Artist
Duran Duran
Crate Digger's Guide
- Studio Medium:
- Duran Duran primarily recorded using analog multi-track magnetic tape during the 1980s, transitioning to early digital consoles in the late '80s.
- Pressing Plants:
- Core records were mainly pressed at facilities like the RCA Records plant and the Specialty Records Corporation.
- Lacquer Cut:
- Their frequency ranges, especially in synth lines, can lead to tighter inner-groove tracking, reducing distortion on lacquer cuts.
- Matrix Runout:
- Collectors look for matrix codes like 'DURAN 1 A' or etchings by engineers such as 'Wally Traugott' for authentic first pressings.
Vinyl Collector Intelligence
- Grail Pressing:
- Securing an authentic 1981 first pressing on the Harvest imprint remains the ultimate pursuit for anyone hunting down Duran Duran on wax.
- Best Reissue:
- Recent deluxe Vinyl Factory catalog remasters successfully preserve the depth of the original Duran Duran audio master tapes.
- Mastering & Translation:
- The dense multitrack vocal harmonies and electronic sub-bass frequencies characteristic of Duran Duran's production demand a stable microlinear stylus to prevent high-frequency sibilance.
- Shelf Alternatives:
- Collectors tracking this era typically search out companion pressings from Depeche Mode (Mute) alongside New Order (Factory).
