Hello and Welcome Back... What Are 'Target' CDs & Are They Only Found In Target (Shopping Store)?
If you look at the CD above, you will notice that, at 12, 3, 6, & 9 o'clock, there are markings that look like cross-hairs or scope of a 'Target'... This is how the 'Target' CD gets its name...
But what makes these CDs so special, is it the pretty colours??
Regular visitors to my Electronic80s site (this site) will know i love first issue CDs, especially Japanese CD's... Its all about sound quality...
Target CDs are First Issue CDs often manufactured in West Germany or sometimes Japan and are of the 'Warner, Elektra & Atlantic' record company's... You can also find Target CDs made in France and South Korea as well..
The Target CD will have often smooth rounded edges and the metal layer goes right to the center of the disc. (Older CDs have plastic centers)...
Why does this make a difference?
If you take a CD bought today and hold it up to a light, more often than not, you can see right though it, where as the Target CD, has a thick coating with pretty colours, so you can imagine a laser reading a CD, with new cheap CDs, the laser goes right though the disc while reading the source, where as the Target CD, the laser light doesn't, sending the strong signal back to the reader, and thus, a better sound..
Another reason why the Target CD is highly collectable (apart from being 35-40years old) is for their 'full natural' transfers of the original masters of the recording and not the re-mastered CDs of the last 15-20 years that have been part of the 'loudness wars' which adversely affects the dynamic range of the original recording by making it sound louder.
So again, its all about sound.. getting the best possible sound from your music collection...
And to make the situation even worse, they also have 'Half Target' CDs (Markings at 3 & 9 o'clock), 3/4 'Target with 2 squares missing at 9 0'clock, 1/4 'Target' CDs with 2 markings at 3 o'clock and 'Pre-Target' which are early Japanese CDs that were later made into target CDs..
I need to lay down and listen to a CD, but which one, Japan First Issue, Target, half target, 3/4 target, Atom/Atomic, Black Triangle, Vertigo Swirl..???.. I Have A Headache...
So, During the coming week, i will post some 'Target', 'Atomic' & 'Vertigo Swirl' CDs for your enjoyment...
An Atomic Atom CD (pic above)
A Vertigo Swirl CD (pic above)
Black Triangle CD (Pic Above)
And you thought all CDs were the same... You have to remember, in the early 80s when CDs first came out, it was a big thing, cutting edge technology, so making CDs unique and interesting got more people buying huge sound systems to hear this 'Latest Technology'
It was exciting times...
LINKS
https://musicbrainz.org/series/fde50487-6572-4fc8-94ec-9832cc977849
http://www.thetargetcdcollection.com/
http://www.keithhirsch.com/target-cds
Now, Back To The Music...
#targetcd
#target
#blacktriangle
#vertigoswirl
#mercuryatomic
#mercuryatom
#80scds
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