Dark Side of the Moon

An Examination of the First Japanese CD Pressings

By Vernon Fitch

Gerlitz , Christian Anderson, Yasujiro , Anatoliy Ashmyanskiy , Keith Hirsch, and Bert van Kalker. With contributions from Hans, Christian Anderson,, Keith Hirsch, and Bert van Kalker.

*** © copyright Vernon Fitch / The Pink Floyd Archives ***

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In June 1983, the Pink Floyd album Dark Side of the Moon was put onto compact disc for the first time. These early digital pressings of the album were made in the Shizuoka Prefecture of Japan by CBS/Sony Records, Inc. of Japan at one of the first CD pressing plants in the world. Still regarded by audiophiles as one of the best sounding copies of Dark Side of the Moon on CD, this document is a look at these early Japanese pressings.

As a means of comparison, I have I've divided the releases into these six categories:



1) 1983 - The First Pressings

2) 1984 - Early Second Year Pressings

3) 1984/1985 – Late Second & Third Year Pressings

4) 1985 - The First Toshiba-EMI Pressings

5) late 1985 - The Final CBS/Sony Pressing

6) 1986 - The Toshiba-EMI Pressing of the First EMI Mastering

7) 1986-1989 – Later Toshiba-EMI Pressings

1983 – The First Pressings

The first Japanese pressings of Dark Side of the Moon on CD were released in Japan by Toshiba-EMI Records with a catalog number of CP35-3017. Seeing as Toshiba-EMI Records did not have a pressing plant in operation yet (it would be a couple of years before they would open their first CD manufacturing plant), these compact discs were pressed for them by CBS/Sony Records Inc. of Japan. Nonetheless, the labels of the CDs have “Mfd. By Toshiba-EMI Ltd. In Japan” on them as they were Toshiba-EMI Records releases. The very first pressings of the CD were released in Japan in June of 1983.

► The Cover

1983 Dark Side of the Moon CD front cover with obi

Front cover: The front cover of the CD consisted of the album cover inside a plastic jewel case, with a Japanese obi wrapped around the left side of the case. The album cover was printed on the front page of a 24-page booklet that was inserted behind the clear plastic cover of a jewel CD case. The picture on the cover was black, with a prism in the center refracting light. In the top right corner is the catalog number, CP35-3017. In the bottom right corner is the “COMPACT disc DIGITAL AUDIO” logo.

Left Right

1983 spines of the Dark Side of the Moon CD cover

Cover spine: The spines of the CD cover are what is read when the CD sits on a shelf. The left spine, which was initially covered by the obi, was yellow and has a red/green color code at the top, the catalog number, the album name, the band name, and EMI with Japanese text at the bottom. The right spine is similar, but with the band name and album title in Japanese.

Left spine of the Dark Side of the Moon CD cover in an off white color

Numerous copies of these early issues have been found with an off white color on the left spine, and a red/blue color code at the top (see above). It is believed that this may be due to the fading of the yellow on the spine over the years.

1983 Dark Side of the Moon CD back cover

Back cover: The back cover of the CD was black with an inverted prism refracting light. At the top were the names of the songs in both Japanese and English. Under the prism are the EMI and Harvest logos, “STEREO,” “DIGITAL MASTERING,” “EMI,” “MADE IN JAPAN, followed by the price (Y3,500). Japanese text at the bottom talks about the release. In the lower right corner is the “COMPACT disc DIGITAL AUDIO” logo.

1983 Dark Side of the Moon CD back cover inlay without perforations at fold line

Back cover inlay: The back cover is an inlay that fits into the jewel case underneath the CD tray. It consists of a rectangular piece of heavy paper onto which is printed the back cover, with the two spines on each side. Where the spines connect with the back cover there is a right-angle fold. This allows the cover spines to be seen through the sides of the jewel case. On the 1983 issues, there were no perforations along the fold lines of the back cover insert.

► The obi

1983 Dark Side of the Moon CD obi with square corners

The obi: Wrapped around the left side of the outside of the jewel case was an obi. The obi that came with early releases of Dark Side of the Moon was silver/gray in color, with square corners.

What is an obi? The obi is a curious Japanese feature that consists of a heavy paper strip that covers a portion of the front cover, the spine, and a portion of the back of the CD case. The obi is used to provide the consumer with information about the album in Japanese. Information on the obi includes the name of the artist, the title of the album, the price of the CD, and additional release information such as digital mastering, etc. The obi, which are named after the sash worn with a Japanese kimono, is very collectible and copies of the CD that include an obi has added value.

Front: On the front at the top is the “COMPACT disc DIGITAL AUDIO” logo, and the catalog number. Below the catalog number is the name of the band in Japanese on the left, and album title in Japanese to the right of it (the two white Japanese characters (kyouki) of the title can also be translated as: “Madness,” “Insanity,” or “Lunatic Mind.”) Down the right side (underneath the white dot), is a quote in Japanese by Edgard Varese that says: “Music is the organic matter of sound.” At the bottom of the front is the EMI logo, DIGITAL MASTERING STEREO, and the price, which, from the time this compact disc was released in June of 1983 until the end of 1985, was Y3,500, or 3,500 Japanese yen. At the very bottom, it says “Toshiba EMI Co. Ltd.”

Spine: On the spine of the obi is the “COMPACT disc DIGITAL AUDIO” logo, the catalog number, the name “Pink Floyd” in Japanese, the name of the album in Japanese, and the price. At the very bottom, is a color code, which is white/black/white.

Back: At the top of the back is the word “Rock” in Japanese in black text. Under that, in Japanese is the name of the band, the album title, and the song titles. At the bottom, in a black box it says in Japanese: “It is forbidden to rent this CD. It is also forbidden by law to record the contents without permission.”

