This tracks with what I've read, heard and seen with European Decca and USA London versions of the same release. Not the case with Decca recordings released by RCA and later released by Decca. RCA would master and press these in the US and usually the Decca pressings from Europe are quieter if less dynamic. Also, one of those Phase 4 websites mentioned USA and Canada printed sleeves. I think Decca did this because the cost of printing a gatefold sleeve of thick cardboard would have been much less in the US or Canada. Most if not all of the London Jubilee discount reissues of the "golden age" recordings I have are in sleeves made in Canada. I don't have any factual reporting to back this up, but the process I would think occured was that Decca pressed the records and put them in the patented lined inner sleeves in England and these were batch-shipped to places around the world where they were sleeved and shrink-wrapped and re-boxed for distribution to the retail channels. -- Tom Fine ----- Original Message ----- From: "Goran Finnberg" <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Monday, June 22, 2009 6:11 AM Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] Decca/London phase 4 stereo series > Terence: > >> Interestingly I have read that the >> Decca phase 4 records are preferred >> to the London pressings for sound quality. > > When I have spoken to DECCA about this, John Dunkerly is one source, they > were adamant that London and DECCA pressings were all done in England thus > exactly the same. > > In rare cases a master tape copy was used for a foreign release but in most > cases pressing stampers were sent if there was a need for a swift release. > > I have compared the matrix numbers on many London releases with their DECCA > releases and they are the same so far after more than a few hundred > comparisons so far during some 35 years of listening and looking and I > cannot hear any difference. > > The reason given for doing it this way was for keeping the quality up. > > DECCA always used the original edited master tape as the source for the > Neumann cutter as they felt that the quality loss from using a copy tape was > not acceptable at all to them. > > > -- > > Best regards, > > Goran Finnberg > The Mastering Room AB > Goteborg > Sweden > > E-mail: [log in to unmask] > > Learn from the mistakes of others, you can never live long enough to > make them all yourself. - John Luther >