Artist
Wire
Crate Digger's Guide
- Studio Medium:
- Wire primarily used analog multi-track magnetic tape during their peak recording eras in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
- Pressing Plants:
- Core records were primarily pressed at The Sound Clinic and other UK pressing plants during their active years.
- Lacquer Cut:
- Their recordings often feature a wide frequency range, which can impact inner-groove tracking by creating potential distortion in lower frequencies as the needle approaches the center.
- Matrix Runout:
- Collectors look for matrix codes like 'A1' or 'B1' and specific etchings from engineers such as 'Tim Young' for authentic 1st pressings.
Vinyl Collector Intelligence
- Grail Pressing:
- Securing an authentic 1977 first pressing on the Harvest imprint remains the ultimate pursuit for anyone hunting down Wire on wax.
- Best Reissue:
- Recent deluxe 2018 Pinkflag catalog remasters successfully preserve the depth of the original Wire audio master tapes.
- Mastering & Translation:
- The dense multitrack vocal harmonies and electronic sub-bass frequencies characteristic of Wire's production demand a stable microlinear stylus to prevent high-frequency sibilance.
- Shelf Alternatives:
- Collectors tracking this era typically search out companion pressings from Kraftwerk (Capitol) alongside OMD (Dindisc).