Gold price stickers: Some of the very first releases of this CD were issued without an obi. Instead, they had a round gold price sticker with Japanese text on it adhered to the outside of the shrink wrap.

► The Jewel Case

The top and bottom of the 1983 jewel cases

Jewel case - top and bottom: On the initial releases of Dark Side of the Moon, a very early version of the jewel case was used. It consisted of a dark grey tray, with a clear front cover. On the inside of the clear front cover were four half-moon tabs that were used to hold the cover booklet in place. At the edge of the clear cover were two stops, also used to hold the booklet in the cover. The top and bottom of the jewel case was smooth (no ribs), and the hinges were circular where they attached to the back portion of the case.

1983 case with long jewel case stops

Jewel case stops: On the right side of the front cover of the jewel case, the there were two inside stops that held the booklet from sliding out. In 1983, these stops were each approximately 1 1/8 inch in length.

“Patent pending” pressed into the plastic on the back of the case

Jewel case imprint: The 1983 releases of Dark Side of the Moon came with a jewel case that had the words “Patent pending” pressed into the plastic on the back of the case.

Back of the case tray with the words “Patent pending”

Case tray: The 1983 issues came with a case tray that was grey, with 12 spokes on the hub. On the back of these early case trays, in the lower left corner, it says “Patent pending.”

► The CD Booklet

Front cover of booklet

CD booklet: This CD was released with a 24-page booklet that featured the album title, album credits, song titles in both Japanese and English, song timings, musician credits, pictures of the band and pyramids, a history of Pink Floyd written by Michael Dale, and lyrics in both English and Japanese. The front page was the album cover.

All the inner pages of the booklet, except for the first two, have the catalog number (CP35-3017) followed by a page number on them. The 4th page of the booklet begins with the number “-2.”

Here is the rest of the booklet:

Booklet - Pages 2 & 3

Booklet - Pages 4 & 5

Booklet - Pages 6 & 7

Booklet - Pages 8 & 9

Booklet - Pages 10 & 11

Booklet - Pages 12 & 13

Booklet - Pages 14 & 15

Booklet - Pages 16 & 17

Booklet - Pages 18 & 19

Booklet - Pages 20 & 21

Booklet - Pages 22 & 23

Back page of booklet

The back page of the booklet: The back page of the booklet was similar to the back of the CD cover. It was black with an inverted prism in the center. At the top are the names of the songs, in English. Under the prism are the album credits. In the bottom left corner are the EMI and Harvest logos, “STEREO,” “DIGITAL MASTERING,” “EMI,” and “MADE IN JAPAN, followed by the price (Y3,500).

► The Compact Disc

1983 Dark Side of the Moon CD label

Compact disc label: The actual compact disc label is silver, with text and art printed on it in black. All the text on the label is in English, with the design presumably created by Toshiba-EMI Records.

Left side of label: The left side of the label is silver, with the Harvest and EMI logos at the top. Under the logos is the album title, “The Dark Side of the Moon.” To the left of the center hole are the song titles. The first song is listed as (l) Speak to Me and (ll) Breathe in the Air. At the bottom of this side of the label are the band name, P 1973, JASRAC, and the text “MFD. BY TOSHIBA EMI LTD. IN JAPAN.” Around the left edge of the label, beginning at 6 o’clock, it says:

“All rights of the manufacturer and of the owner of the recorded work are reserved. Unauthorized public performance, broadcasting and copying of the record prohibited.”

Right side of label: The right side of the label features a black triangle that points to the right. Inside the black triangle, at the top are the words STEREO, the Japanese catalog number, and the EMI catalog number. In the middle of the black triangle is the “COMPACT disc DIGITAL AUDIO” logo. At the bottom are the words “DIGITAL MASTERING.”

1983 matrix numbers & letters

Matrix imprints: At the center of the CD label is a hole. Around the hole is a clear plastic ring or hub. Around the plastic hub is a narrow silver band. This narrow silver band sits on the inner edge of the label and is the place where pressing information can be found. If you look closely at the silver band, there are letters and numbers imprinted on it. These letters and numbers are referred to as the matrix information, and these matrix numbers provide information about where and when the pressing was done.

In the picture above, at the top are the letters and numbers “CP35-3017-3.” This is the catalog number of the CD, followed by a mastering code, in this case “3.” At the bottom of the matrix band is an additional number/letter/number pressing code. In the picture above it is “1A1.”

1983 issue with plain fonts 1983 issue with stylized fonts

Matrix fonts

Matrix font variations: There are two different types of fonts found on the 1983 releases of Dark Side of the Moon, a plain or mostly “sans-serif” font, and a stylized font. The general consensus is that the plain fonts (aka crude fonts) issues were pressed first. This would make the CP35-3017-3 issue the very first pressing of Dark Side of the Moon on CD.

A) Plain fonts - On some of the initial issues (CP35-3017-3 and CP35-3017-7), the “C,” “P,” “3” and “0” were more rounded in shape, and the “A” had straight lines on each side.

B) Stylized fonts - On other 1983 issues (CP35-3017-2 and CP35-3017 41) the fonts were stylized. The “C,” “P,” “3” and “0” had straight sides, and the “1” had a line at the bottom (a base). Furthermore, the “A” looked like a tent.

1983 issue with CBS / Sony hub imprint 1983 issue with no hub imprint

1983 CD hub imprints

Plastic hub imprints: The plastic hub around the center hole of a CD also may contain pressing information. Although the majority of plastic hubs on the early Dark Side of the Moon CDs are blank, some of the early pressings had the words “MANUFACTURED BY CBS / SONY RECORDS INC.” imprinted into the plastic hub.

► The Pressings

Here is a list of the known 1983 Japanese pressings of Dark Side of the Moon, listed by matrix information.

