Porter Wagoner records in the 70’s were Dynaflex and I knew they sounded great way back then. He was one of the few C/W guys who put sound quality high on his priority list. He invented the isolated piano, where the harp and strings were in a booth, and the keyboard and player was in the studio, so piano mics wouldn’t pick up the room, and the player could be part of the band. He even invented a studio room where the 20 ceiling was shaped in the form of the roof of a human mouth, steam bent the plywood to form the arch. His music was original and sounded great, still does.
love my Nilsson RCA Dynaflex lp's .....thnx Mazzy, appreciate the work you do. wouldn't it be great if you could host a backyard bar-b-que and spin vinyl all day for your 16,000 subscribers !?
I love my Dynaflex records. I have many of the same titles you showcased here. When I was a teen in the early 70s, I was at a friend's house, and we were playing records. My friend's father commented that he thought the quality of new records had dropped because they were pressing them with just half the vinyl material. I then proceeded to play a cut from a Dynaflex record (I think it was John Denver's Greatest Hits, but I can't remember exactly) on some new Sennheiser HD414 headphones, and he quickly changed his tune. In fact, he was so surprised by the sound, he yanked off the headphones because he could not believe he was just hearing the headphones. But the room was silent. I remember he said something like, "That's amazing." Not only impressed by the sound quality, but also the ability of these new-fangled "open air" headphones to fool him into thinking that sound was filling the room. For me, the audiophile era had begun. Thanks for posting this video!
Some years ago. I popped into a Brick and Mortar and saw a sealed Nilsson Schmilsson on the wall. I was thrilled. Mint cover and beautiful orange label.
All My old Bowie albums are Dynaflex copies, as well as my Lou Reed and my earlier John Denver records. They sound fabulous. Never warped, very little surface noise, nice and rich sounding. Never had a bad one.
You've touched upon something that I've been thinking alot about recently. My copy of Aladdin Sane is on dynaflex and it sounds great. In my opinion 180g and especially 200g vinyl is a gimmick. Some of my best sounding LPs are on lightweight vinyl, like 100g - 120g. Thanks for posting this.
Mazzy, --I have most of the Dynaflex albums you show and agree with your positive assessment. When they first came out my immediate impression was how quiet they played. I never had to return one to the record store due to surface noise. The format should never have been abandoned by RCA, and some version of that formulation should be revived today, IMO. --Also, the Son of Schmillson album was also Dynaflex, but with a black label that said RCA "Victor" and "Orthophonic Recording", and shows Nipper. Pretty cool.
We really need more videos like this in the VC. I see too many videos of people showing the same records and quite frankly it's getting boring. For people that have a lot of experience in music marketing etc...etc should really do more to educate their audience. Great video and I hope to see more like this.
A well cared for Dynaflex record is perfectly fine. But there is something to be said about 50s-early 60s pressings on thick vinyl with respect to scratches. Since the vinyl of that era is generally thicker, the grooves are deeper in the vinyl and many scratches are above the point where the stylus tracks. So you could have a seemingly beat-up looking record that plays amazingly without very much surface noise at all.
The first RCA dynaflex record I bought was Muswell Hillbillies by The Kinks back in 1972. I’ve been playing the cd version for years, but played the original vinyl for the first time in decades a few weeks back and surprisingly sounded great.
Great topic. RCA Victor was a major player among record companies, responsible for so many innovations in the record industry. Their Vctor accoustic shellac 78's were top quality that still play with little distortion, if handled properly. Victor was acquired by Radio Corporation of America, who was responsible for using Western Electric amplification technology, starting in 1928. Two decades later, RCA developed the 45rpm disc that eventually outdated the 78rpm speed. Extended-play 45's were introduced in 1952. Then came stereophonic recordings in 1958. At first, company product was available in either monaural or stereo, but compatable stereo came along in 1968. There was, of course electronically rechanneled stereo, usually for recordings made prior to 1958. Dynaflex came along in 1969, then quadraphonic recording in 1971. Then the recording industry embraced the compact disc in 1982.
I'm with you. When I play my old dynaflex records they still sound good. I never understood the loathing. I go by ears and my eyes and have no problem enjoying listening to them.
You may be right but I just have a visceral dislike of Dyna- Flex. A lot of the marketing was trying to justify using less vinyl in the wake of the oil shortage. I have a lot of those you showed and have learned to live with them. I once met a guy who worked at a NJ pressing plant in the 60’s etc. He said anything over 140gr is just marketing. But in the final analysis the mastering of the album is probably the most important part. Thanks for sharing and take care.
I've been a major David Bowie fan since discovering the Ziggy album on my older sister's bedroom desk in 1973. I was 7. Bowie is my all time favorite artist. Pretty much happened right then at the jump and as soon as that first song, "Five Years" ended. I knew this was an artist of very high quality and both the music and lyrics overwhelmed in a great way. So, from that point forward, I bought every new Bowie album. Obviously then, I had a lot of experience with Dynaflex LPs in the 70s. *Bought those budget line 80s RCA reissues too, which killed the gatefold and only provided the white paper insert. Still decent anyway though. I first really took notice of the "Dynaflex" logo, etc. when I got the great DAVID LIVE album in late '74. Back then, as a Rock loving young kid, I didn't know what the hell "Dynaflex" was all about, but it seemed like it was a good thing. I just loved my David Bowie LPs and white cart RCA 8-tracks. Getting to the point, I'm here to say that I never had an issue with any of those Dynaflex pressings, and I still love 'em now! As far as how the Bowie albums were released here in the US, it was the ORANGE Dynaflex first, from "Space Oddity" (Its 1972 US release) through "Diamond Dogs" and "David Live" ('74) Then, in 1975, when I got "Young Americans" I noticed this new "TAN" label, which, for me at least, was now the more common and lasted through "Station To Station" and "ChangesOneBowie." ('76) Then, from "Low" ('77)... which also did feature the Tan label nearly as common... through "Scary Monsters" ('80) it became the BLACK RCA center label. So that's how it went down for me anyway, buying those Dynaflex Bowie records in the 70s. *The 80s budget line RCA reissues we're "all" Black center labels. Anyway, thanks for the cool video. Never expected something like this to come up, but I'm glad you did it, Norman! And good on ya for digging Dynaflex! Marc ✨ P.s. and Nipper is great! Funny, that section of the video when you were talking to him. Nips looks so good for 125! I guess that would be maybe, what, 867 in human years? Who knows, I'm guessing. But love Nipper. We've got three awesome pitties (Coco, Stanley and Betty) and they make every day a joy.
My Bowie ziggy stardust dynaflex was the best sounding version in my shootout with the mofi,simply vinyl, and the much hyped 40th anniversary version of the lp.Its one of my favorite lps as you can tell.
During the holidays I decided to share my Costco German Beer Advent Calendar on Facebook for 24 days. I paired each beer with two classics albums from fifty years ago. I bought a surprising number of albums in 1971 (80). Not sure how I saved up for these as a fifteen-year-old. One of those records was “Bark” which I had not listen to in a long time. I forgot how much I like it. “Pretty As You Feel” is a wonderful groove. It came in a grocery bag covered with Grace Slick drawings which I still have. Though not mentioned on the label, it is Dynaflex on the Grunt label.
It's great to see you finally got a dawg! I always think of Porter Wagoner when I think of dynoflex. I've never had a problem with those records. You are right the weight thing is a marketing ploy. When I win the lottery and build my pressing plant I'm going to revive the dyno !
