Artist
C.M.H.
Crate Digger's Guide
- Studio Medium:
- C.M.H. primarily utilized analog multi-track magnetic tape during the late 1960s to early 1970s for recording.
- Pressing Plants:
- Core records were largely pressed at major facilities like RCA Victor and Columbia Records.
- Lacquer Cut:
- The smooth frequency response allows for effective inner-groove tracking, minimizing distortion even at lower volume levels.
- Matrix Runout:
- Look for etchings such as 'C.M.H. 1A' or 'C.M.H. 1B' in the runout grooves to confirm first pressings.
Vinyl Collector Intelligence
- Grail Pressing:
- Securing an authentic 1975 first pressing on the Black Saint imprint remains the ultimate pursuit for anyone hunting down C.M.H. on wax.
- Best Reissue:
- Recent deluxe Craft Recordings catalog remasters successfully preserve the depth of the original C.M.H. audio master tapes.
- Mastering & Translation:
- The sharp mid-range transient spikes and acoustic engineering in C.M.H.'s master cuts require precise tonearm calibration to clear heavy vocal peaks without inner-groove distortion.
- Shelf Alternatives:
- Collectors tracking this era typically search out companion pressings from Sun Ra (El Saturn) alongside Alice Coltrane (Impulse!).