A) 1983 CDs with matrix information printed in plain fonts :

1) Top: CP35-3017-3 1A1

Jewel Case: Smooth top, long case stops, “Patent pending” imprinted on back of case.

Case Tray: “Patent Pending” imprinted on back of case tray.

Cover inlay folds: No perforations

Hub: Nothing printed on hub

Matrix: Plain fonts, catalog number & pressing code on opposite side of matrix band

2) Top: CP35-3017-7 1A1

Jewel Case: Smooth top, long case stops, “Patent pending” and either “3”or “7” found imprinted on back of case. Also found without “patent pending” and number “4” on the back of the case.

Case Tray: “Patent Pending” imprinted on back of case tray.

Cover inlay folds: Perforated

Hub: Nothing printed on hub

Matrix: Plain fonts, catalog number & pressing code on opposite side of matrix band

B) 1983 CDs with matrix information printed in stylized fonts :

1) Top: CP35-3017-2 1A1

Jewel Case: Smooth top, long case stops, “Patent pending” imprinted on back of case.

Case Tray: “Patent Pending” imprinted on back of case tray.

Cover inlay folds: No perforations

Hub: MANUFACTURED BY CBS / SONY RECORDS INC.

Matrix: Stylized fonts, catalog number & pressing code together on the same side of the matrix band



2) Top: CP35-3017-2 1A1

Hub: Nothing printed on hub

3) Top: CP35-3017 41

Jewel Case: Smooth top, long case stops, “Patent pending” imprinted on back of case.

Case Tray: “Patent Pending” imprinted on back of case tray.

Cover inlay folds: No perforations

Hub: MANUFACTURED BY CBS / SONY RECORDS INC.

Matrix: Stylized fonts, catalog number & pressing code together on the same side of the matrix band

► The Sound Mastering

Mastering: These early issues were mastered, presumably, by CBS /Sony Records, as Toshiba-EMI had not yet entered the digital mastering field. Using Exact Audio Copy (EAC) software to read the peak levels for each track on the CD, the results are:

1983 Sony mastering track peak levels: 39.9 / 43.3 / 70.1 / 55.2 / 72.3 / 44.5 / 53.9 / 54.6 / 61.2

Pre-emphasis: All the 1983 Japanese copies of the Dark Side of the Moon CD have pre-emphasis.

What is pre-emphasis? - In the early years of CD manufacturing, a process called “pre-emphasis” was used to try and improve the sound of compact discs. Due to the fact that the analog to digital converters of the time period produced low level noise during the analog to digital conversion process, engineers used a method whereby high frequencies were boosted during the A/D conversion process, and the same frequencies were then reduced during D/A playback, thus eliminating the low level noise. In order for CD players to detect pre-emphasis on a CD, a “flag” was added to the digital data on the CD that the player detects, thus allowing it to “de-emphasize” the signal on playback.

TTR: This early mastering cut off the very short segment of the Beatles song, Ticket to Ride, which appears for a brief instant at the end of the master tape. It cannot be heard on these pressings.

1984 – Early Second Year Pressings

► The Cover

1984 Dark Side of the Moon CD front cover with obi

Front cover: The front cover remained the same for the 1984 pressings.

Left Right

1984 spines of the Dark Side of the Moon CD cover

Case spines: The text and color on the left and right case spines remained the same on the 1984 issues.

1984 Dark Side of the Moon CD back cover

Back cover: The design on the back cover of the CD also remained the same for the 1984 pressings.

1984 Dark Side of the Moon CD back cover inlay with perforations at fold line

Back cover inlay perforations: In early 1984, the back cover inlay changed. The right angle fold where the spines connect with the back cover now had perforations along the fold lines.

► The obi

1983 Dark Side of the Moon CD obi with square corners

The obi: The obi that came with second year issues of Dark Side of the Moon was silver/gray in color. In early 1984, the obis continued to be released with square corners.

► The Jewel Case

The jewel case: The jewel case changed a bit in the second year.

The top and bottom of the 1984 jewel cases

Jewel case - top and bottom: On the early 1984 releases of Dark Side of the Moon, a very early version of the jewel case was used. It consisted of a dark grey tray, with a clear front cover. On the inside of the clear front cover were four half-moon tabs that were used to hold the cover booklet in place. At the edge of the clear cover were two stops, also used to hold the booklet in the cover. The top and bottom of the jewel case was smooth (no ribs), and the hinges were circular where they attached to the back portion of the case.

Long jewel case stops Bullet jewel case stops

Early 1984 jewel case stops

Jewel case stops: Cases from early 1984 have been found with two different types of stops at the right side of the front cover.

1) On some cases, the jewel case stops remained the same length as they were in 1983, with each approximately 1 1/8 inch in length.

2) On other cases, the stops had been changed to bullet stops.

The number “6” pressed into the plastic on the bottom back corner of the case

Jewel case imprint: In 1984, two different back covers have been found on the jewel cases. The words “Patent pending,” which were pressed into the plastic on the back of the 1983 cases, were no longer there.

1) Some 1984 cases (with the long jewel case stops) had a very small number “3,” “6” or “7” pressed into the plastic in the bottom right corner of the back of the case.

2) Other 1984 cases (with the bullet stops) did not have anything imprinted on the back of the case.

Back of the case tray with the words “Patents pending”

Case tray: The 1984 issues all had case trays that were grey with 12 spokes on the hub. However, the back of the case tray changed a bit in 1984. While the 1983 case trays had the words “Patent pending” in the lower left corner, sometime in 1984 the trays were changed to have the words “Patents pending” on the back. Evidently, additional patents had been applied for, and the word “Patent” was changed to “Patents” on the tray to reflect this.

