What is an acetate?

[The Seeker of Good Songs]

and what is the significance of them?

[beau]

This link (http://www.madonnacatalog.com/guides/acetate.htm) to a Madonna collectors page explains it in great detail.

The following is a more succinct explanation I found with the help of Google: "An acetate is a transitional stage between the master tape and the finished vinyl record. It is metal plate covered in a layer of acetone. Very few are made and they are distributed to people directly involved with the recording in order that they can approve the sound before the record is cut."

I've been told that the blank acetates cost $50 each and the last Morrissey acetate was "Boxers".

[The Seeker of Good Songs]

This link (http://www.madonnacatalog.com/guides/acetate.htm) to a Madonna collectors page explains it in great detail.

The following is a more succinct explanation I found with the help of Google: "An acetate is a transitional stage between the master tape and the finished vinyl record. It is metal plate covered in a layer of acetone. Very few are made and they are distributed to people directly involved with the recording in order that they can approve the sound before the record is cut."

I've been told that the blank acetates cost $50 each and the last Morrissey acetate was "Boxers".


I thought it was something like that. So a "CD" never could be an acetate.
The reason I asked was because I saw some eBay auctions for acetates that are CDs.

http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dll?from=R40&_trksid=m37&satitle=depeche+mode+acetate&category0=

[beau]

From the same website (http://www.collectorshelp.com/popups/cdacetate.htm) I got the abbreviated explanation of an acetate in my above post:

"When mastering to CD, the Recordable CD (CDR) is used in a similar way to acetates, with the sound being checked from a CDR.

In the early days of the CD some dealers sold these CDRs for very high prices and referred to then as "CD Acetates". The ease with which they are forged has killed the market for rare CDRs and the term CD Acetate is no longer widely used."

[Not Right in the Head]

I've been told that the blank acetates cost $50 each and the last Morrissey acetate was "Boxers".

I've always wondered why acetates were used for test pressings, instead of regular vinyl, especially if they're $50 a pop. Wouldn't vinyl be just as good for judging the quality of the mastering?

[beau]

It would be like firing up the Campbell's Soup factory to make one can of experimental soup.

You need to make an acetate to make a test pressing. You can make an acetate at the studio with an acetate lathe.

To make a vinyl test pressing you have to make an acetate, cover it in silver, electroplate it in nickel, make a master, which is then used to make a mother, which is then used to make stampers, which is then used to make a test pressing.

[mrmorrissey1]

good job Beau, coudnt have said it better myself !! looks like you've done your homework on this subject aswell .