are going to be reissues of Japanese songs. Could be a while before your favourite old CBS records are available again .... although aren't lots of them available already?

Confused of Clapham south.

 

[Al ears]

Just hope they are pressing quality vinyl rather than quantity. They have to do better than some sub-standard start ups and compete with European pressing plants such as Pallas. I don't hold out much hope for that happening.

According to the article I read, it's their Japanese operation that's going to be pressing records, at least to start with. It sounds as though they're going to recommission their Japanese presses, which pressed some pretty damned fine records back in the day, so there's hope for quality. But it might only be reaching the Japanese market to start with, and the first issues are going to be reissues of Japanese songs. Could be a while before your favourite old CBS records are available again .... although aren't lots of them available already?

Confused of Clapham south.

Presumably the Japanese market is strong enough on its own to warrant the 're-opening of these plants. This can only be a good thing.

 

[chebby]

Presumably the Japanese market is strong enough on its own to warrant the 're-opening of these plants. This can only be a good thing.

What is the Japanese for 'Hipster'?

 

[chebby]

Unless this table is equal or better than a dedicated £200-odd spinner my view won't change.

Like this one? ...

https://www.whathifi.com/audio-technica/lp3/review

 

[Al ears]

Unless this table is equal or better than a dedicated £200-odd spinner my view won't change.

Like this one? ...

https://www.whathifi.com/audio-technica/lp3/review

Apparently it supposed to be quite good. Was never too sure about the quality of those built-in phono preamp but at this price you shouldn't expect miracles. I am sure it functions quite adequately.

 

[chebby]

Given the poor quality pressings being spat out for the beardy, Crosley using, hipster generation, anything that sounds okay AND doesn't use a ceramic stylus (eek!) is a ' good thing'.

Given that hipsters can afford £4.50 for a bowl of cereal, you'd think they could splash out £200 for a deck that won't kill their vinyl within weeks.

 

[Al ears]

Given the poor quality pressings being spat out for the beardy, Crosley using, hipster generation, anything that sounds okay AND doesn't use a ceramic stylus (eek!) is a ' good thing'.

Given that hipsters can afford £4.50 for a bowl of cereal, you'd think they could splash out £200 for a deck that won't kill their vinyl within weeks.

Anyone that pays £4.50 for a bowl of cereal needs to be psychologically assessed and should not be allowed anywhere near a turntable......

 

[iMark]

Strange how things go full circle. I can remember that Sony used to own a huge record pressing facility in the city where I was born: Haarlem in the Netherlands. Currently it's know as Record Industry. It was opened in 1958 by Artone, taken over by CBS in the 1960s and incorperated by Sony in 1988 when they took over CBS/Columbia. The plant was closed in 1998 due to the lack of sales of vinyl records.

In 1998 it was taken over by a new company, Record Industry, who mainly pressed records for dance music. Now they waiting times of 10-12 weeks if you want your record pressed. According to Wikipedia (in Dutch) all the pressing machines are over 30 years old now. I wonder if the pressing plant in Japan uses mothballed equipment. That would make sense.