Acoustic Sounds
Onyx Record Press
By: Michael Fremer

December 25th, 2023

Category:

Factory Tours

Visit "Boutique" Onyx Record Press In Arcadia, CA

watch a press being "fired up" and pressing the morning's first record

Note: This is a revised video necessitated because proprietary hardware and software was inadvertently presented. Both have now been either blurred or edited out.

At the beginning of December while in Los Angeles to attend the 30th anniversary Los Angeles and Orange County Audiophile Society GALA, where every year I "roast" the Founder's Award winner (this year it was AudioQuest's Bill Low), I received an invitation from a publicist to visit Gil Tamazyan at his new "boutique" pressing plant in Arcadia, California.

John AtkinsonPhoto of John Atkinson, Bill Low and Michael Fremer by Dr. David Robinson taken at the LA & OC board of director's dinner the evening before the "roast".

At first I hesitated. I've already visited pressing plants around the world (and posted videos here and at my previous endeavor's YouTube Channel) so what more was there to see? Well, I'm glad I went because as you'll see and hear Mr. Tamazyan has a fascinating story to tell about his decades' long involvement in record pressing. Onyx opened Spring of 2023 and by late summer began pressing records on its new Pheenix Alpha press. Onyx currently has but one press. However, a second is on the way. This turned into a unique opportunity to watch a man and his pressing machine from "waking it up" in the morning to pressing the day's first record—something you don't see during big pressing plant tours. I hope you find it as fascinating as I did!

Comments

  • 2023-12-20 11:48:30 PM

    Jonti Davies wrote:

    Fascinating stuff, thanks Michael and Gil!

    Must admit I had no idea labels had to be baked - thought that was just the artists. ;)

  • 2023-12-21 11:49:41 AM

    Gary Saluti wrote:

    Way cool. Thanks Michael!

  • 2023-12-21 12:06:25 PM

    Gary Saluti wrote:

    So, are the records just made of pure PVC nothing else? You hear so much about additives.

    • 2023-12-21 07:37:46 PM

      Michael Fremer wrote:

      PVC is the starter ingredient but records can't be pressed using just it. The formulation includes plasticizers and other substances to keep the vinyl supple and allow it to be easily removed from the press.

  • 2023-12-21 06:20:09 PM

    Stephan Holzloehner wrote:

    There is a pleasant atmosphere of shared enthusisam!

  • 2023-12-26 06:29:17 PM

    MatzeW aka audiophile_berlin wrote:

    Very cool Video and awesome gear. Thx

  • 2023-12-27 05:11:52 PM

    Matthew Williams wrote:

    I'm ready to win this!

  • 2023-12-28 04:46:01 AM

    Jeffrey C. Robbins wrote:

    The edits did not detract at all from a most interesting video! Thanks for sharing, Michael. JCR