I was also buying "high-end" LPs back-in-the-day = 1960s going forward. I began the last years of the first "Shady dog" RCA LPs, followed by Dynagroove in the later 1960s. There seems to have been a slight drop off in the fidelity (sound quality) during this first "improvement." Then came RCA Dynaflex in the late 1960s. I soon found that almost every new RCA Dynaflex pressed lp I bought didn't play flat, i.e. the discs came out of the shrink wrap a bit warped with the tonearm tracking up and down every revolution. Warped to an extent that the lower weight 3/4 to 1.5 grams high end stereo cartridges wouldn't track, sliding across the discs. I would return the warped disc in exchange for another copy (also being Dynaflex as that was the only RCA type available. Sometimes, I would go through 4-5 copies before finally obtaining a copy that would track. Note: I had high end audiophile stereo equipment - it was not a problem of my equipment. I became a career audio archivist at the Library of Congress and have an excellent grasp of how to accomplish proper playback. As soon as I learned of the inherent problems re. Dynaflex, I began to seek pressings made pre-Dynaflex, becoming an early convert to RCA's "Shady Dog" pressings (1958-1964-ish), also accepting RCA Dynagroove - if recorded pre-1964 [the "golden age of Living sound]." Unfortunately, Dynaflex was the only option available for the then currently recorded discs post 1969. I am not wonky but must have a disc that is playable when purchased new - lps weren't cheap in the 1960s often costing $7.98 which wasn't chicken feed for a college music major - so getting my money's worth wasn't too much to ask. Having handled/played thousands of LPs - especially 1983-2007 as an audio archivist as the world's largest sound recordings collection - Library of Congress - I feel I have had occasion to play more Dynaflex-era RCA lps than the average record collector. "Nipper" was probably ashamed to even have his picture printed on the Dynaflex label - with the trademark disappearing from the disc l RCA labels at about this time. In addition to the John Denver disc [which appears everywhere - even today at Goodwills, garage sales, etc. - I also found that a Judy Collins disc featuring flowers also challenged Denver for extreme sales. [Happy emoji placed here X]
Oh my god! You're right, Dogs in the music biz tried to organize in the late 60s. They took pride in their work, and Nipper firmly put his paw down with the advent of Dynaflex, famously demanding "Would anybody buy a bone this flimsy!?" He gained control over the use of his image from RCA and they had to remove all 'shady dogs' from the labels. Nipper's last big gig was the cover of "Worst Of Jefferson Airplane" in 1970, a thick disc in a richly textured cover. Nipper's image took up most of the inside gatefold, signaling his discerning and deep passion for music after more than 60 years at "the old Victor label," as he fondly recalled.
I only had one Dynaflex record and that was Bowie’s Man Who Sold The World, it sounded fantastic, it took many remasters and many years to get that sound back. ⚡️
Too bad the original from early 1970 sounds fantastic on green Warner's label. The Rhino Faces box of their LPs from around five years ago sounds really beautiful as well. I think Warner's usedthinner vinyl starting around 74 or so, with oil crisis. One of my favorite bands ever.
I can confirm: Judging on what I ever had as of the late 60ies / early 70ies US pressings the Dynaflex were among the best. And I have quite some annoying modern scratchy sounding, off-center-wailing 180-gram crap.
Like your " tie me kangaroo down" , sounds true blue mate.....I have a dynaflex ,after bathing at Baxters sounds great, good on ya sport! Lol g'day from Melbourne
I'm a bit leery of dynaflex. I bought some used records at garage sales that looked great but skipped. That seems to be one down side. If the records were played on a poor turntable then they could be easily scratched. Thankfully many others play just fine. Used to try to emulate the songs by wobbling a dynaflex record in time with whatever was playing on the turntable at that time. (Played Dark Side and wobbled John Denver. LOL)
I've never had any specific problems with Dynaflex and am happy with the ones I own. I've seen negative comments on forums about them but wonder if that's just people trying to justify the audiophile reissue they've bought instead...Interesting topic, cheers Dale
Hey Mazzy, wow what an enlightening video. Thank you. I know I've seen the Dynaflex logo on some of my RCA LP's but I can't think which ones. Most of mine are Australian pressings and they do have rather thin & flexible vinyl as you demoed. However they don't carry the Dynaflex logo so I'm not sure if it was used here. But then Australian LP's did become rather thinner across other labels as the 70's gave way to the 80's. Thanks again as these types of videos serve to educate us on forgotten or overlooked aspects of record collecting. Cheers mate 👍😎
Aw! I love Nipper, too. (Please let him know!) I have an orange Dynaflex Space Oddity. I put it on, and yeah, there are a few pops and tics - but it was one of the very first albums I ever bought, I was around 14, so what did I know about record care then? But the doggone album still has an incredible sound and fidelity - great highs and lows - it sounds damn great! The way you were bending that Lou Reed album, I was sure you were gonna pan Dynaflex! Great vid, Mazzy! 👍
I recently had an Elvis dynaflex record snap in half while I cleaning it. Luckily, it wasn't a "special" record. Otherwise, I have tons of great records in this format and have never had problems.
Great video Mazzy. Love seeing this type of content. I'm also in full agreement on Dynaflex, probably have 30+ albums, and all my copies sound fantastic. Stuff like Bowie's Hunky Dory, Ziggy Stardust, Diamond Dogs- I have that Nilsson Schmilsson same color label ( I always thought it was a shade of Tan), sound is superb! And yes, of course, that John Denver LP (and a few more) on Dynaflex. Don't know if you only speak about US Pressings, but would love to hear your take on the Japanese "Ever Clean" Red Vinyl pressings from about '58-'74.
Funny you should bring this up….I’ve got that nilsson schmilsson but I hadn’t heard the controversy. I’ve been circling back and picking up some old favorites. Just got RadioHead’s ‘In Rainbows’ and was shocked at the weight. Must be 210 gram. I’ve never seen a record this heavy. Rig is down so I don’t know how it sounds. I’ve had some trouble with XL Recordings pressings. Crossing fingers🤞
Aloha Mazzy Awesome commentary on dynoflex record albums by RCA. I recall having an URSA MAJOR (1972) record album that I could touch both ends without cracking it, it was so Flexible and thin. Of course I no longer have it, part of my collection I sold on consignment in my friend's record shop in the mid 1980s. Thanks again for another informative video. Looking forward to seeing your next video. Mahalo Ed
Mazzy thanks as always for great insight. I have always considered these as cheaper pressings but your background info really adds context. I think this pressing style spread to other labels, but I am struggling to come up with the trade names. I have a sense no other label promoted it as strongly as RCA. I'm going to look back. Congrats on another great contribution to the vinyl community!
I have had a warped dyna main ingredient record but it’s pretty drastic..probably sun… I agree the format is generally superior …wonder if any chemists can tell us what they put in the formula.. They are especially quiet vinyl…
I have Dynaflex copies of Lou Reed's Sally Can't Dance and Ian Matthew's If You Saw Thro' My Eyes. I enjoy them and they add something unique to my collection. Have you ever done an episode on Quiex Il vinyl from the 80's?
i remember dynaflex well...a huge portion of my elvis collection was dynaflex (the orange label)...i always loved them....they never warped and were far better than most newer pressings today....great video...stay well my friend...stay warm...peace...rocky
i tried to bend my copy of steppenwolf " for ladies only " when i was a wee lad. it exploded. i was picking pieces of vinyl from my bedroom for months.
That was a solid hunk of vinyl! And a great sounding record as well. Still holds up! Don't know why Steppenwolf doesnt get the love and respect they deserve...
