A question on Discogs

[woodward]

Recently I have noticed on discogs the following description:

STYRENE/TERRE HAUTE PRESSING


Does anyone know how to define this description? I surely don't.

Thanks.

[Motown Eddie]

Recently I have noticed on discogs the following description:

STYRENE/TERRE HAUTE PRESSING
Thanks.

Styrene is a chemical compound sometimes used in the making of vinyl records & Terre Haute is a city in Indiana where the record's pressing plant is located.

[lockhartgary]

As far as styrene goes, it it less desirable than vinyl. It was not built to last.

[Motown Eddie]

As far as styrene goes, it it less desirable than vinyl. It was not built to last.

That's True! Records made with styrene are more subject to wear and tear especially when they're played on a cheap turntable.

[MIKEW-UK]

Styrene [[polystyrene) was introduced when vinyl, derived from oil, became more expensive.

Harder, increasing wear and more surface noise.
Identified by the label sitting proud of the disc.

Generally a styrene disc will fetch less on discogs than its vinyl counterpart as I am very aware from my own transactions.
http://ryansvinylemporium.blogspot.com/2011/04/styrene-risky-purchase-for-vinyl-record.html?m=1

[woodward]

Styrene [[polystyrene) was introduced when vinyl, derived from oil, became more expensive.

Harder, increasing wear and more surface noise.
Identified by the label sitting proud of the disc.

Generally a styrene disc will fetch less on discogs than its vinyl counterpart as I am very aware from my own transactions.
http://ryansvinylemporium.blogspot.com/2011/04/styrene-risky-purchase-for-vinyl-record.html?m=1

Much appreciated information, especially the ryansvinylemporium. What surprised me was to see a specific 45rpm record available in BOTH vinyl and styrene. I don't have any styrene in the collection and as a result of your great article, I won't consider getting any.

Thanks everyone.

[lockhartgary]

Styrene [[polystyrene) was introduced when vinyl, derived from oil, became more expensive.

Harder, increasing wear and more surface noise.
Identified by the label sitting proud of the disc.

Generally a styrene disc will fetch less on discogs than its vinyl counterpart as I am very aware from my own transactions.
http://ryansvinylemporium.blogspot.com/2011/04/styrene-risky-purchase-for-vinyl-record.html?m=1

Great article!
Years ago, I purchased a mint condition 45 on Ebay of "Kind of a Drag" by the Buckinghams. I have always loved that song. It was a styrene pressing; I had not known about the differences between styrene and vinyl at the time. The distortion was very noticeable upon playback on a decent turntable.

I also didn't know that some 78s were pressed on styrene either...until I found two at my local Goodwill. Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers "I Want You to Be My Girl". They look pretty beat up.

[mark speck]

Well, as a collector of Amy/Mala/Bell soul sides, I have to put up with styrene copies on many of those records, especially the rarer ones. I try to get vinyl on 'em when I can.

Best,

Mark

[lockhartgary]

Well, as a collector of Amy/Mala/Bell soul sides, I have to put up with styrene copies on many of those records, especially the rarer ones. I try to get vinyl on 'em when I can.

Best,

Mark

As far as I can recall I have never seen any of Amy/Mala/Bell 45s on vinyl. You can best believe that when/if I do I will buy it even if I don't like it.

[Sotosound]

I've found fresh styrene 7" pressings to be extremely quiet, especially when compared to equivalent vinyl [[which could be very variable, especially in the 1960s), and I've also found the sound quality to be excellent.

A few years back, I compared three vintage 7" copies of "Never Had A Dream Come True" by Stevie Wonder - US vinyl, US styrene, UK vinyl. To my ears, the UK had marginally the best mastering, but the US styrene sounded better than the US vinyl, and that was actually a good vinyl pressing.

Having said that, styrene is far too vulnerable to groove damage from poorly set-up turntables [[of which there are many) and inappropriate cartridges [[of which there are many), which is probably what underlies its reputation as described above. Additionally, groove damage is also invisible, so purchasing styrene is a bit like Russian Roulette.

In short, a good styrene pressing is great to have, but only if you can find one.

[robb_k]

Recently I have noticed on discogs the following description:

STYRENE/TERRE HAUTE PRESSING


Does anyone know how to define this description? I surely don't.

Thanks.
20966
Styrene has already been explained above. Terre Haute, in this case, refers to Columbia Records' Terre Haute, Indiana record pressing plant, which serviced mainly Columbia Records' Chicago Office [[and its records mastered there), plus the labels they distributed, plus Independent record companies' records, as well as independent record companies from The Detroit/Toledo/Northwestern Ohio Metro Area, plus Indianapolis, and the remainder of the nearby portions of The Upper Midwest, including Milwaukee, St. Louis, and Des Moines. From around 1960 through about 1967-68, that plant's non-Columbia-generated pressing volume served was formed roughly 77-78% from Detroit Independent record labels, 20-21% Chicago Independent labels, and 1 to 2% from Indies located in other Upper Midwestern cities.

During that period, almost ALL records pressed in Columbia's Terre Haute pressing plant were pressed on styrene. During that period, some plants around The US pressed records on both different plastics. Monarch in L.A. and Shelly in Long Island, New York were two of the most prominent other Styrene users. Monarch, which mostly used styrene, was known to sometimes use vinyl for special projects.