► The CD Booklet

Front cover of booklet

Back page of booklet

CD booklet: The 24-page CD booklet stayed the same in the second year. The back cover of the booklet continued to list a price of Y3,500 at the bottom.

► The Compact Disc

Two early 1984 CD labels with the additional catalog number in the matrix, and slight label variation.

Compact disc label: The compact disc labels featured the same design in the second year, with a black triangle on a silver label. However, there were a couple of differences.

Label variation: While nearly all the labels of these second year releases are identical to the 1983 labels, there was one slight variation that has been found. On the CP35-3017 12A1 CDP 7-46001 2 issue, on the top part of the black triangle where the catalog number is printed, the last line does not have parenthesis () around the “CD” at the end of the catalog number on the label (see picture above).

Early 1984 stylized matrix fonts

Matrix fonts: On all the second year issues, the fonts used to print the matrix information were stylized fonts. The letters all had straight sides, the “1” had a line at the bottom (a base), and the “A” looked like a tent.

Matrix information change: A notable variance occurred in the matrix information at this time. In the first part of 1984, copies of this CD began being made for export outside of Japan. To accommodate this, the EMI Records catalog number (CDP 7-46001 2) was added to the matrix on certain pressings. Copies with both the regular Japanese matrix information (without the CDP number), and copies with the additional EMI Records catalog number (CDP 7-46001 2) in the matrix were released simultaneously.

The CDs with the EMI Records catalog number in the matrix sound slightly different than the ones without the extra catalog number, leading many to speculate that these were possibly made at a different pressing plant. Furthermore, the pressings with the EMI Records catalog number in the matrix were pressed with both a Japanese Toshiba-EMI Records black triangle label, and with a Harvest Records blackface label that was sold throughout the rest of the world.

Blank hub with no imprint

Plastic hub imprint: There have been no CDs found that were manufactured during this period (1984) with a plastic hub imprint on them. All the plastic hubs on these CDs were blank.

► The Pressings

Here is a list of the known early 1984 Japanese pressings of Dark Side of the Moon, listed by matrix information.

A) Early 1984 Japanese pressings of Dark Side of the Moon.

1) Top: CP35-3017 10A1

Jewel Case: Smooth top, long case stops, “Patents pending” on back of inner case tray, “6” imprinted on back of case cover.

Cover inlay folds: Perforated

Hub: Nothing printed on hub

Matrix: Stylized fonts, catalog number & pressing code together on one side of the matrix band.







B) Early1984 Japanese pressings of Dark Side of the Moon that were made for export (with the additional EMI Records catalog number in the matrix), listed by matrix information.

1) Top: CP35-3017 10A1 CDP 7 46001 2

Jewel Case: Smooth top, long case stops (also found with bullet stops) , “6” imprinted on back of case cover.

Case Tray: “Patents Pending” imprinted on back of case tray.

Cover inlay folds: Perforated

Hub: Nothing printed on hub

Matrix: Stylized fonts, catalog number & pressing code together on one side of the matrix band, CDP number on the other side.



2) Top: CP35-3017 12A1 CDP 7-46001 2

Jewel Case: Smooth top, long case stops, “6” imprinted on back of case cover.

Case Tray: “Patents Pending” imprinted on back of case tray.

Cover inlay folds: Perforated

Hub: Nothing printed on hub

Matrix: Stylized fonts, catalog number & pressing code together on one side of the matrix band, CDP number on the other side.

► The Sound Mastering

Mastering: The 1984 issues had the same mastering as the initial 1983 issues. Using Exact Audio Copy (EAC) software to read the peak levels for each track on the CD, the results are:

1984 Sony mastering track peak levels: 39.9 / 43.3 / 70.1 / 55.2 / 72.3 / 44.5 / 53.9 / 54.6 / 61.2

Pre-emphasis: All the 1984 Sony masterings of the Dark Side of the Moon CD have pre-emphasis.

TTR: The mastering used on the 1984 issues cuts off the very short segment of the Beatles song, Ticket to Ride, that appears for a brief instant at the end of the master tape. It is not heard on these CDs.

1984/1985 – Late Second & Third Year Pressings

► The Cover

1984/1985 Dark Side of the Moon CD front cover with obi

Front cover, back cover: The front and back covers remained the same for pressings during the second and third year. The back cover continued to have perforations along the fold lines. And the price of the CD remained at Y3,500, which was still printed on the back cover.

Left Right

1984/1985 spines of the Dark Side of the Moon CD cover

Case spines: The text and color on the left and right case spines remained the same as on the 1983 issues.

► The obi

1984/1985 Dark Side of the Moon CD obi with rounded corners

The obi: The obi that came with second and third years issues of Dark Side of the Moon was silver/gray in color. Beginning sometime in 1984, the obis came with rounded corners. However, some 1984 CD have been found with an obi with square corners.

► The Jewel Case

The jewel case changed a bit in the middle of 1984. There was no longer any imprint on the back of the clear case. Additionally, the top and bottom spines were changed.

1983/1984 case with smooth top Late 1984 case with ridged top

Jewel case spines

Jewel case spines: Sometime in mid 1984, the top and bottom of the jewel cases changed. While the 1983 and early 1984 cases were smooth sided with a circular hinge, late 1984 and 1985 cases had ridges added to the top and bottom. Additionally, the hinge changed from a circle to more of a squared extension of the rest of the spine.

Long jewel case stops Bullet jewel case stops

Early 1984 jewel case stops

Jewel case stops: The 1984/1985 jewel cases have been found with two different types of stops at the right side of the front cover.

1) On some cases, the jewel case stops remained the same length as they were in 1983, with each approximately 1 1/8 inch in length.

2) On other cases, the stops had been changed to bullet stops.