You know Mazzy..thanx for making this video fun and entertaing and informative.I was one of the naysayers in the late 70s when I started collecting heard bad stories abpout Dynaflex from other collectors ...and oh maybe in mid 80s started finding them cheap and giving them a listen..so far so good.I have a couple Nilsson and Mike Nesmith and a little bit of Elvis on Dynaflex and they sound good to me and really thats all that counts.Thanx for sharing and take care
My copy of Nilssen Schmilsson on dynaflex has crazy sibilance and anomalies for the first 2 min.Sounds good after that. But the Mofi 45rpm brought tears to my eyes the 1st time I listened to it. But that is like comparing apples and avocados...
O my I thought I was the only anti-flexer in the house! They always seem to have problems for the first few minutes of a side, and that portion of the record always seems raised compared to further in. Including a noisy outer groove.
I have a Mercury 10-inch 78-RPM disc that is slightly thinner than the RCA LP you are displaying. It was pressed in 1954 or 1955 on Bakelite or possibly Vinyl and was extremely flexible. Mercury was known to experiment with various materials and pressing techniques. After pressing 78's on Bakelite and vinyl from 1951 to 1954, Mercury went back to pressing on shellac in 1955. I suppose they figured "Why make records unbreakable? Especially 78 RPM discs? We want customers to adopt 45 RPM discs". Mercury pressed some of their LP's (especially the Wing reissue albums) on Styrene which was known to be somewhat brittle (but inexpensive). Columbia pressed all of their 45 RPM discs on Styrene from 1953 to 1968 (and later). So, you see, Dynaflex was nothing new at the time and had plenty of predecessors.
Exactly John . Mine had a little surface noise but still sounded great . I still say dynaflex came in around 72. Share the land was a little rough to my ears!
Great video. The Bowie you showed is a 1977 or later repress. RCA went to that label in 1977 after using the Tan/gray label for about 4 years.RCA Dynaflex is wayyyyyy better than the orange label Capitol releases
Mazzy You use the word “gorgeous “ to describe a bunch of records but I just purchased one that this word truly and I mean truly describes. It’s Idiot Prayer by Nick Cave. I know you must have it. I am floored listening to this!! Paul
Even though you did I still don't think I'd dare to try and flip flop a Dynaflex should I find one. I don't know that they're easily sought out here in the UK. Those orignal sleeves still look beautiful and minty. I just love those beautiful orange RCA labels. Rolf Harris really has not aged well.
Sorry about the hum. No air conditioning so far here in Seattle. I had my dishwasher running upstairs just above me. Didn’t realize the vibration was transferring 😵💫
Great to see some love for thin records! And of course The Kinks! I’ve a growing suspicion that unless you have a top shelf turntable, the thicker records produces a bit of “cave wall” as if the needle is canoeing through caverns - mulch prefer thinner records - I don’t think there’s any technical reason why they have to be so THICK.
Well howdy Nipper and Mazzy! So what caused the ultimate demise of the dynaflex record? I’ve personally never had a problem with this record type personally.
Love the record, but mine was on full weight (orange label,) RCA. Compare Casady's deep bass to his sound on the dynaflex "Bark", "Long John Silver" etc.
During the holidays I decided to share my Costco German Beer Advent Calendar on Facebook for 24 days. I paired each beer with two classics albums from fifty years ago. I bought a surprising number of classics in 1971 (80). Not sure how I saved up for these as a fifteen-year-old. One of those records was “Bark” which I had not listen to in a long time. I forgot how much I like it. “Pretty As You Feel” is a wonderful groove. It came in a grocery bag covered with Grace Slick drawings which I still have. Though not mentioned on the label, it is Dynaflex on the Grunt label.
@@rickkorab9734 Yes Bark was a big record when it came out. The bag cover was later used in a cheaper flimsier way by Led Zep. Grunt I am sure you know was the Airplane's label, distributed by RCA. There was a radio ad with Grace in a checkout supermarket line someone asks What's in the bag? Grace says 'It's a record, called Bark' etc. Very cool.
Wouldn't it be awesome if the pressing industry could standardize to dynaflex? Having all records the same thickness and weight would be great, but all dynaflex would be amazing. My back would thank them for it.
I am new to your channel and I will say with 100% honesty that the RCA Dynaflex Records are some of the best sounding records in my collection. I have a lot of them but one that really stands out is a album called "The Beat Goes On" by Living Percussion and it is a fantastic recording and it sounds amazing!!!
I just grabbed a clean Lou Reed Rock n roll animal Dynaflex and the Best Buy series from 1980. Sounds fantastic! I was wondering if the Best Buy Series records from the late seventies and eighties sounded good... Yup!!!
I have some Dynaflex and while I don't think they sound any better or worse than a regular vinyl record, my 2015 Bowie box sets blow the original dynaflex pressings out of the water in terms of sound. I love to wobble the Dynaflex though! Jeffy loves you
Thanks, Mazzy, for a great video to cool the waters that the 180-gram flamers have torched. Your copy of American Woman is Dynaflex? I got mine from the Record Club of Canada for $1.99 at the time of release...orange label but pre-Dynaflex. Also still sounds terrific. I digress badly. ;) I remember when Dynaflex was introduced by RCA. Yes, I could not help but do the "wibble-wobble" thing and still do. However, they all sounded great then and were a huge improvement to the relatively noisy surfaces of other pressings (that are still less noisy than a lot of today's releases...shame on them). To add to this, they STILL sound like the day I first played them. A side note though, the only negative thing I noticed is that the stylus will pick up the groove pattern to the groove one revolution ahead. It is very quiet but there, nonetheless. It may be just a Canadian pressing thing as that is where I was living at the time.
My American Woman is a firm orange label . I thought. Dynaflex came about in 72 . Nillsson lp wasn t dynaflex until reissued.Mazzy is very smart but some of those copies weren’t originals !
Hi, Washington UK,in the 80s we had a RCA manufacturing plant they were very thin so my have been dynaflex,all I remember is a lot of bad quality albums.
Grooves aren't that deep. The thickness of the record doesn't matter. The signal is written sideways for the main part. If a groove goes higher or deeper it is about the stereo signal. There are limits to that for the cutting process. One reason to avoid phase shifting. If the cutter goes too deep, beyond the layer, this is expensive damage.
As long as the record is thick enough for the grooves that's all you need. They don't make more shallow grooves depending on the thickness of the record. You could have a 580g record and an 80g record, the Groove depth will be the same
@@crazyprayingmantis5596 is right. The depth of the groove is determined during the cutting of the lacquer, so it doesn’t matter how thick the record is, as long as it still contains the groove. Obviously Dynaflex is thick enough to hold the grooves. If it didn’t it wouldn’t just make the sound quality worse - it just wouldn’t *sound* at all.
That may or not be true, but my flexers have surface noise, a thinner sound especially high end, less body, and just compare the Airplane on Dynaflex to their earlier albums with more weight.
A timely video. I had those two Kinks albums out for a listen over the weekend.I started musing about Dynaflex and was wondering to myself if they were lesser records. I like them. It's good to hear everybody's opinion.Long live Dynaflex!
Bonjour Normand Here in Canada Capitol Records use RCA plans to press there Orange and a first Purple generation label. A lot of my Beatles pressing from that time are RCA Dynaflex and I got noting to complain about those pressing. Recently I bay a Tom Petty album on 180 grams from Amazon the first copy i got was whopping and the second same thing. 180g nice but… you know what I men . So I agree with you . Love your Chanel , Thank to you from André Québec , Canada « sorry for my English I am French » Bye
I have a lot of Dynaflex LPs and every time I take one out to play I can't resist making it wobble, as you were doing. On another note (no pun intended) I noticed how these LPs were encased in the old heavy record jackets, whereas the trend at the time was going toward the European style paperboard sleeves. Ironically the 180-gram LPs made these days are packaged in these thin sleeves. The 180 gram weight isn't necessary. I see no advantage with them over the Dynaflex pressings.
