The Pressing Plants - RCA Hollywood - Dynaflex Strikes Again! (and more..)

This is Episode 7 in my continuing series focused on Pressing Plants and the details behind their companies along with great examples of amazing sounding titles. RCA Hollywood is a legendary plant that manufactured some amazing pressings....five of which I highlight today..
Looking to support the channel? Pick up a T-Shirt or a comfy Sweatshirt today! shop.theuniver...
Follow me:
Insta - / universityo. .
Web - www.theunivers...
Email - hello |at| theuniversityofvinyl.com

[@alastairmckain4623]

Another great presentation. 👏 merry Xmas from 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@badvinyl4531]

Great stuff Tim! A couple years ago I went on a hunt, finding and researching pressing plants of records in the collection. Very fun to do while listing to the album. Smartphone in hand using Google Earth to find the actual locations. Some still there , but closed , some still there but re purposed into other businesses, and if course some buildings torn down and gone. An interesting one to find and research is the huge RCA Victor factory in Montreal. Still there but re purposed , and in fact part of it I believe is already, it becoming an RCA museum . Full of RCA artifacts. Cool stuff. Cheers to the series and keep it going. Will be very interesting to see you highlight some UK or European plants.

[@Universityofvinyl]

Like minds!

[@jeffreylind3739]

Excellent video- I really enjoy your pressing plant series. I have a number of Dynaflex/Hollywood pressings including my David Bowie StationToStation. It's a NM copy with shrink/hype sticker, and sounds phenomenal.

[@Universityofvinyl]

That H Station to Station pressing is breathtaking, I have a promo NM

[@brianmedeiros6845]

I don’t know anyone who has more of a passion about music than you! I really enjoy experiencing music history and H along with RL, KENDUNN, Allen Zentz AZ and so many more have been so enjoyable Thanks to You! A review on Czech Republic plants, the Tracy Chapman Self-Titled is Amazing! I read there’s a GZ Vinyl plant has been around since 1951 employees 2,000 people wow! On another note any thoughts on the New Beatles 8 LP 1964 Box Set hearing reviews on skips? Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 🎆 Thank You

[@briankellogg2751]

Hi Tim - great to see another installment of this series! I agree, don't shy away from dynaflex pressings. When you do one of these I start looking through my stuff - I've many Hollywood pressings and they're great. Hollywood/Dynaflex did some great Hot Tuna pressings as well as many of the Jefferson Airplane/Starship off-shoots. I also have in both mono and stereo 1967 original Hollywood pressings of Headquarters by The Monkees, a great album and they sound amazing. Cheers from Central California.

[@seekingathread]

Always love these. I do in fact have the Speakers Corner, and an Indianapolis dynaflex pressing on black. (with Best Buy logo on there). Probably have to upgrade that. I have a bunch of stuff pressed at that Hollywood plant, mostly notably a couple of Townes Van Zandts, which I think sound beautiful. And the Creedences I have sound excellent, have to check the plant info. Yeoman's work Tim...

[@Universityofvinyl]

Thx Dom 👍🏻

[@cherokee59]

The very first record I bought in 1972 was Cosmo's Factory. I still have it, a little beaten up but has the H. Like you said probably a 180 or 200 gram record. That all changed in 1974 with the first oil shortage. (yes I am that old)

[@tlow0510]

Very informative. I would love to hear about Presswell - the East Coast US counter to Monarch. I would put my Presswell RL SS LZ II against any Monarch ;)

[@tyleranderson1168]

I enjoy watching your pressing plant videos then checking out what I have in my collection. I agree the Stevie Wonder sounds fantastic! Try to get your hands on Neil Young- On The Beach Hollywood Pressing. Blows away the reissue and is one of my top sounding albums. Thanks for taking the time to talk about "the little details"!

[@kickedoutkickedin4747]

Capitol inner sleeve on the Creedence?

[@Universityofvinyl]

😱

[@malco49]

i have a handful of dyna flex lps and they sound great. i am not convinced of the 180 gram vinyl is best mantra.just looked my copy has a R etched on one side of the dead wax.

[@jamestevis7039]

Rockaway.

[@matthewtapley2765]

Another great video! The information gleaned from these are invaluable. I have the Hollywood Cosmo’s and Green River and they sound great but the one I was blown away by was my brother in law’s Willy and the Poorboys. Incredible. Any thoughts on RCA Indianapolis? As good as Hollywood?

[@Universityofvinyl]

I have several RCA Indianapolis pressings and they all sound great. Because the Hollywood plant was near the studios and most plating facilities; there may be some "synergy" involved -- fresh master tapes, fresh stampers, pressing plant close by....

[@matthewtapley2765]

@ something to be said about that proximity- like Monarch or Allied!

[@festersuncle6298]

Not to make you green with envy, but I have a Transformer Hollywood O.G. in shrink with the hype sticker. It's nice sounding, but I won't be passing on the Speakers Corner. Innervisions definitely fell from the heavens. Every track is perfect.

[@mazzysmusic]

I have the Speakers Corner of Transformer, and it’s quite good; however I also thought my OG Dynaflex is so much better. Nice video Dynaflex are the best.

[@Universityofvinyl]

Thx Mazzy

[@MrLovell1971]

Tim that’s was excellent I found a promo at a Half price book in Schaumburg about 4 years ago , Il for $20 I have the speakers corner after playing the original I never spin the speakers corner I need to sell mine too😊.