► The CD Booklet

Front cover of booklet

Back page of booklet

The CD booklet: The 24-page CD booklet stayed the same in the second and third year. The back cover of the booklet continued to list a price of Y3,500 at the bottom.

1984 Dark Side of the Moon CD back cover inlay with perforations at fold line

Back cover inlay perforations: In early 1984, the back cover inlay changed. The right angle fold where the spines connect with the back cover now had perforations along the fold lines.

► The Compact Disc

A 1985 CD label

The compact disc label: The compact disc labels featured the same design in the second and third year pressings, with a black triangle on a silver label. And copies of the CD that were made for export outside of Japan continued to have the EMI Records catalog number (CDP 7-46001 2) in the matrix.

1985 matrix fonts

Matrix fonts: The fonts used to print the matrix information remained stylized throughout 1984 and 1985, with letters that had straight sides, a “1” that had a line at the bottom (a base), and an “A” that looked like a tent.

Blank hub with no imprint

Plastic hub imprint: There have been no CDs found that were manufactured during this period (1984/1985) with a plastic hub imprint on them. All the plastic hubs on these CDs were blank.

► The Pressings

Here is a list of the known late 1984/1985 Japanese pressings of Dark Side of the Moon, listed by matrix information.

A) Late 1984/1985 Japanese issues of Dark Side of the Moon.

1) Top: CP35-3017 31B1

Cover inlay folds: Perforated

Hub: Nothing printed on hub

Matrix: Stylized fonts, catalog number & pressing code together on one side of the matrix band.

2) Top: CP35-3017 31C1

Cover inlay folds: Perforated

Hub: Nothing printed on hub

Matrix: Stylized fonts, catalog number & pressing code together on one side of the matrix band.

3) Top: CP35-3017 34B2

Cover inlay folds: Perforated

Hub: Nothing printed on hub

Matrix: Stylized fonts, catalog number & pressing code together on one side of the matrix band.

B) Late 1984/1985 Japanese issues of Dark Side of the Moon that were made for export, with the additional EMI Records catalog number in the matrix.

1) Top: CP35-3017 13A2 CDP 7-46001 2

Cover inlay folds: Perforated

Hub: Nothing printed on hub

Matrix: Stylized fonts, catalog number & pressing code together on one side of the matrix band, CDP number on the other side.

2) Top: CP35-3017 21A2 CDP 7-46001 2

Jewel Case: Long case stops, nothing imprinted on back of case cover.

Case Tray: “Patent Pending” imprinted on back of case tray.

Cover inlay folds: Perforated

Hub: Nothing printed on hub

Matrix: Stylized fonts, catalog number & pressing code together on one side of the matrix band, CDP number on the other side.

3) Top: CP35-3017 22A6 CDP 7-46001 2

Jewel Case: Smooth top, bullet stops, nothing imprinted on back of case cover.

Case Tray: “Patent Pending” imprinted on back of case tray.

Cover inlay folds: Perforated

Hub: Nothing printed on hub

Matrix: Stylized fonts, catalog number & pressing code together on one side of the matrix band, CDP number on the other side.

Obi: Grey obi with square corners

4) Top: CP35-3017 26B2 CDP 7-46001 2

Cover inlay folds: Perforated Hub: Nothing printed on hub Matrix: Stylized fonts, catalog number & pressing code together on one side of the matrix band, CDP number on the other side.

5) Top: CP35-3017 27B1 CDP 7-46001 2

Cover inlay folds: Perforated

Hub: Nothing printed on hub

Matrix: Stylized fonts, catalog number & pressing code together on one side of the matrix band, CDP number on the other side.

6) Top: CP35-3017 28A1 CDP 7-46001 2

Cover inlay folds: Perforated

Hub: Nothing printed on hub

Matrix: Stylized fonts, catalog number & pressing code together on one side of the matrix band, CDP number on the other side.

7) Top: CP35-3017 28A6 CDP 7-46001 2

Case: Short case stops, nothing imprinted on back of case cover.

Case Tray: “Patents Pending” imprinted on back of case tray.

Cover inlay folds: Perforated

Hub: Nothing printed on hub

Matrix: Stylized fonts, catalog number & pressing code together on one side of the matrix band, CDP number on the other side.

8) Top: CP35-3017 29B1 CDP 7-46001 2

Cover inlay folds: Perforated

Hub: Nothing printed on hub

Matrix: Stylized fonts, catalog number & pressing code together on one side of the matrix band, CDP number on the other side.

9) Top: CP35-3017 31A3 CDP 7-46001 2

Jewel Case: Smooth top, short case stops, Patent pending imprinted on back of case cover.

Case Tray: “Patent pending” imprinted on back of case tray.

Cover inlay folds: Perforated

Hub: Nothing printed on hub

Matrix: Stylized fonts, catalog number & pressing code together on one side of the matrix band, CDP number on the other side.

10) Top: CP35-3017 32B2 CDP 7-46001 2

Cover inlay folds: Perforated

Hub: Nothing printed on hub

Matrix: Stylized fonts, catalog number & pressing code together on one side of the matrix band, CDP number on the other side.

11) Top: CP35-3017 33B4 CDP 7-46001 2

Cover inlay folds: Perforated

Hub: Nothing printed on hub

Matrix: Stylized fonts, catalog number & pressing code together on one side of the matrix band, CDP number on the other side.

12) Top: CP35-3017 34B2 CDP 7-46001 2

Cover inlay folds: Perforated

Hub: Nothing printed on hub

Matrix: Stylized fonts, catalog number & pressing code together on one side of the matrix band, CDP number on the other side.

