hi all,

so i know how a record is made but i'm wondering how exactly a picture disc is made? on what is the image printed? is the image (on paper, or a vinyl sheet or whatever) simply "shellacked" over the regular vinyl record? what is the substance that covers the image, if it is "shellacked?" or is it printed on white vinyl with vinyl, glued on, and then cut?

and finally, do they really not sound as good as a regular vinyl record? it would make sense that they sound inferior if the substance into which the groove is cut is not as "good" as the regular vinyl underneath.

thanks

My understanding is that a colorful acetate is made and adhered into the LP blank's void. Then a vinyl sheet with one side smooth and one side with the grooves on it is adhered on top. This is done for both sides of the record. The LP blank is recessed just enough so the height of the acetate and the vinyl sheet are flush with the edge when installed. I think they are less resilient due to the softer material used for the sheet. I am most likely completely wrong. If you call Erika, they will tell you.

Jon

Nah, it's pressed like a normal record, but the vinyl "biscuit" uses clear vinyl and has the printed material in the middle. The printed material is paper, I think.

The print can prevent the vinyl from flowing perfectly into the stamper, but they have the potential to sound just as good as other records if thick enough that the grooves don't bottom out into the print.

thanks, steve.

iirc, the grooves on a picture disc aren't pressed into the puck, but into a clear vinyl sheet that is laminated with the paper printed image on it. the puck just fills the void between the already flat layers, and it all bonds together in the press. so a lot of factors make picture discs sound shitty: the chunk of paper itself touching the bottom of the grooves, the clear vinyl is of inferior quality relative to black, the grooves are merely pressed into an already flat surface as opposed to vinyl flowing into all the voids on the stamper, paper impurities causing problems with the laminating process, etc etc. its a can of (usually) crappy sounding worms.

The quality of clear and black vinyl should be the same. Black vinyl is just dyed clear vinyl.

I have to say that our picture disc sounds as good as any LP I have. Maybe they've improved the technology? I dunno.

choppy wrote:The quality of clear and black vinyl should be the same. Black vinyl is just dyed clear vinyl.

It's my understanding that black vinyl has carbon powder added to the mix. Carbon improves the ability for the vinyl to hold a shape (or in this case, groove). I have noticed a big noise floor difference in regards to black or clear vinyl on particular albums.

well, that settles it.

thanks all.