I did a video on Dynaflex years ago and I pretty much agree with your observations - as long as the Dynaflexes were in good condition, they would sound better than most records of the time which used regrind and were noisy... but they don't take abuse well, so a VG would sound worse than a conventional record. I think the Steve Hoffman crowd got Dynagroove conflated with Dyanflex and THAT'S why it got the reputation.
I have a few Dynaflex records. I always thought that my American Woman was the thinnest record I had. It almost felt like something you'd cut off the back of a Sugar Pops box. That said, I loved the record and it played just fine. And, yeh that pale greenish bad pea soup label colour wasn't a great direction for RCA...I kind of thought it made the record look cheap, like it was a knockoff of some kind...or some "specially priced" record.
I recently bought a new reissue of David Bowie’s Alladin Sane on 180 gm vinyl that was remastered with David Bowie’s supervision and after playing it once, traded it off. The sound quality was really shitty. Side one was muddy as hell and Bowie’s voice was lost in the mix. Side two was better but the overall listening experience and sound quality mage me want to use the record for a frisbee! I can’t believe Bowie would allow this remastered version to hit the record stores. I recently vacationed in Palm Springs and found an OG of the record in vg+ condition and the shop was asking $200.00 so covet your copy Mazzy! I didn’t buy it as that was too rich for my blood, but I don’t think it has been reissued until recently, so an original is the only option. Great video! I also tire of people in the vc showing the same records over and over. Full marks for originality!
Very interesting topic. The cynic in me thinks dynaflex was just a way to make something more cheaply, while extolling it as a virtue (as manufacturers are wont to do). And I wonder why, if cheaper to make AND superior, they were discontinued? As I was watching your video, I began to formulate a theory that RCA reserved dyna flex for big artists that had to be paid more, and/or were expected to sell well, in order to squeeze more profit. This theory was dashed when I read on Wikipedia that they issued some records in both dynaflex and conventional versions (and Wikipedia is never wrong right?). An aside: Since we are talking about record construction, why don’t manufacturers screen print and/or encase the label in modern records? This would make it much easier to wash in an immersion machine or otherwise, and I think would be cheaper/less labor intensive (a cost savings that is indeed a virtue).BTW Tie me kangaroo down sport 🤣🤣🤣
I have several rca dynaflex vinyl records, including a collection of the sweet records and their digital versions don't come close to the sound of the old dynaflex. I think they have a characteristic sound, aggressive maybe because of their mastering. Another thing, they are discs manufactured in Brazil by RCA, but the technology is the same.
That was interesting. I think I have a dynaflex album or two. Like I say at the end of my videos. May all your records be flat and may your stylus track true.
Had just been playing Boomerang's LP (featuring Mark Stein of Vanilla Fudge) when I saw you'd posted this video, Mazzy. It's on Dynaflex and it sounds amazing throughout. Same experience with all my Dynaflexes. I think the reason so many 180gm records are warped and sound like shit is because the thickness of the vinyl means they don't cool at a consistent rate when they're pressed, so they end up buckling. Also, because there are so few pressing plants these days, churning out so many records to keep up with demand, the discs get yanked off the presses before they're fully cooled and microscopic bits of the vinyl get left behind. That's where all those nasty pops and crackles are coming from. You only have to see how many fingerprints and surface marks there are on records fresh out of the shrink these days to realise that the people employed in pressing plants do not know how to manufacture or handle vinyl records. It's a lost art. Oh, and another thing: thinner records means I can fit more on my shelves. ☮
Agree. They for these thick records is silly. Makes sone newer buyers thinking If it’s not think it’s not good. I wish that trend would stop. Nice hearing from you !
Thanks for this, Mazzy - I never really knew what Dynaflex was although I have a few albums in that configuration, and I have to say I've never had a problem with the sound quality. Another question - am I the only person who watched this video that was getting a hellishly painful background noise? I had to adjust my headphones so they were only partially over my ears to get rid of it. But other than that, really enjoyable piece on this part of record history...:-)
I love those old Dynaflex records. Your Nipper is very cool too. 🤗♥️
Nipper is always a good dog Melinda ✌🏽
My dynaflex records are some of the best sounding I own. Especially Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust. I still don’t get the 180 gram attraction. Great topic !
180 gram? Just another way to sponge more cash off of us. I actually prefer the sound of the old used vinyl I buy.
I found a copy of Ziggy Stardust in a thrift store and the cover was beat to shite but when I pulled the record it was minty! It was a DynaFlex ✌️😎
I have one too, and agree, it sounds terrific.
RCA was just cutting costs then. The Camden albums stopped having inner sleeves in addition to becoming very thin.
Porter Wagoner records in the 70’s were Dynaflex and I knew they sounded great way back then. He was one of the few C/W guys who put sound quality high on his priority list. He invented the isolated piano, where the harp and strings were in a booth, and the keyboard and player was in the studio, so piano mics wouldn’t pick up the room, and the player could be part of the band. He even invented a studio room where the 20 ceiling was shaped in the form of the roof of a human mouth, steam bent the plywood to form the arch. His music was original and sounded great, still does.
Yeah I have five or six of his and a few with Dolly. So good ✌🏽
love my Nilsson RCA Dynaflex lp's .....thnx Mazzy, appreciate the work you do. wouldn't it be great if you could host a backyard bar-b-que and spin vinyl all day for your 16,000 subscribers !?
Brings back memories of The Guess Who as well as stacking a few records on the turntable!
I love my Dynaflex records. I have many of the same titles you showcased here. When I was a teen in the early 70s, I was at a friend's house, and we were playing records. My friend's father commented that he thought the quality of new records had dropped because they were pressing them with just half the vinyl material. I then proceeded to play a cut from a Dynaflex record (I think it was John Denver's Greatest Hits, but I can't remember exactly) on some new Sennheiser HD414 headphones, and he quickly changed his tune. In fact, he was so surprised by the sound, he yanked off the headphones because he could not believe he was just hearing the headphones. But the room was silent. I remember he said something like, "That's amazing." Not only impressed by the sound quality, but also the ability of these new-fangled "open air" headphones to fool him into thinking that sound was filling the room. For me, the audiophile era had begun. Thanks for posting this video!
Some years ago. I popped into a Brick and Mortar and saw a sealed Nilsson Schmilsson on the wall. I was thrilled. Mint cover and beautiful orange label.
Great Video Mazzy, never had any problem with Dynaflex. Cheers for this! Happy spinning!
I’ve got some Bowie & Mike Nesmith on Dynaflex, they sound fantastic. Very dynamic & urgent.
All
My old Bowie albums are Dynaflex copies, as well as my Lou Reed and my earlier John Denver records. They sound fabulous. Never warped, very little surface noise, nice and rich sounding. Never had a bad one.
You've touched upon something that I've been thinking alot about recently. My copy of Aladdin Sane is on dynaflex and it sounds great. In my opinion 180g and especially 200g vinyl is a gimmick. Some of my best sounding LPs are on lightweight vinyl, like 100g - 120g. Thanks for posting this.
I've digitised a lot of vinyl and to my experience, the thinner LP's sound better. The amount of 180g vinyl I own that sounds quite poor is shocking.
Mazzy, --I have most of the Dynaflex albums you show and agree with your positive assessment. When they first came out my immediate impression was how quiet they played. I never had to return one to the record store due to surface noise. The format should never have been abandoned by RCA, and some version of that formulation should be revived today, IMO. --Also, the Son of Schmillson album was also Dynaflex, but with a black label that said RCA "Victor" and "Orthophonic Recording", and shows Nipper. Pretty cool.