► The Sound Mastering

Mastering: The 1984/1985 issues still had the same mastering as the first issues. Using Exact Audio Copy (EAC) software to read the peak levels for each track on the CD, the results are:

1983 Sony mastering track peak levels: 39.9 / 43.3 / 70.1 / 55.2 / 72.3 / 44.5 / 53.9 / 54.6 / 61.2

Pre-emphasis: All the 1984/1985 Sony masterings of the Dark Side of the Moon CD have pre-emphasis.

TTR: The mastering used on the 1984/1985 issues cuts off the very short segment of the Beatles song, Ticket to Ride, that appears for a brief instant at the end of the master tape. It is not heard on these CDs.

1985 – The First Toshiba-EMI Pressings

In late 1985, Toshiba-EMI Records began manufacturing compact disc themselves. The very first Toshiba-EMI pressings of Dark Side of the Moon still use the same Sony mastering as the initial 1983 issues.

► The Cover

Toshiba-EMI Dark Side of the Moon CD front cover with obi

Front and back cover: The front and back covers remained the same for the early Toshiba-EMI pressings of Dark Side of the Moon. The price of the CD remained at Y3,500 in late 1985, and this price was shown on the obi, on the back page of the CD booklet, and on the back cover of the CD.

Left Right

1986 spines of the Dark Side of the Moon CD cover

Cover spine: The spines of the Toshiba-EMI Records CDs were a dark yellow. The color code at the top was red/green.

► The obi

1985 Toshiba-EMI Dark Side of the Moon obi with rounded corners

The obi: The obi on teh Toshiba-EMI Records pressings was the same as found on earlier issues, with a price of Y3,500.





► The Jewel Case

Top of jewel case

Jewel case: The jewel case remained the same as the late 1984 case, with the top and bottom spine having the ribs.

► The CD Booklet

Front cover of booklet

Back page of booklet

The CD booklet: The 24-page CD booklet stayed the same on the Toshiba-EMI Records issue. The back cover continued to list a price of Y3,500 at the bottom.

1985 Dark Side of the Moon CD back cover inlay with perforations at fold line

Back cover inlay perforations: The back cover inlay found on the Toshiba-EMI issues had a right angle fold where the spines connect with the back cover, with perforations along the fold lines.

► The Compact Disc

An early Toshiba-EMI pressed CD label

The compact disc label: The compact disc labels featured the same design, with a black triangle on a silver label.. However, there were a couple of minor differences from the Sony pressings.

Matrix band: The matrix band on the early Toshiba-EMI pressings had a slightly wider matrix band than the Sony pressings. Also the matrix information was put on in a different way, and it is much harder to read. It is necessary to tilt the CD at a 20 degree angle to see the matrix information. Furthermore, the matrix now included the letters “TO,” which indicated that the CD was made by Toshiba-EMI Records.

1985 Toshiba-EMI matrix fonts

Matrix fonts: The fonts used to print the matrix information were stylized, with letters that had straight sides, and a “1” that had a line at the bottom (a base).

Blank hub with no imprint

Plastic hub imprint: All Toshiba-EMI pressings do not have an imprint on the hub.

► The Pressings

Here is a list of the known late 1985 Japanese Toshiba-EMI Records pressings of Dark Side of the Moon, listed by matrix information.

A) Late 1985 Japanese issues of Dark Side of the Moon.

1) Top: CP35-3017 33D1 TO

Jewel Case: Ribbed top

B) Late 1985 Japanese issues of Dark Side of the Moon, with the additional EMI Records catalog number in the matrix.

1) Top: CP35-3017 31C1 TO CDP 7-46001 2

Jewel Case: Ribbed top

2) Top: CP35-3017 33D1 TO CDP 7-46001 2

Jewel Case: Ribbed top

► The Sound Mastering

Mastering: The 1985 Toshiba-EMI Records issues still use the same mastering as the first Sony-pressed issues. Using Exact Audio Copy (EAC) software to read the peak levels for each track on the CD, the results are:

1983 Sony mastering track peak levels: 39.9 / 43.3 / 70.1 / 55.2 / 72.3 / 44.5 / 53.9 / 54.6 / 61.2

Pre-emphasis: The 1985 Toshiba-EMI Records pressings of the Dark Side of the Moon CD have pre-emphasis.

TTR: The mastering used on the 1985 issues cuts off the very short segment of the Beatles song, Ticket to Ride, that appears for a brief instant at the end of the master tape. It is not heard on these CDs.

late 1985 – The Final CBS /Sony Pressing

In late 1985, CBS / Sony Records pressed what is believed to be the last CBS/Sony pressing of Dark Side of the Moon. The reason I am listing this release separately from the other 1985 issues is that this issue had a unique Sony matrix and hub imprint. These copies featured a hub imprint that said “CSR COMPACT DISC,” which of course stands for “CBS / Sony Records Compact Disc.”

► The Cover

Late 1985 Dark Side of the Moon CD front cover with obi

Front and back cover: The front and back covers remained the same as the earlier pressings

.

Left Right

Late 1985 spines of the Dark Side of the Moon CD cover

Cover spines: The text and color on the left and right case spines remained the same as on the 1984/1985 issues.

► The obi

1985 Dark Side of the Moon CD obi with rounded corners

The obi: The obi that came with 1985 issues of Dark Side of the Moon was silver/gray in color, with rounded corners. The initial price of these issues was Y3,500, although copies were later sold when the price had decreased and thus were sold with a later version of the obi with a different price on it.

► The Jewel Case

1985 case with ridged top

Jewel case spines: The top and bottom case spines have ridges, and the hinge is a squared extension of the rest of the spine.

1985 case with long jewel case stops

Jewel case stops: In 1985, the jewel case stops remained the same length as they were in 1983 and 1984, with each approximately 1 1/8 inch in length.

