Sony DADC is an optical disc manufacturing company, whose first facility was opened in 1983 in Terre Haute, IN, USA as DADC. The company expanded into Austria, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Australia and other areas, and is now known as Sony DADC.
The Austrian pressing plant DADC Austria was re-branded Sony DADC in approximately Spring 2000, at which time Sony DADC first appeared in the matrix of CDs manufactured there. The same happened in the US in August 2005 when Digital Audio Disc Corporation changed its name to Sony DADC US Inc. (Sony DADC, Terre Haute).
SACD production began in May 2003. Blu-ray production began in May 2006 in Terre Haute, IN, USA, and in July 2006 in Salzburg, Austria.
In 2006, Sony DADC purchased a disc manufacturing plant in Southwater, UK and a distribution centre in Enfield, formerly operating as Deluxe Global Media Services (Deluxe (7)), from parent company the Rank Group. The Southwater manufacturing plant became Sony DADC, Southwater. Production was ceased in the Southwater plant on 9 March 2018.
Sony DADC expanded into the Czech Republic in 2010, and since then has shifted progressively more of its assembly and distribution business there from Austria. As of 2020, Sony DADC's manufacturing operations in Austria have been consolidated into one manufacturing plant in Thalgau; a second Austrian plant in Anif is no longer operational (shut down in 2019).
In 2011, Sony DADC's manufacturing facility in Pitman, NJ (Sony DADC, Pitman) was closed, leaving only the facility in Terre Haute, IN operational in the US. It was announced in January 2018 that the Terre Haute facility was moving away from CD, DVD and Blu-ray production due to the changing market, but would continue to manufacture PlayStation discs and new formats such as Ultra HD discs. In January 2022, it was announced that the company would be moving gaming and disc production to its facility in Salzburg, Austria by mid-2022, and the plant in Indiana would be transformed in an assembly and distribution plant. This ended Sony DADC's CD manufacturing activity in North America.
In approx. December 2021 Sony DADC became the only SACD replication plant in EMEA and Americas.
Please only credit Sony DADC if it is specifically mentioned on the release or properly identified as outlined below. If in doubt, please ask in the help forums. Please do not add Sony DADC on fake releases.
European matrix identifiers and LCCN roles
Please note that a similar matrix pattern was used by Sony DADC, Southwater, instead using the mastering SID codes IFPI LY33/LY34. When one of those mastering SID codes is present in the matrix, please credit Sony DADC, Southwater instead of this profile.
Sony DADC releases manufactured in Austria usually have matrices in the following pattern:
Sony DADC Axxxxxxxxxx-yyzz BB CC
or
Sony Music Sxxxxxxxxxx-yyzz BB CC (used until 2007, please see further below and also Sony Music which numbers are valid for LCCN entry)
- For CD releases, yy indicates the disc number (always 01 for single-disc releases; 02 and onwards are used for multi-disc releases), while zz indicates the number of discs in the release (again, always 01 for single-disc releases). SACDs/DVDs/Blu-rays use different numbering for the yyzz part
- BB is a two or (rarely) three-digit number, usually between 11-28 and also 32, 44 and 45. Until 2021, the last digit was always the same as the last digit of the mastering SID code (IFPI L55x; x=1 to 8).
- CC may be stamped or printed in the mirror band, and is usually A1, A01, A00, B1, etc.
When crediting Sony DADC from the matrix mirror band, by the presence of its name/logo, with or without the Axxxxxxxxxx-yyzz matrix number and mastering SID code IFPI L55x, the most accurate role to use is Glass Mastered At.
When entering Sony DADC matrix numbers into LCCN, ONLY the "Axxxxxxxxxx-yyzz" part of the string should be entered. An example of how to correctly credit Sony DADC can be found on Murkrat - MurkRat. The Sony DADC name may be omitted (and replaced by the logo of Universal on discs manufactured for Universal record labels (from 2004), or a broker company, see also end of this section), but can still be identified by the Axxxxxxxxxx-yyzz matrix number and mastering SID code IFPI L55x. Examples: Rory Gallagher - Blues and Parralox feat Marcella Detroit - Paradise. Please DO NOT enter the code A0900555555-B511 which appears on some DVDs such as David Bowie - New Killer Star.