We really need more videos like this in the VC. I see too many videos of people showing the same records and quite frankly it's getting boring. For people that have a lot of experience in music marketing etc...etc should really do more to educate their audience. Great video and I hope to see more like this.
Thank you Zack. I like to mix things up. Always thinking about new ideas based on my collection abs knowledge
You mean you’re tired of Rush and KISS collections?
A well cared for Dynaflex record is perfectly fine. But there is something to be said about 50s-early 60s pressings on thick vinyl with respect to scratches. Since the vinyl of that era is generally thicker, the grooves are deeper in the vinyl and many scratches are above the point where the stylus tracks. So you could have a seemingly beat-up looking record that plays amazingly without very much surface noise at all.
Oh yeah I have a lot of those thick vinyl records, even with a lot of scratches they still sound pretty good and play through without jumping
If you had an eighties record in similar condition it is unplayable
The first RCA dynaflex record I bought was Muswell Hillbillies by The Kinks back in 1972. I’ve been playing the cd version for years, but played the original vinyl for the first time in decades a few weeks back and surprisingly sounded great.
Great topic. RCA Victor was a major player among record companies, responsible for so many innovations in the record industry. Their Vctor accoustic shellac 78's were top quality that still play with little distortion, if handled properly. Victor was acquired by Radio Corporation of America, who was responsible for using Western Electric amplification technology, starting in 1928. Two decades later, RCA developed the 45rpm disc that eventually outdated the 78rpm speed. Extended-play 45's were introduced in 1952. Then came stereophonic recordings in 1958. At first, company product was available in either monaural or stereo, but compatable stereo came along in 1968. There was, of course electronically rechanneled stereo, usually for recordings made prior to 1958. Dynaflex came along in 1969, then quadraphonic recording in 1971. Then the recording industry embraced the compact disc in 1982.
Thanks for the history. Some I knew some I didn’t . Always love comments like this and thank you for watching ✌🏽
Thanks for acknowledging how great that first Lou Reed album. Still have my dynaflex copy.
I’ve never had a problem with a Dynaflex record . . I still own many of them that i bought in early 70s and they sound great
I'm with you. When I play my old dynaflex records they still sound good. I never understood the loathing. I go by ears and my eyes and have no problem enjoying listening to them.
You may be right but I just have a visceral dislike of Dyna- Flex. A lot of the marketing was trying to justify using less vinyl in the wake of the oil shortage. I have a lot of those you showed and have learned to live with them. I once met a guy who worked at a NJ pressing plant in the 60’s etc. He said anything over 140gr is just marketing. But in the final analysis the mastering of the album is probably the most important part. Thanks for sharing and take care.
I've been a major David Bowie fan since discovering the Ziggy album on my older sister's bedroom desk in 1973. I was 7. Bowie is my all time favorite artist. Pretty much happened right then at the jump and as soon as that first song, "Five Years" ended. I knew this was an artist of very high quality and both the music and lyrics overwhelmed in a great way. So, from that point forward, I bought every new Bowie album. Obviously then, I had a lot of experience with Dynaflex LPs in the 70s. *Bought those budget line 80s RCA reissues too, which killed the gatefold and only provided the white paper insert. Still decent anyway though.
I first really took notice of the "Dynaflex" logo, etc. when I got the great DAVID LIVE album in late '74. Back then, as a Rock loving young kid, I didn't know what the hell "Dynaflex" was all about, but it seemed like it was a good thing. I just loved my David Bowie LPs and white cart RCA 8-tracks.
Getting to the point, I'm here to say that I never had an issue with any of those Dynaflex pressings, and I still love 'em now! As far as how the Bowie albums were released here in the US, it was the ORANGE Dynaflex first, from "Space Oddity" (Its 1972 US release) through "Diamond Dogs" and "David Live" ('74)
Then, in 1975, when I got "Young Americans" I noticed this new "TAN" label, which, for me at least, was now the more common and lasted through "Station To Station" and "ChangesOneBowie." ('76) Then, from "Low" ('77)... which also did feature the Tan label nearly as common... through "Scary Monsters" ('80) it became the BLACK RCA center label.
So that's how it went down for me anyway, buying those Dynaflex Bowie records in the 70s.
*The 80s budget line RCA reissues we're "all" Black center labels.
Anyway, thanks for the cool video. Never expected something like this to come up, but I'm glad you did it, Norman! And good on ya for digging Dynaflex!
Marc
✨
P.s. and Nipper is great! Funny, that section of the video when you were talking to him. Nips looks so good for 125! I guess that would be maybe, what, 867 in human years? Who knows, I'm guessing. But love Nipper. We've got three awesome pitties (Coco, Stanley and Betty) and they make every day a joy.
Wow, didn't know anything about Dynaflex. Thank you so much! Love you
My Bowie ziggy stardust dynaflex was the best sounding version in my shootout with the mofi,simply vinyl, and the much hyped 40th anniversary version of the lp.Its one of my favorite lps as you can tell.
During the holidays I decided to share my Costco German Beer Advent Calendar on Facebook for 24 days. I paired each beer with two classics albums from fifty years ago. I bought a surprising number of albums in 1971 (80). Not sure how I saved up for these as a fifteen-year-old. One of those records was “Bark” which I had not listen to in a long time. I forgot how much I like it. “Pretty As You Feel” is a wonderful groove. It came in a grocery bag covered with Grace Slick drawings which I still have. Though not mentioned on the label, it is Dynaflex on the Grunt label.
Yeah I almost pulled several Grunt records for this one ✌🏽
Love that LP ! How about Long John Silver weed storage box cover!
It's great to see you finally got a dawg! I always think of Porter Wagoner when I think of dynoflex. I've never had a problem with those records. You are right the weight thing is a marketing ploy. When I win the lottery and build my pressing plant I'm going to revive the dyno !
Oh yeah I should have shown a couple Porter records. I forgot ✌🏽
Mazzy, My brother.... GREAT Video! Love all the info and education of Dynaflex. Love you man! You are the best!
Ha. Thank you Joey ✌🏽
@@mazzysmusic Keep it up
Have a wonderful day and a awesome week
Shavua Tov
I was also buying "high-end" LPs back-in-the-day = 1960s going forward. I began the last years of the first "Shady dog" RCA LPs, followed by Dynagroove in the later 1960s. There seems to have been a slight drop off in the fidelity (sound quality) during this first "improvement." Then came RCA Dynaflex in the late 1960s. I soon found that almost every new RCA Dynaflex pressed lp I bought didn't play flat, i.e. the discs came out of the shrink wrap a bit warped with the tonearm tracking up and down every revolution. Warped to an extent that the lower weight 3/4 to 1.5 grams high end stereo cartridges wouldn't track, sliding across the discs. I would return the warped disc in exchange for another copy (also being Dynaflex as that was the only RCA type available. Sometimes, I would go through 4-5 copies before finally obtaining a copy that would track. Note: I had high end audiophile stereo equipment - it was not a problem of my equipment. I became a career audio archivist at the Library of Congress and have an excellent grasp of how to accomplish proper playback. As soon as I learned of the inherent problems re. Dynaflex, I began to seek pressings made pre-Dynaflex, becoming an early convert to RCA's "Shady Dog" pressings (1958-1964-ish), also accepting RCA Dynagroove - if recorded pre-1964 [the "golden age of Living sound]." Unfortunately, Dynaflex was the only option available for the then currently recorded discs post 1969. I am not wonky but must have a disc that is playable when purchased new - lps weren't cheap in the 1960s often costing $7.98 which wasn't chicken feed for a college music major - so getting my money's worth wasn't too much to ask.