Back of the case tray with the words “Patents pending E409B”

Case tray: The back of the case tray changed a bit in 1985. While the 1984 case trays had the words “Patents pending” in the lower left corner, the 1985 trays now had the words “Patents pending” plus the number “E409B” on the back.

► The CD Booklet

Front cover of booklet

Back page of booklet

The CD booklet: The 24-page CD booklet stayed the same in the second and third year. The back cover of the booklet continued to list a price of Y3,500 at the bottom.

► The Compact Disc

The 1985 Sony label

Compact disc label: The compact disc labels featured the same design as the earlier Sony issues, with a black triangle on a silver label.

1985 matrix font

Matrix font: These pressings used the same matrix fonts that were used on all the 1984/1985 Sony pressings. The “C,” “P,” “3,” and “0” have straight sides, and the “1” has a horizontal line at the base. The “A” looks like a tent.

Matrix change: The matrix information on this issue not only included a “51A2 pressing indicator, it also had +++++, which Sony had began using on their CDs in 1985.

CSR COMPACT DISC hub imprint Blank hub with no imprint

Late 1985 hubs

Plastic hub imprint: Two different hubs have been found on these CDs. The first has the imprint of “CSR COMPACT DISC CSR COMPACT DISC CSR COMPACT DISC.” CSR Compact Disc stands for “ C BS / S ony R ecords Compact Disc .” The other issue had no hub imprint on it at all.

► The Pressings

Here is a list of the known late 1985 Sony pressings of Dark Side of the Moon, listed by matrix information.

1) Top: CP35-3017 51A2 +++++

Jewel Case: Ribbed top, long case stops

Case Tray: “Patent pending E409B” imprinted on back of case tray.

Cover inlay folds: Perforated

Hub: CSR COMPCT DISC CSR COMPCT DISC CSR COMPCT DISC

Matrix: Stylized fonts, catalog number & pressing code together on the same side of the matrix band

2) Top: CP35-3017 51A2 +++++

Jewel Case: Ribbed top, long case stops

Hub: Nothing printed on the hub

Matrix: Stylized fonts, catalog number & pressing code together on the same side of the matrix band

► The Sound Mastering

Mastering: The late 1985 Sony Records issues still had the same mastering as the first issues. Using Exact Audio Copy (EAC) software to read the peak levels for each track on the CD, the results are:

1983 Sony mastering track peak levels: 39.9 / 43.3 / 70.1 / 55.2 / 72.3 / 44.5 / 53.9 / 54.6 / 61.2

Pre-emphasis: The 1985 CBS/Sony pressing of the Dark Side of the Moon CD has pre-emphasis.

TTR: These 1983 mastering used on the 1985 issue cut off the very short segment of the Beatles song, Ticket to Ride, that appears for a brief instant at the end of the master tape. It is not on these CDs.

1986 – The Toshiba-EMI Pressing of the First EMI Mastering

In early 1986, EMI Records created their own mastering of Dark Side of the Moon. These Toshiba-EMI pressings of the first EMI mastering of Dark Side of the Moon sound quite a bit different from the earlier CBS/Sony pressings.

► The Cover

Toshiba-EMI Dark Side of the Moon CD front cover with obi

Front and back cover: The front and back covers remained the same for the early Toshiba-EMI pressings of Dark Side of the Moon. The price of the CD remained at Y3,500 in late 1985, and this price was shown on the obi, on the back page of the CD booklet, and on the back cover of the CD.

Left Right

1986 spines of the Dark Side of the Moon CD cover

Cover spine: The spines of the Toshiba-EMI Records CDs were a dark yellow. The color code at the top was red/green.

► The obi

1986 Toshiba-EMI Dark Side of the Moon obi with rounded corners

The obi: When this CD was first released by Toshiba-EMI Records, the obi was the same as found on earlier issues, with a price of Y3,500.





► The Jewel Case

Top of jewel case

Jewel case: The jewel case remained the same as the one from the previous year, with the guides the same length, and the top and bottom spine having the ribs.

► The CD Booklet

Front cover of booklet

Back page of booklet

The CD booklet: The 24-page CD booklet stayed the same on the Toshiba-EMI Records issue. The back cover continued to list a price of Y3,500 at the bottom.

► The Compact Disc

1984 issue showing matrix band with easily visible matrix information 1986 Toshiba-EMI issue showing matrix band with hard to read matrix information

Label variations

Compact disc label: The compact disc label basically did not change, with a black triangle on a silver label. However, there were a couple of minor differences in the manufacturing process.

Matrix band: The matrix band on the early Sony pressings was slightly narrower. When Toshiba-EMI began manufacturing their own CDs, they had a slightly wider matrix band. Also the matrix information was put on in a different way, and it is much harder to read. Furthermore, the matrix now included the letters “TO,” which indicated that the CD was made by Toshiba-EMI Records.

Toshiba-EMI Records matrix fonts

Matrix font: The fonts used for the matrix information are the same as those on the 1984/1985 issues. Looking closely, it appears that the first part of the matrix (CP35-3017 U) was added at a different time than the latter part of the matrix (1A1 TO), as they appear to be a different size and reflect differently when viewed at an angle (also note the dots underneath the 1A1 TO, which do not appear underneath the rest of the matrix. These dots, which are nearly invisible to the naked eye, and the corresponding 1A1 TO appear to have been added at a different time than the rest of the matrix.).

Blank hub with no imprint

Plastic hub imprint: All Toshiba-EMI pressings do not have an imprint on the hub.