[@Universityofvinyl]

Ha! Love it.

[@MrLovell1971]

@ yes 🙌 🙌

[@JWD1992]

THANK YOU. So long as they are not warped, Dynaflex pressings typically sound great. They seem less susceptible to groovewear, too. Probably because of the flexibility. Yes, there is a greater chance they'll get warped, but it is not some kind of guarantee whatsoever. I think my copy of Transformer was pressed at RCA's Indianapolis plant, but it also sounds amazing. My Bowie records on Dynaflex all sound great, and my Kinks RCA titles pressed on Dynaflex with lacquers cut at Sterling (often by Robert Ludwig) are audiophile delights. Yes, the Creedence records RCA pressed are insane. My dad's old RCA Rockaway pressings still sound perfect, and he has been playing them regularly since he bought them in the late 60s. No matter how many times he plays Keep On Chooglin', it still has zero inner-groove distortion, haha.

[@Universityofvinyl]

These are the kind of comments that keep me inspired to continue sharing. ✌🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@Stonecutter334]

US Bowie lps sound absolutely terrible when compared with UK and most Euro pressings. Most of that is due to their direct use of master tapes but they were pressed on regular weight vinyl as well. If you don’t believe me find a 70’s uk press and hear for yourself. The difference is literally night and day.

[@jeffreysobczynski7113]

Hey Tim - I love Dynaflex (several Bowie records) and also have the CCR “H” pressings. How do you explain the quality? Is it that the lacquers were cut and plated immediately? Freshness of the tapes vs what is used for today’s reissues? It would be great to get a separate video on these exact topics - I believe I have heard from you and others that proximity and tape freshness matters greatly - but a deep dive would be well appreciated. Would also love to get a Europe session (UK, Germany, Netherlands). Now I have to go listen to my Bowie Dynaflex! Cheers

[@rockandrollgraveyard]

I have found most records that rca pressed in the 60s up to 1969 pressed by rockaway seem to get a chemical breakdown in fidelity, especially records on motown. These lps have a hiss throughout between the grooves.

[@Universityofvinyl]

I haven’t seen this with my ‘69 CCR H pressings

[@rockandrollgraveyard]

@Universityofvinyl exactly, the Hollywood pressings from this era are the ones to get, coming from a record store owner and lifetime dork

[@xentakis]

My Innervisions is a KENDUN from Superior Record Pressings … is Superior pretty good or should I be keeping my eyes out for another copy? 😭😭😭

[@kylemacarthur3177]

I live in Minnesota, and I wonder if records sold in our stores were sent here as part of a regional plan... meaning our albums were pressed in either Indianapolis or Terre Haute... as most of my records hail from there. I have some. but not many albums pressed in California.

[@Universityofvinyl]

Yes, geography played a big part in logistics and distribution 👍🏻

[@easynow2754]

Love a big H !!!

[@franksmusic2880]

You should change the name of your channel to, Pupil of Vinyl University 🤪

[@Universityofvinyl]

Never stop learning....

[@gns423]

It’s weird that RCA’s Hollywood plant burned down. The Hollywood Capitol Records pressing plant also burned down a few years later. Interesting. The one problem I’ve always faced with a Dynaflex pressing is trying to clean a really dirty one. You cannot clean it in your hands, as it is so flimsy. You have to lay it on a towel, or you’ll never be able to get all the grime off of it. Same with 1970s Columbia pressings.

[@brianmedeiros6845]

It appears I have the Lou Reed 1972 press LPS-4807 (BPRS-7038) 5 S etch Side1 (BPRS-7039) 6 S Side B can see an I but no H. Discogs has it as a Hollywood exact label? Thank You

[@Universityofvinyl]

Is the I stamped? Definitely an Indianapolis pressing: www.discogs.com/release/6566128-Lou-Reed-Transformer

[@brianmedeiros6845]

I will check. I assume not as desirable as the H Hollywood? Thank You!

[@rawheadjim]

I just checked my pretty early US Transformer DynaFlex, but sadly there was no H stamped in the runout grooves. It does however sound pretty hot compared to my Speakers Corner copy. It's actually a little brighter, and the bass is heavy enough, although that SC bass throbs. For now I'll keep both unless I can find a Hollywood pressing! By the way, I have US OG DynaFlex copies of most Bowie LPs, and some of them rival OG UK pressings. The Man Who Sold The World US OG is very nice!

[@Universityofvinyl]

Thanks for sharing your experience! I have a Dynaflex Hunky Dory Hollywood also - great listen..

[@i35photo]

Just played and RCA Dynaflex of The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars.... Holy Smokes does it sound amazing! 3D soundstage.... Highly Recommend that one! I don't think its an Hollywood Pressing.... I think Indianapolis Pressing maybe... nonetheless amazing sounding record!

[@latheofheaven]

👍

[@jackwezesa1081]

Tom , that is not the original inner sleave , just sayin!

[@revelry1969]

The UK of transformer is the best. The dynaflex is ok but its bass is also too bloated. The UK OG is the best version to get. I got the dynaflex, speakers corner and the UK. Get the UK 👍🏻

[@salmonline]

Transformer could have been a Ziggy and the Spiders album