Having handled/played thousands of LPs - especially 1983-2007 as an audio archivist as the world's largest sound recordings collection - Library of Congress - I feel I have had occasion to play more Dynaflex-era RCA lps than the average record collector. "Nipper" was probably ashamed to even have his picture printed on the Dynaflex label - with the trademark disappearing from the disc l RCA labels at about this time. In addition to the John Denver disc [which appears everywhere - even today at Goodwills, garage sales, etc. - I also found that a Judy Collins disc featuring flowers also challenged Denver for extreme sales. [Happy emoji placed here X]
Oh my god! You're right, Dogs in the music biz tried to organize in the late 60s. They took pride in their work, and Nipper firmly put his paw down with the advent of Dynaflex, famously demanding "Would anybody buy a bone this flimsy!?" He gained control over the use of his image from RCA and they had to remove all 'shady dogs' from the labels. Nipper's last big gig was the cover of "Worst Of Jefferson Airplane" in 1970, a thick disc in a richly textured cover. Nipper's image took up most of the inside gatefold, signaling his discerning and deep passion for music after more than 60 years at "the old Victor label," as he fondly recalled.
I only had one Dynaflex record and that was Bowie’s Man Who Sold The World, it sounded fantastic, it took many remasters and many years to get that sound back. ⚡️
Those lps were every where in the cut -out bins . My copy is on Mercury !!! Live Width of a circle!
@@jackwezesa1081 The Mercury original or the UK orig are way superior to the 1972 reissues on RCA
I had Faces "First Step" Warner Bros label on Dynaflex, about 1973 ish. Somebody borrowed it, never got it back.
I should say "Dynaflex" type vinyl, incredibly thin.
Too bad the original from early 1970 sounds fantastic on green Warner's label. The Rhino Faces box of their LPs from around five years ago sounds really beautiful as well. I think Warner's usedthinner vinyl starting around 74 or so, with oil crisis. One of my favorite bands ever.
I like them. I think it's cool to have different weights of vinyl over the years.
I can confirm:
Judging on what I ever had as of the late 60ies / early 70ies US pressings the Dynaflex were among the best.
And I have quite some annoying modern scratchy sounding, off-center-wailing 180-gram crap.
Like your " tie me kangaroo down" , sounds true blue mate.....I have a dynaflex ,after bathing at Baxters sounds great, good on ya sport! Lol g'day from Melbourne
Original black label kicks ass
I've played Bowie's Diamond Dogs so many times I would have noticed if the sound was not good.
I'm a bit leery of dynaflex. I bought some used records at garage sales that looked great but skipped. That seems to be one down side. If the records were played on a poor turntable then they could be easily scratched. Thankfully many others play just fine. Used to try to emulate the songs by wobbling a dynaflex record in time with whatever was playing on the turntable at that time. (Played Dark Side and wobbled John Denver. LOL)
My Creedence "Mardi Gras" LP is a Dynaflex press. I believe RCA was pressing some of Fantasy's LP's at that time.
Figures, but it is not as deep or rich sounding as their earlier records. Partly that may be due to a few mediocre tracks.
I remember buying Jefferson Airplane's "Bark" and demonstrating Dynaflex to a friend, obviously too vigorously, as the disc shattered in my hands.
Elvis at MSG in 1972 on Dynaflex sounds awesome!!!
I've never had any specific problems with Dynaflex and am happy with the ones I own. I've seen negative comments on forums about them but wonder if that's just people trying to justify the audiophile reissue they've bought instead...Interesting topic, cheers Dale
Hey Mazzy, wow what an enlightening video. Thank you. I know I've seen the Dynaflex logo on some of my RCA LP's but I can't think which ones. Most of mine are Australian pressings and they do have rather thin & flexible vinyl as you demoed. However they don't carry the Dynaflex logo so I'm not sure if it was used here. But then Australian LP's did become rather thinner across other labels as the 70's gave way to the 80's. Thanks again as these types of videos serve to educate us on forgotten or overlooked aspects of record collecting. Cheers mate 👍😎
Aw! I love Nipper, too. (Please let him know!)
I have an orange Dynaflex Space Oddity. I put it on, and yeah, there are a few pops and tics - but it was one of the very first albums I ever bought, I was around 14, so what did I know about record care then? But the doggone album still has an incredible sound and fidelity - great highs and lows - it sounds damn great!
The way you were bending that Lou Reed album, I was sure you were gonna pan Dynaflex! Great vid, Mazzy! 👍
I recently had an Elvis dynaflex record snap in half while I cleaning it. Luckily, it wasn't a "special" record. Otherwise, I have tons of great records in this format and have never had problems.
Great video Mazzy. Love seeing this type of content. I'm also in full agreement on Dynaflex, probably have 30+ albums, and all my copies sound fantastic. Stuff like Bowie's Hunky Dory, Ziggy Stardust, Diamond Dogs- I have that Nilsson Schmilsson same color label ( I always thought it was a shade of Tan), sound is superb! And yes, of course, that John Denver LP (and a few more) on Dynaflex. Don't know if you only speak about US Pressings, but would love to hear your take on the Japanese "Ever Clean" Red Vinyl pressings from about '58-'74.
Funny you should bring this up….I’ve got that nilsson schmilsson but I hadn’t heard the controversy. I’ve been circling back and picking up some old favorites. Just got RadioHead’s ‘In Rainbows’ and was shocked at the weight. Must be 210 gram. I’ve never seen a record this heavy. Rig is down so I don’t know how it sounds. I’ve had some trouble with XL Recordings pressings. Crossing fingers🤞
The 1st Dynaflex LP I came across and owned was Nilsson 'God's Favorite'. But I don't think I saw dynaflex before 1972.
It started in 72.
Aloha Mazzy
Awesome commentary on dynoflex record albums by RCA. I recall having an URSA MAJOR (1972) record album that I could touch both ends without cracking it, it was so Flexible and thin. Of course I no longer have it, part of my collection I sold on consignment in my friend's record shop in the mid 1980s.
Thanks again for another informative video.
Looking forward to seeing your next video.
Mahalo Ed
My Nilsson Schmilsson was a dynaflex and yup, one of the best sounding records I've ever owned.
Mazzy thanks as always for great insight. I have always considered these as cheaper pressings but your background info really adds context. I think this pressing style spread to other labels, but I am struggling to come up with the trade names. I have a sense no other label promoted it as strongly as RCA. I'm going to look back. Congrats on another great contribution to the vinyl community!
I have had a warped dyna main ingredient record but it’s pretty drastic..probably sun…
I agree the format is generally superior …wonder if any chemists can tell us what they put in the formula..
They are especially quiet vinyl…
I have Dynaflex copies of Lou Reed's Sally Can't Dance and Ian Matthew's If You Saw Thro' My Eyes. I enjoy them and they add something unique to my collection. Have you ever done an episode on Quiex Il vinyl from the 80's?
Sally can’t dance is so rare . I haven ‘t seen it since 74 !!
@@jackwezesa1081 I found it for $12.00 at my local vinyl shop last year. In very good shape for it's age. Kill Your Sons is one of Lou's best songs.
I had (i Still habe them) some great dynaflex Stuff From back then! They Sound great! No matter what people say! Great video
i remember dynaflex well...a huge portion of my elvis collection was dynaflex (the orange label)...i always loved them....they never warped and were far better than most newer pressings today....great video...stay well my friend...stay warm...peace...rocky
Thanks! I was very against it when I first encountered Dynaflex. My mind is changed.
