Dutch company with lacquer cutting, vinyl plating and pressing, cassette duplication and printing facilities in Baarn. Full name: PolyGram Record Service B.V. Operating under this name from ca. 1980, when it succeeded Phonodisc B.V.. PolyGram Record Service B.V. opened a plant for analog and digital compact cassette and VHS duplication in Amersfoort in July 1992. The company name was changed to PolyGram Manufacturing & Distribution Centres B.V. (PMDC Amersfoort) effective January 28, 1993.
When a non-ink embossed "PRS Baarn" logo stamp appears on the rear sleeve, this means the sleeve was printed/assembled here. Please credit with Printed By.
Records cut here can be recognized by a stamped 670 in the matrix. Please credit with Lacquer Cut At.
Pressings can be more difficult to identify. PRS Baarn was a full service provider for the Benelux markets, did contract pressings for Benelux record companies, and served as a backup plant for the PolyGram branches in other countries. While there are several identifiers that can be used to determine the plant, there are also several exceptions. When in doubt, do not credit with Pressed By or ask in the forum.
Possible identifiers:
1. LPs have a pressing ring configuration with a 30mm ring in the middle and a raised outer ring at 88mm. (The raised rim itself is 6mm.) Please note that this configuration is not unique but also appears at other Polygram plants, e.g. PRS Ltd. and the Italian Phonoster.
2. On PolyGram releases, English label copyright rim text (as opposed to German or French).
3. On PolyGram releases, "Made in Holland" on the labels or (BIEM) STEMRA as rights society. It should be noted however that PRS also did contract cutting and plating for other Dutch plants. If the characteristic pressing ring configuration is absent, a release was not pressed here.
1Y / 2Y etc. in the matrix is a format identifier, originally invented by Philips.
E after the side identifier (1/2) stands for 7" EP 45 RPM Stereo.
F after the side identifier (1/2) stands for 7" 45 RPM Mono.
L after the side identifier (1/2) stands for 12" 33 1/3 RPM Mono.
M after the side identifier (1/2) stands for 12" EP 45 RPM Stereo.
R after the side identifier (1/2) stands for 10" 33 1/3 RPM Mono.
T after the side identifier (1/2) stands for 7" 33 1/3 RPM Mono.
V after the side identifier (1/2) stands for 7" EP 45 RPM Stereo.
W after the side identifier (1/2) stands for 7" 45 RPM Stereo.
Y after the side identifier (1/2) stands for 12" Stereo (regardless the speed).
Usually, there also are specific extra stamps in a format such as: "111" or "11 4". These are present much lighter than the other data in the runouts and are often not ordered very well. These numbers indicate the father, mother, stamper numbers.