For discs that have the "Sony Music Sxxxxxxxxxx-yyzz" style matrix, please enter in LCCN:
Made By – Sony Music
Glass Mastered At – Sony DADC [this line should ONLY be entered if the release is definitely manufactured after Spring 2000 as DADC and DADC Austria also used this matrix pattern before then]
Please ONLY enter a catalog# for Sony DADC if the matrix code starts with S0100 (Sony DADC can be identified by numbers S0100315xxx or higher, such as on The Nits - Hits). Example without a Sony DADC number in matrix: Des'ree - Dream Soldier
More recently, the Axxxxxxxxxx-yyzz matrix number may be omitted, and replaced by a portion of the release catalog#. This is most commonly seen on releases manufactured by Sony DADC for Universal. In these cases Sony DADC should be credited with Glass Mastered At as normal, but no catalog# should be entered in its LCCN entry. Examples include Queen - News Of The World and Rammstein - Reise, Reise.
Finally, both the Axxxxxxxxxx-yyzz matrix number and the Sony DADC name may be completely omitted from the matrix. Such matrices generally have the following pattern:
[release Catalog Number] BB CC,
as well as mastering SID code IFPI L55x. If the release was definitely made after Spring 2000 (when Sony DADC name began appearing in the CD matrix), Sony DADC can be credited with Glass Mastered At, with no catalog# entered in its LCCN entry. Examples include Colosseum - Valentyne Suite and Helloween - The Time Of The Oath. However, if it is uncertain whether a given disc was manufactured before or after Spring 2000, please do not attempt to credit Sony DADC.
A number of broker companies have also manufactured through Sony DADC and may be named in the disc matrix alongside or instead of Sony DADC. In such cases, please enter in LCCN:
Manufactured By – [broker company, e.g. www.Noisebox.co.uk or Key Production (shown in matrix as www.keyproduction.co.uk)]
Glass Mastered At – Sony DADC
Example releases: David Ackles - Five & Dime and [Invalid Release]
Hybrid SACD matrix identifiers and LCCN roles
Enter the data into the BaOI & LCCN as per the Examples section below.
SACD discs replicated in Austria by Sony DADC normally have matrices in the following patterns.
However some multi disc sets may use a different A9xx & B9xx numbering scheme, explained in Exceptions below.
SACD layer matrix is located on the outer ring in the following pattern:
Sony DADC Axxxxxxxxxx-A911 BB CC
CD layer matrix is located on the inner ring, nearest the center spindle hole, in the following pattern:
Sony DADC Axxxxxxxxxx-B911 BB CC
Or for discs made by Sony Music but Glass Mastered By Sony DADC (until 2007)
SACD layer matrix is located on the outer ring in the following pattern:
Sony Music Sxxxxxxxxxx-A911 BB CC
CD layer matrix is located on the inner ring, nearest the center spindle hole
Sony Music Sxxxxxxxxxx-B911 BB CC
For discs manufactured by Sonopress but Glass Mastered by Sony DADC (From approx. December 2021 onwards. See Note below.)
SACD layer matrix is located on the outer ring in the following pattern:
[5xxxxxxx] [Release Number] [Axxxxxxxxxx-A911 BB CC]
CD layer matrix is located on the inner ring, nearest the center spindle hole
[5xxxxxxx] [Release Number] [Axxxxxxxxxx-B911 BB CC]
Exceptions to the standard A911 & B911 codes above.
Some multi sets may use A912 & B912 or A922 & B922 matrix codes.
A912\B912 = disc one out of a two disc set
A922\B922 = disc two out of a two disc set
- For SACD releases the 'A' in A9xx represents the SACD layer and 'B' in B9xx represents the CD layer.
- The 9 in A9xx or B9xx is identifying a DVD9 or double layer product.
- BB is a two digit number on disc matrices using Mastering SID code (IFPI L55x). The second digit is the same as the last digit 'x' of the mastering SID code (IFPI L55x).
The Mastering SID code (IFPI LY2x) appearing on the SACD layer of newer releases, do not follow the above rule and the 'BB' digits can appear as 1000 from mid 2020.
- CC may be stamped or printed in the mirror band, and is usually A1, A01, A00 etc.
Recent releases from mid 2020 the 'CC' digits on the SACD layer matrices that use Mastering SID code (IFPI LY2x) can appear as 1A00, 2A00 etc.
Example of a release with newer 'BB CC' style digits T. Rex - Electric Warrior.
The Sony DADC name/logo may be omitted on some releases but can be confirmed by the Axxxxxxxxxx-yyzz string coupled with Mastering SID IFPI L55x or IFPI LY2x
BaOI layer identification:
Only identify the (SACD layer) & (CD layer) in the BaOI 'Description' field for Hybrid SACD’s replicated in Austria by Sony DADC.
Mastering SID, (SACD layer) is located on the outer ring.
Mastering SID, (CD layer) is located on the inner ring, nearest the center spindle hole.
Enter in the BaOI the Matrices & Mastering SID codes for both layers.
Unless duplicated on the release, the Mould SID should be entered only once.