Glad to hear it ✌🏼
Your videos are wonderful. Love you Mazzy.
i tried to bend my copy of steppenwolf " for ladies only " when i was a wee lad. it exploded. i was picking pieces of vinyl from my bedroom for months.
That was a solid hunk of vinyl! And a great sounding record as well. Still holds up! Don't know why Steppenwolf doesnt get the love and respect they deserve...
You know Mazzy..thanx for making this video fun and entertaing and informative.I was one of the naysayers in the late 70s when I started collecting heard bad stories abpout Dynaflex from other collectors ...and oh maybe in mid 80s started finding them cheap and giving them a listen..so far so good.I have a couple Nilsson and Mike Nesmith and a little bit of Elvis on Dynaflex and they sound good to me and really thats all that counts.Thanx for sharing and take care
My copy of Nilssen Schmilsson on dynaflex has crazy sibilance and anomalies for the first 2 min.Sounds good after that. But the Mofi 45rpm brought tears to my eyes the 1st time I listened to it. But that is like comparing apples and avocados...
O my I thought I was the only anti-flexer in the house! They always seem to have problems for the first few minutes of a side, and that portion of the record always seems raised compared to further in. Including a noisy outer groove.
I have a Mercury 10-inch 78-RPM disc that is slightly thinner than the RCA LP you are displaying. It was pressed in 1954 or 1955 on Bakelite or possibly Vinyl and was extremely flexible. Mercury was known to experiment with various materials and pressing techniques. After pressing 78's on Bakelite and vinyl from 1951 to 1954, Mercury went back to pressing on shellac in 1955. I suppose they figured "Why make records unbreakable? Especially 78 RPM discs? We want customers to adopt 45 RPM discs". Mercury pressed some of their LP's (especially the Wing reissue albums) on Styrene which was known to be somewhat brittle (but inexpensive). Columbia pressed all of their 45 RPM discs on Styrene from 1953 to 1968 (and later). So, you see, Dynaflex was nothing new at the time and had plenty of predecessors.
My original American woman was on heavier vinyl. Share the Land from 71 was on Dynoflex.
Exactly John . Mine had a little surface noise but still sounded great . I still say dynaflex came in around 72. Share the land was a little rough to my ears!
Great dynaflex vid. I have always thought they sounded great. Love the shirt!😀
This literally came up the same day I picked up Transformer, and sure enough it’s a Dynaflex 👍
Hahahahahaaa!!! "Wanna go for a walk puppy?" Legend. Love you MAZZY-MAN.
I have a bunch of DynaFlex Elvis LPs from the early 70s. Never a problem.
🐶🐄 sit
Great video. The Bowie you showed is a 1977 or later repress. RCA went to that label in 1977 after using the Tan/gray label for about 4 years.RCA Dynaflex is wayyyyyy better than the orange label Capitol releases
Yeah but that is comparing two poor eras for each label. The orange RCA was used through '74.
Mazzy
You use the word “gorgeous “ to describe a bunch of records but I just purchased one that this word truly and I mean truly describes. It’s Idiot Prayer by Nick Cave. I know you must have it. I am floored listening to this!!
Paul
Another informative video, well done. Now I need to go check out my vinyl to see if I have any... ok, go take Nipper for his walk. 🐶
Even though you did I still don't think I'd dare to try and flip flop a Dynaflex should I find one. I don't know that they're easily sought out here in the UK. Those orignal sleeves still look beautiful and minty. I just love those beautiful orange RCA labels. Rolf Harris really has not aged well.
I'd dare to see how far they fly.
Ahh yes, your right Norman Dynaflex records sound great. Nice & quiet!
I wish I could say the same about your air conditioning, though!
Sorry about the hum. No air conditioning so far here in Seattle. I had my dishwasher running upstairs just above me. Didn’t realize the vibration was transferring 😵💫
Got a chet atkins dynaflex record I believe from 72 if I remember correctly it has the RCA baby blue label it doesn't sound bad at all
Camden ? Elvis had some.
Great to see some love for thin records! And of course The Kinks! I’ve a growing suspicion that unless you have a top shelf turntable, the thicker records produces a bit of “cave wall” as if the needle is canoeing through caverns - mulch prefer thinner records - I don’t think there’s any technical reason why they have to be so THICK.
Well howdy Nipper and Mazzy! So what caused the ultimate demise of the dynaflex record? I’ve personally never had a problem with this record type personally.
I see I'm not the only one who can't resist wiggling a thin record...
I can't. In fact I'm off to do it now!
Love my Dynaflex Blows Against The Empire.
Love the record, but mine was on full weight (orange label,) RCA. Compare Casady's deep bass to his sound on the dynaflex "Bark", "Long John Silver" etc.
During the holidays I decided to share my Costco German Beer Advent Calendar on Facebook for 24 days. I paired each beer with two classics albums from fifty years ago. I bought a surprising number of classics in 1971 (80). Not sure how I saved up for these as a fifteen-year-old. One of those records was “Bark” which I had not listen to in a long time. I forgot how much I like it. “Pretty As You Feel” is a wonderful groove. It came in a grocery bag covered with Grace Slick drawings which I still have. Though not mentioned on the label, it is Dynaflex on the Grunt label.
@@rickkorab9734 Yes Bark was a big record when it came out. The bag cover was later used in a cheaper flimsier way by Led Zep. Grunt I am sure you know was the Airplane's label, distributed by RCA. There was a radio ad with Grace in a checkout supermarket line someone asks What's in the bag? Grace says 'It's a record, called Bark' etc. Very cool.
Wouldn't it be awesome if the pressing industry could standardize to dynaflex? Having all records the same thickness and weight would be great, but all dynaflex would be amazing. My back would thank them for it.
I am new to your channel and I will say with 100% honesty that the RCA Dynaflex Records are some of the best sounding records in my collection. I have a lot of them but one that really stands out is a album called "The Beat Goes On" by Living Percussion and it is a fantastic recording and it sounds amazing!!!
Totally agree ✌🏽
I just grabbed a clean Lou Reed Rock n roll animal Dynaflex and the Best Buy series from 1980. Sounds fantastic! I was wondering if the Best Buy Series records from the late seventies and eighties sounded good... Yup!!!
I have some Dynaflex and while I don't think they sound any better or worse than a regular vinyl record, my 2015 Bowie box sets blow the original dynaflex pressings out of the water in terms of sound.
I love to wobble the Dynaflex though!
Jeffy loves you
Thanks, Mazzy, for a great video to cool the waters that the 180-gram flamers have torched. Your copy of American Woman is Dynaflex? I got mine from the Record Club of Canada for $1.99 at the time of release...orange label but pre-Dynaflex. Also still sounds terrific. I digress badly. ;) I remember when Dynaflex was introduced by RCA.
Yes, I could not help but do the "wibble-wobble" thing and still do. However, they all sounded great then and were a huge improvement to the relatively noisy surfaces of other pressings (that are still less noisy than a lot of today's releases...shame on them). To add to this, they STILL sound like the day I first played them. A side note though, the only negative thing I noticed is that the stylus will pick up the groove pattern to the groove one revolution ahead. It is very quiet but there, nonetheless. It may be just a Canadian pressing thing as that is where I was living at the time.
No I noticed that too especially during the first few minutes of a side!
My American Woman is a firm orange label . I thought. Dynaflex came about in 72 . Nillsson lp wasn t dynaflex until reissued.Mazzy is very smart but some of those copies weren’t originals !
