The ex-EMI Hayes Record Pressing Plant

[mally1956]

I just read an interesting piece on the Hayes Record Pressing Plant. Apparently all test recordings and pressings are tested on Garrard equipment, which is over 50 years old, due to its quality!

[Nickthedentist]

Interesting. If true, they must surely be using 301s, but it seems an odd choice in this day and age. I find it hard to believe that they have been in service for 50 years and nobody thought to replace them in the 70s with some Japanese DD equivalent, but you never know.

Could you provide a link to the article?

N.

[dseymo1]

Perhaps it's rather like Abbey Road Studios, where they're reluctant to change anything in case it has an adverse effect.
I guess the 'quality monitoring listners' (I knew one once) are used to any deficiencies in the system, and would have to re-learn its characteristics if changed.
If it ain't broke, don't fix it, I suppose.

[G6Tanuki]

Originally Posted by Nickthedentist

Interesting. If true, they must surely be using 301s, but it seems an odd choice in this day and age. I find it hard to believe that they have been in service for 50 years and nobody thought to replace them in the 70s with some Japanese DD equivalent, but you never know.

Yes, must admit if I wanted something to do vinyl-pressing QA on I'd probably go for a Technics SL-1200 Mk.2 or similar.

In these days when downtime is measured in £££ it'd be rather odd to be using ancient kit for which manufacturer spares and support-contracts have long since been unobtainable.

[Gulliver]

I remember reading an article about the people currently pressing vinyl in Hayes (a few years ago, say 2010) stating that they audition new discs on the same turntable that was used to audition Sgt. Pepper in 1967. And sometimes it is even the same man checking them

[paulsherwin]

Originally Posted by dseymo1

Perhaps it's rather like Abbey Road Studios, where they're reluctant to change anything in case it has an adverse effect.
I guess the 'quality monitoring listners' (I knew one once) are used to any deficiencies in the system, and would have to re-learn its characteristics if changed.
If it ain't broke, don't fix it, I suppose.

Abbey Road has had many complete refits since the days of the Beatles, and has been a fully digital studio for 30 years.

[Restoration73]

Regardless of the foregoing, my "Hayes on Record" (1993 book) gives the impression that HMV was the only label monitored for quality. A modified turntable with three arms was used to automatically detect clicks (the record was played backwards) as these were easier to detect against the recorded signal. The move from Blyth road to Uxbridge road meant a new factory where all waste vinyl was recycled.

[Ekcoman]

Reminded me of a John Peel programme on the Dansette on BBC radio 2 many years ago. It was stated that most recording studios had a box record player to test records as they needed to replicate what the kids heard not what was produced on the large studio speakers. The decks were pretty basic as we all know.

[Restoration73]

Correction, meant multiple decks (yes, they are 301s)