What is a vinyl dubplate?
Traditional dubplates are aluminium discs with a nitrocellulose lacquer coating (sometimes called "acetate") used by studios and DJs as a reference copy to test music before duplication, or to serve as an exclusive one-off cut of a recording.
Master lacquer discs are cut using the same process as a traditional dubplate, but rather than being used as a reference disc they are instead the first step in a complicated electroplating process which forms the stampers used to press vinyl records in bulk.
Vinyl dubplates are a more recent development and are made using a very similar cutting process to that of master lacquers or traditional dubplates, with the main practical differences being the material of the blank disc and the durability of the final product.
In general, lacquer discs are extremely fragile while vinyl dubplates are as durable as a regular pressed record.
What do they sound like?
On our Soundcloud page (https://soundcloud.com/dubliminal-records/sets/10-dubplates) we have a playlist of clips with unprocessed audio recorded directly from each dubplate using a Technics 1210 turntable, an Audio Technica AT-3600L cartridge, and a Roland SP-404MKII. Outside of differences with your equipment or minor inconsistencies between each copy, what you hear is what you get.
Why are they expensive?
Each dubplate is hand-made; cut individually in real time by experienced mastering engineers using specialist skills and equipment.
Considering materials, set up, quality control, hand stamping, packaging, shipping, and everything that goes in to preparing the music itself, there is in fact not much profit despite the seemingly high retail price.
The dubplate I want is sold out, will you make more copies?
Probably. We won't make hundreds of copies of a dubplate - that's what pressings are for - but we want to get the music out there. Hold tight.
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