Hi, Washington UK,in the 80s we had a RCA manufacturing plant they were very thin so my have been dynaflex,all I remember is a lot of bad quality albums.
My Jefferson Airplane Takes Off is on dynaflex, and it sounds fantastic. I have a few others, but that one really sticks out since it's a favorite
Doesn’t the depth of the groove affect the sound?
A thinner record isn’t as deep, is it?
Maybe I’m wrong….
Grooves aren't that deep. The thickness of the record doesn't matter.
The signal is written sideways for the main part.
If a groove goes higher or deeper it is about the stereo signal.
There are limits to that for the cutting process.
One reason to avoid phase shifting.
If the cutter goes too deep, beyond the layer, this is expensive damage.
As long as the record is thick enough for the grooves that's all you need.
They don't make more shallow grooves depending on the thickness of the record.
You could have a 580g record and an 80g record, the Groove depth will be the same
@@crazyprayingmantis5596 is right. The depth of the groove is determined during the cutting of the lacquer, so it doesn’t matter how thick the record is, as long as it still contains the groove. Obviously Dynaflex is thick enough to hold the grooves. If it didn’t it wouldn’t just make the sound quality worse - it just wouldn’t *sound* at all.
That may or not be true, but my flexers have surface noise, a thinner sound especially high end, less body, and just compare the Airplane on Dynaflex to their earlier albums with more weight.
A timely video. I had those two Kinks albums out for a listen over the weekend.I started musing about Dynaflex and was wondering to myself if they were lesser records. I like them. It's good to hear everybody's opinion.Long live Dynaflex!
Bonjour Normand
Here in Canada Capitol Records use RCA plans to press there Orange and a first Purple generation label. A lot of my Beatles pressing from that time are RCA Dynaflex and I got noting to complain about those pressing. Recently I bay a Tom Petty album on 180 grams from Amazon the first copy i got was whopping and the second same thing. 180g nice but… you know what I men . So I agree with you . Love your Chanel , Thank to you from André Québec , Canada « sorry for my English I am French » Bye
I have a lot of Dynaflex LPs and every time I take one out to play I can't resist making it wobble, as you were doing. On another note (no pun intended) I noticed how these LPs were encased in the old heavy record jackets, whereas the trend at the time was going toward the European style paperboard sleeves. Ironically the 180-gram LPs made these days are packaged in these thin sleeves. The 180 gram weight isn't necessary. I see no advantage with them over the Dynaflex pressings.
I did a video on Dynaflex years ago and I pretty much agree with your observations - as long as the Dynaflexes were in good condition, they would sound better than most records of the time which used regrind and were noisy... but they don't take abuse well, so a VG would sound worse than a conventional record. I think the Steve Hoffman crowd got Dynagroove conflated with Dyanflex and THAT'S why it got the reputation.
You are quite right, there was quite a bit of confusion between Dynagroove and Dunaflex.
I have a few Dynaflex records. I always thought that my American Woman was the thinnest record I had. It almost felt like something you'd cut off the back of a Sugar Pops box. That said, I loved the record and it played just fine. And, yeh that pale greenish bad pea soup label colour wasn't a great direction for RCA...I kind of thought it made the record look cheap, like it was a knockoff of some kind...or some "specially priced" record.
Thats a reissue on dynaflex. Original is heavy orange
I recently bought a new reissue of David Bowie’s Alladin Sane on 180 gm vinyl that was remastered with David Bowie’s supervision and after playing it once, traded it off. The sound quality was really shitty. Side one was muddy as hell and Bowie’s voice was lost in the mix. Side two was better but the overall listening experience and sound quality mage me want to use the record for a frisbee! I can’t believe Bowie would allow this remastered version to hit the record stores. I recently vacationed in Palm Springs and found an OG of the record in vg+ condition and the shop was asking $200.00 so covet your copy Mazzy! I didn’t buy it as that was too rich for my blood, but I don’t think it has been reissued until recently, so an original is the only option. Great video! I also tire of people in the vc showing the same records over and over. Full marks for originality!
Very interesting topic. The cynic in me thinks dynaflex was just a way to make something more cheaply, while extolling it as a virtue (as manufacturers are wont to do). And I wonder why, if cheaper to make AND superior, they were discontinued? As I was watching your video, I began to formulate a theory that RCA reserved dyna flex for big artists that had to be paid more, and/or were expected to sell well, in order to squeeze more profit. This theory was dashed when I read on Wikipedia that they issued some records in both dynaflex and conventional versions (and Wikipedia is never wrong right?). An aside: Since we are talking about record construction, why don’t manufacturers screen print and/or encase the label in modern records? This would make it much easier to wash in an immersion machine or otherwise, and I think would be cheaper/less labor intensive (a cost savings that is indeed a virtue).BTW Tie me kangaroo down sport 🤣🤣🤣
I know of no Dynaflex records from before '71. The cardboard covers got cheesier too. Spines quickly became worn and mangled and printing off-center.
I believe they are more scratch resistant than 60’s vinyl
Stunty talks about less vinyl being better.
I have several rca dynaflex vinyl records, including a collection of the sweet records and their digital versions don't come close to the sound of the old dynaflex. I think they have a characteristic sound, aggressive maybe because of their mastering. Another thing, they are discs manufactured in Brazil by RCA, but the technology is the same.
Time tells the truth. ❤
I love my Dynaflex records too
That was interesting. I think I have a dynaflex album or two. Like I say at the end of my videos. May all your records be flat and may your stylus track true.
Lots of great sounding quiet lps on thin vinyl. In this case size doesn't matter - QC does!
Great video ! I have many Dynaflex (orange label)....Elvis Presley of course! 🇸🇪🇸🇪🇸🇪
You have any Camden Presley's? How do they sound?
Dynaflex is clearly superior because you can make it do a 'wakka wakka wakka' sound in your hands.
Had just been playing Boomerang's LP (featuring Mark Stein of Vanilla Fudge) when I saw you'd posted this video, Mazzy. It's on Dynaflex and it sounds amazing throughout. Same experience with all my Dynaflexes. I think the reason so many 180gm records are warped and sound like shit is because the thickness of the vinyl means they don't cool at a consistent rate when they're pressed, so they end up buckling. Also, because there are so few pressing plants these days, churning out so many records to keep up with demand, the discs get yanked off the presses before they're fully cooled and microscopic bits of the vinyl get left behind. That's where all those nasty pops and crackles are coming from. You only have to see how many fingerprints and surface marks there are on records fresh out of the shrink these days to realise that the people employed in pressing plants do not know how to manufacture or handle vinyl records. It's a lost art. Oh, and another thing: thinner records means I can fit more on my shelves. ☮
Agree. They for these thick records is silly. Makes sone newer buyers thinking If it’s not think it’s not good. I wish that trend would stop.
Nice hearing from you !
Thanks for this, Mazzy - I never really knew what Dynaflex was although I have a few albums in that configuration, and I have to say I've never had a problem with the sound quality. Another question - am I the only person who watched this video that was getting a hellishly painful background noise? I had to adjust my headphones so they were only partially over my ears to get rid of it. But other than that, really enjoyable piece on this part of record history...:-)
Your headphones heard my dishwasher on right above me. Sorry. 🥺
No it was filmed on Dynaflex!
@@mazzysmusic Ha! I figured it was your washing machine or dryer! ;-)
Love your t-shirt. I want one. BTW you have a background hum going on you might want to look into. Regardless enjoyed the subject matter.
The hum this time was my dishwasher running right above me 🥺
Being retro, records should be in traditional weights such as 4, 5 and 6 ounces.
I totally concur. I love all my singles in the two palm format, and long-players in the three palm format.