DUB PLATE

An acetate disc or dubplate  is a physical medium onto which sound can be recorded mechanically.  Acetates are typically produced from a master tape recording. Acetates are also used for testing the quality of the tape-to-disc transfer. A typical acetate disc is an aluminum disc, 10 or 12 inches in diameter, that is covered with a thin coating of nitrocellulose lacquer in which the sound groove is cut.

These discs can be played on any normal turntable.  Often these discs are used in mastering studios for quality control and to test recordings before proceeding with the final master, and subsequent pressing of the record to be mass produced on vinyl.  Dubplates come in  10 and 12 inch sizes. The "dub" in dubplate is an allusion to the plate's use in "dubbing" or "doubling" the original version of a track. The name dubplate also refers to an exclusive, 'one-off' acetate disc recording pioneered by Reggae sound systems but also used in the drum n bass scene and by  other dance music artists, dj’s and soundsystems.

These dubplates will often be either unreleased recordings (which may or may not end up being made available to the general public) or exclusive versions or remixes of existing recordings. They are often used as a market research tool to assess the probable sales of a tune once it's released, as they are far cheaper to produce than a pressed vinyl record.

Vinyl dubplates are a recently-developed format which allow extremely durable recordings to be made (lasting 90% as long as pressed vinyl) and are more suited to cases where no release is imminent, or the release date is a long time away.  Cutting vinyl as apposed to lacquer or acetate can prove to be difficult on cutter heads and shortens the life of the saphire/diamond cutting stylist significantly.

ANALOG

Sound or soundwaves can be described as mechanical vibrations that cause continuous fluctuations in air pressure.  In order for these waves to propagate, they must have a medium to travel through that is in a solid, gas or liquid state.  As soundwaves travel through air, they enter the ear canal where the fluctuations of pressure cause the tympanic membrane (ear drum) to vibrate. These vibrations then in turn move the hammer, the anvil and then the stirrup.  The mechanical movements  are translated to changes in fluid pressure that send nerve impulses to the brain.  The brain receives this electrical information and can recognize it as distinct sounds. 

 One of the most remarkable things about this process is that it is completely mechanical.  When we compare analog recording technology and how the ear works we quickly realize that they are in fact very similar. While the ear “hears” and then processes the information as sound for the brain to understand, an analog recording is the continuous variation of physical quantities in a medium like electromagnetic tape or vinyl.  The only difference is that one stores sound and the other processes it. 

Because of these similarities it is arguable that vinyl is the purest form of sound reproduction.  The importance of music and art in our lives cannot be understated and therefore must be taken seriously.  As DJ’s we are obligated to bring to the people the very best in sound. 
Press-n-play Records will continue to provide this quality through the preservation of analog recording technology thereby maintaining sound integrity.