Artist
Survivor
Crate Digger's Guide
- Studio Medium:
- Survivor primarily used analog multi-track magnetic tape during their peak recording era in the 1980s.
- Pressing Plants:
- Key records were pressed at facilities like Columbia Records Pressing Plant and RCA Records Pressing Plant.
- Lacquer Cut:
- Their recordings often feature a strong mid-range presence, which can affect inner-groove tracking due to higher frequencies being more prone to distortion.
- Matrix Runout:
- Collectors should look for matrix runout codes such as 'AL-12345' or 'BL-12345' for authentic 1st pressings.
Vinyl Collector Intelligence
- Grail Pressing:
- Securing an authentic 1982 first pressing on the Scotti Brothers imprint remains the ultimate pursuit for anyone hunting down Survivor on wax.
- Best Reissue:
- Recent deluxe Friday Music catalog remasters successfully preserve the depth of the original Survivor audio master tapes.
- Mastering & Translation:
- The sharp mid-range transient spikes and acoustic engineering in Survivor'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 Journey (Columbia) alongside Foreigner (Atlantic).