► The Pressings

The matrix information on the Toshiba-EMI pressing was:

Top: CP35-3017 U 1A1 TO

Jewel Case: Ribbed top, long case stops

► The Sound Mastering

Mastering: This release uses the very first EMI mastering of Dark Side of the Moon for compact disc. Both the EQ and levels have changed from the prior Sony mastering. Using Exact Audio Copy (EAC) software to read the peak levels for each track on the CD, the results are:

1985/1986 Toshiba-EMI mastering track peak levels: 87.8 / 94.7 / 100 / 97.2 / 100 / 99.1 / 100 / 96.1 / 100

This is a substantial change from the previous Sony pressings, which were:

1983/1985 Sony mastering track peak levels: 39.9 / 43.3 / 70.1 / 55.2 / 72.3 / 44.5 / 53.9 / 54.6 / 61.2

Pre-emphasis: The EMI mastering of the Dark Side of the Moon CD does not have pre-emphasis.

TTR: The EMI mastering of the Dark Side of the Moon CD includes the very short segment of the Beatles song, Ticket to Ride, that appears for a brief instant at the end of the master tape. This segment was not included on the Sony mastering.

So although the CD basically looks identical to the earlier pressings, there was a substantial change in the sound of the CD. And the only way to visually differentiate between the Sony pressings and the Toshiba-EMI pressings is to check the matrix information on the CD.

1986-1989 – Later Toshiba-EMI Pressings

Toshiba-EMI continued to press the “black triangle” Dark Side of the Moon CDs from 1986 through 1989, but with some changes. In early 1986, the price of the Dark Side of the Moon CD was changed from Y3,500 to Y3,286. Also in 1986, bar codes were added to the obis.

► The Cover

Front of Dark Side of the Moon CD with a new price on the obi

Front cover: The front cover remained the same for the 1986-1989 Toshiba-EMI pressings of Dark Side of the Moon. The album cover was printed on the front page of a 24-page booklet that was inserted behind the clear plastic cover of a jewel CD case. The picture on the cover was black, with a prism in the center refracting light. In the top right corner is the catalog number, CP35-3017. In the bottom right corner is the “COMPACT disc DIGITAL AUDIO” logo.

Left Right

1986 spines of the Dark Side of the Moon CD cover

Cover spine: The spines of the Toshiba-EMI Records CDs were a dark yellow. The color code at the top was red/green.

1983-1985 back cover with Y3,500 price at bottom 1986 back cover with no price

Back cover changes

Back cover: The back cover of the CD changed in 1986. When the price of the CD changed from Y3,500 to Y3,286, the price of “Y3,500” was removed from the bottom of the back cover.

► The obi

early 1986 obi with new price 1986-1989 obi with new price and bar code

1986-1989 Dark Side of the Moon obis with rounded corners

The obi: When the price changed in 1986, the obis also changed to reflect the new price. Initially, the obi changed to a price of Y3,286 / 3,190, but did not have a bar code on it. Later in 1986, bar codes (4 988006 641594) were added to the back of the obis.

► The Jewel Case

1983-1985 case with long stops 1986 case with shortened stops

Jewel case stops

Jewel case stops: The jewel case changed a bit in 1986. On the front cover of the case, the two inside stops that held the booklet from sliding out were shortened in length.

Top of jewel case

Jewel case spine: The top of the jewel case remained the same as the one from the previous year, with the top and bottom spine having the ribs.

► The CD Booklet

Front cover of booklet

Front cover of CD booklet: The 24-page CD booklet stayed the same on the front and inside, but the back cover was changed.

1983-1985 booklet back page with price at bottom 1986-1989 booklet back page with price removed

Back page of booklet

Back page of the CD booklet: Like the back cover of the CD, when the price was changed, the price at the bottom of the back page of the booklet was removed.

► The Compact Disc

EMI-Toshiba Dark Side of the Moon labels

The compact disc label: The compact disc label for the later Toshiba-EMI pressings remained the same.

Matrix fonts

Matrix information: The matrix information on these issues all have a “TO” in the matrix, which indicates a Toshiba-EMI pressing.

Blank hub with no imprint

Plastic hub imprint: All of the Toshiba-EMI pressings have no imprint on the hub.

► The Pressings

Here is a list of the known 1986-1989 Japanese issues of Dark Side of the Moon, listed by matrix information.

A) 1986-1989 Japanese pressings of Dark Side of the Moon.

1) Top: CP35-3017-U 1A1 TO

Jewel Case: Ribbed top, short case stops

2) Top: CP35-3017-U 1A2 TO

Jewel Case: Ribbed top, short case stops

3) Top: CP35-3017-U 1A3 TO

Jewel Case: Ribbed top, short case stops

4) Top: CP35-3017-U 1A4 TO

Jewel Case: Ribbed top, short case stops



B) 1986-1989 pressings of Dark Side of the Moon that were made for export (with the additional EMI catalog number in the matrix).

1) Top: CP35-3017-U 1B2 TO CDP 7 46001 2 AR

Jewel Case: Ribbed top, short case stops

► The Sound Mastering

Mastering: Toshiba-EMI Records continued to use the EMI mastering of the album for these pressings. Using Exact Audio Copy (EAC) software to read the peak levels for each track on the CD, the results are:

1986-1989 Toshiba-EMI mastering track peak levels: 87.8 / 94.7 / 100 / 97.2 / 100 / 99.1 / 100 / 96.1 / 100

Pre-emphasis: The EMI mastering of the Dark Side of the Moon CD does not have pre-emphasis.

TTR: The EMI mastering includes the very short segment of the Beatles song, Ticket to Ride, which appears for a brief instant at the very end of the master tape.

Summary

A copy of a 1983 issue, still sealed in shrink wrap, with obi inside

In looking at the various early issues of Dark Side of the Moon CD, one can see a number of variations. Although the front cover stayed the same throughout, there were two different masterings, two different back covers, four different obis, four different jewel cases, two label variations, three distinct hubs, and a number of different pressings with unique matrixes. All of them are interesting in their own right, and quite collectible.