Specialty Records Corporation/WEA Manufacturing matrix codes

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Generation Dates

Gen Rel Type Rel Date Artist Label Catalog Matrix

Attribute Grid

Attribute     Gen1         Gen2         Gen3         Gen4         Gen5         Gen6         Gen7         Gen?         Gen?         Gen?    
Matrix text style[1] dot-matrix dot-matrix dot-matrix dot-matrix dot-matrix Courier Courier Courier thick sans thick sans
Single-digit label ID[2] No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Mother/Stamper ID (M#S#) none none monospace monospace monospace monospace proportional proportional proportional proportional
Barcode blocks[3] none none none thick none thin thin thinner thinner thinner
Unused space filled filled filled empty asterisks empty empty empty empty empty
Surrounding blocks Yes Yes Yes No No No No No No No
Possible SRC/digit separators dash, blank ## or ** ## or ** ## or **
Logo none none none none none SRC swirl SRC swirl wea wea none

References

  1. ^ Dot-matrix text can be 5x5 or 7x5 in any generation. This is probably due to differences in the model of mastering equiment used.
  2. ^ 1: Warner Bros.; 2: Elektra; 3: Atlantic
  3. ^ For "thick" blocks, the smaller blocks are 1/2 the size of the larger ones; for "thin" blocks, the smaller blocks are 1/3 the size of the larger ones.

"SRC" Matrix Numbers

  1. Warner Bros.
  2. Elektra
  3. Atlantic

1st Generation (1986 - Jul?? 1987)

Format: #####-2 SRC-##

  • No single-digit label IDs
  • No mother/stamper IDs

2nd Generation (Mid-1987 - Mid 1988?)

Format: # #####-2 SRC-##

  • Single-digit label IDs introduced
  • No mother/stamper IDs


3rd Generation (1988 - Sep? 1990)

Format: # #####-2 SRC-## M#S#

  • Mother/stamper IDs introduced

4th Generation (Sep? 1990 - Apr? 1993)

Format: # #####-2 SRC-## M#S# [+barcode]

  • Block barcodes introduced

5th Generation (Apr? 1993 - Sep? 1994)

Format: # #####-2 SRC~~## M#S#

  • Block barcodes removed
  • "Wraparound" asterisks introduced
  • SRC and nn separated by either "##" or "**", possibly indicating which mastering equipment was used.

6th Generation (Sep? 1994 - 1996?)

Format: # #####-2 SRC~~## M#S#

  • Asterisks replaced by block barcodes again
  • Specialty Records Corp. logo introduced

See Also

"CDs Pressed by Specialty: SRC code?" (Steve Hoffman Forums thread)