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CD matrix codes

paulfromcamden

paulfromcamden

Baffled
I've been adding more CDs into Discogs, squinting at the matrix code and checking half a dozen or more listings for each CD...

My question is: do collectors care about this stuff? And if so, why?

I understand someone wanting an A1/B1 vinyl pressing or whatever. And I get people tracking down specific CD masters.

But if a CD repress is effectively a clone of the original what difference does it make?
 
Provenance, I think.

And accuracy.

It is nice to know which copy is which.
 
They do care if it is a CD that has reached collectible status and the matrix can identify if a CD is a true first pressing, or where the mastering can vary from one pressing to another. It all depends on whether you are cataloging your CDs for interest or intend selling them on, and if they have a value that lifts them above the common fodder <£0-3 price level.
 
paulfromcamden said:
I've been adding more CDs into Discogs, squinting at the matrix code and checking half a dozen or more listings for each CD...

My question is: do collectors care about this stuff? And if so, why?

I understand someone wanting an A1/B1 vinyl pressing or whatever. And I get people tracking down specific CD masters.

But if a CD repress is effectively a clone of the original what difference does it make?
Click to expand...

As someone who as also started this nonsense (I am up to the 'P' section of the CDs) and have managed to enrage Discogs contributors by not recognizing that although it appeared be made by EMI's plant in Uden, it was in fact pressed at Mediamotion. Silly me for not knowing my mould SID code prefixes :)

https://web.archive.org/web/2020012...ent/library/sid-code-implementation-guide.pdf

I guess it's all about recording details accurately.

There are occasions where matrix numbers make all the difference. For example, the first Japanese pressing of "A Saucerful of Secrets" CD is identical to the second pressing of the CD bar an extra letter in the matrix code. That difference is important as the first press uses the UK Nimbus master and the second uses a unique, never appeared elsewhere, mastering.
 
paulfromcamden said:
I've been adding more CDs into Discogs, squinting at the matrix code and checking half a dozen or more listings for each CD...

My question is: do collectors care about this stuff? And if so, why?
Click to expand...

At least here in the US, there are many 'record club' versions of albums which might well have different disc matrix codes. Although the 'record club' versions of albums, which were usually made separately, might not sound any different from the regular album version, the artwork is sometimes of inferior printing quality and the liner notes might be reduced. At least with classical albums, the 'record club' versions usually only have liner notes in English.

Disc matrix codes might be helpful in finding CDs pressed by CD pressing plants known for disc defects such as the CDs from PDO UK from the late 1980s-early 1990s which were known to bronze and also the Nimbus CDs known for having sticky tops. At least in the case of PDO UK discs, many were replaced by the record labels years later.
 
Just added a £1 CD picked up in the charity shop and noticed there are 13 variants listed under the same entry. It kind of feels like there's not much consistency to how these things are catalogued but I guess that's the nature of it.
  • Matrix / Runout (Variant 1): S0100439479-0101 14 A0
  • Mastering SID Code (Variant 1): IFPI L554
  • Mould SID Code (Variant 1): IFPI 946A
  • Matrix / Runout (Variant 2): S0100439478-0101 14 A2
  • Mastering SID Code (Variant 2): IFPI L554
  • Mould SID Code (Variant 2): IFPI 944S
  • Matrix / Runout (Variant 3): S0100439479-0101 23 A10
  • Mastering SID Code (Variant 3): IFPI L553
  • Mould SID Code (Variant 3): IFPI 948A
  • Matrix / Runout (Variant 4): S0100439479-0101 51 A04
  • Mastering SID Code (Variant 4): IFPI L551
  • Mould SID Code (Variant 4): IFPI 94K4
  • Matrix / Runout (Variant 5): S0100439479-0101 51 A04
  • Mastering SID Code (Variant 5): IFPI L551
  • Mould SID Code (Variant 5): IFPI 94K2
  • Matrix / Runout (Variant 6): S5101552000-0101 15 A1
  • Mastering SID Code (Variant 6): IFPI L555
  • Mould SID Code (Variant 6): IFPI 944B
  • Matrix / Runout (Variant 7): S0100439479-0101 14 A2
  • Mastering SID Code (Variant 7): IFPI L554
  • Mould SID Code (Variant 7): IFPI 94V3
  • Matrix / Runout (Variant 8): S0100439479-0101 51 A04
  • Mastering SID Code (Variant 8): IFPI L551
  • Mould SID Code (Variant 8): IFPI 94K7
  • Matrix / Runout (Variant 9): Sony Music S0100439479 – 0101 31 A04
  • Mastering SID Code (Variant 9): IFPI L551
  • Mould SID Code (Variant 9): IFPI 944Q
  • Matrix / Runout (Variant 10): Sony Music S0100439479 – 0101 31 A04
  • Mastering SID Code (Variant 10): IFPI L551
  • Mould SID Code (Variant 10): IFPI 942A
  • Matrix / Runout (Variant 11): Sony Music S0100439479 – 0101 23 A16
  • Mastering SID Code (Variant 11): IFPI L553
  • Mould SID Code (Variant 11): IFPI 944R
  • Matrix / Runout (Variant 12): Sony Music S0100439479 – 0101 31 A04
  • Mastering SID Code (Variant 12): IFPI L551
  • Mould SID Code (Variant 12): IFPI 948A
  • Matrix / Runout (Variant 13): Sony Music S0100439479 – 0101 23 A13
  • Mastering SID Code (Variant 13): IFPI L553
  • Mould SID Code (Variant 13): IFPI 94Z5
 
And I don't find them any easier to read than dead wax matrix numbers.

For cheaper, non-collectible CDs I'd expect only the most anally-retentive Discogs buyer would argue with an incorrect variant listing, but once the price rises so does the need to get it bang on. Have you come across a version that's not listed yet? Diving into the editing of the database and making new releases is great fun.
 
I have found a few IFPI codes that weren't listed but as they were just cheap CDs for my own listening I didn't worry about updating the database.

I have updated stuff before adding recording credits and suchlike. And I quite like removing the 'free jazz' tag from records that clearly aren't free jazz!
 
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