The layer text for the Mould SID is not required in the ‘Description’ field as the manufacturer has not confirmed which layer it sits on.
However they mould the two half-discs in a single mould with two cavities.
Examples of how to enter data into the BaOI.
With the Sony Music logo David Sanchez (3) - Coral
With the Sony DADC logo Los Lobos - By The Light Of The Moon
With the Sonopress 5xxxxxxx catalogue number Eagles - Desperado
Without any logo but with the Axxxxxxxxxx-yyzz string coupled with Mastering SID IFPI L55x or LY2x Dire Straits - Making Movies
Some SACD's replicated by Sony DADC may omit the Axxxxxxxxxx-yyzz string and use part of the Catalog Number but follow the same layer principle. For example, Peter Gabriel - Up
LCCN:
For discs that have the Sony DADC "Axxxxxxxxxx-A911/B911" matrix, enter the role for both layers in LCCN as Glass Mastered At. ONLY the "Axxxxxxxxxx-yyzz" part of the string should be entered (see example above).
For discs that have the Sony Music "Sxxxxxxxxxx-A911/B911" matrix, please enter in LCCN:
Made By – Sony Music
Glass Mastered At – Sony DADC (see example above)
If the matrix code starts with S0100, please enter the role for both layers as:
Glass Mastered At – Sony DADC – S0100xxxxxx-A911
Glass Mastered At – Sony DADC – S0100xxxxxx-B911
Example: Georg Philipp Telemann – Hille Perl, Freiburger Barockorchester, Petra Müllejans - Concertos For Viola Da Gamba
For discs that have the Sonopress sourced [5xxxxxxx] in conjunction with [Release Number] [Axxxxxxxxxx-A911/B911 BB CC] matrix, please enter in LCCN:
Manufactured by - Sonopress plus add the 5xxxxxxx catalogue numbers for both layers
Glass Mastered At – Sony DADC plus add the Axxxxxxxxxx-yyzz catalogue numbers for both layers.
In doing so add the ‘Manufactured By’ lines first and also keep the line order of the SACD/CD layers consistent – SACD layer first and CD layer second.
Example Eric Clapton - Unplugged
Notes:
Please be aware that BD / UHD BD cutting machines are also being used for Mastering SID IFPI codes LY23 - LY27.
SACD cuts are now carried out on the BD Equipment as well, so will now be appearing on SACD discs from roughly late 2018.
Approx. December 2021 Sony DADC became the only SACD replication plant in EMEA and Americas. They now work with various clients from brokers of replication plants who may previously have had other sources. Although you may see Sonopress style matrix numbers please continue to credit Sony DADC when identified.
Please be aware that since 2021 Arvato\Sonopress matrix numbers from earlier SACDs may be present on Sony DADC SACD Glass Masters. In these instances Sonopress should be used for the Manufactured By role in the LCCN.
US matrix identifiers
The following prefixes may appear on releases manufactured by Sony DADC in the USA after August 2005.
AUHD- (Hybrid DualDisc)
AUDL- (DVD-Audio)
BVDL- (dual layer Blu-ray), BVSS-, BASS- (single layer Blu-ray)
CPDP-, CPDX-
CPTP-, CPTX-
CTDP-, CTDX-
DIBD-
DIDP-, DIDX-
DDHD-, DDLD- (Hybrid DualDisc)
DVDL- (dual layer DVD), DVSS- (single layer DVD)
IDRM-
SROM- (Mini CD)
SUHD-, STDL- (SACDs)
When this prefix+number is present in the disc matrix in conjunction with:
Mastering SID Codes IFPI L321 to L333, please use the Sony DADC, Terre Haute label.
Mastering SID Codes IFPI L422 and L424, please use the Sony DADC, Pitman label.
As a general rule, CDs with matrix numbers DIDX-115xxx / DIDP-121xxx and higher will be post-August 2005 releases manufactured after the US DADC and Sony Music, Pitman plants rebranding to Sony DADC. Sony DADC manufactured many reissues of older CDs, especially after the closure of EDC, USA, and many older releases have been repressed since 2005.
Please note, however, that DIDX numbers have been observed in the matrix of discs that do not appear to have been manufactured by Sony DADC, such as Laughing Down Crying (Cinram, Olyphant, PA glass master) and Infamous (Technicolor, Guadalajara, Mexico glass master). This can be determined by comparing the matrix pattern, SID codes, and font/formatting (see images section on this page). In such cases, Sony DADC should not be credited in LCCN. Some examples exist where both a Sony DADC pressing and a non-Sony DADC pressing (but with a DIDX number in the mirror band) of the same release exist - The Fame Monster vs The Fame Monster - although the significance of this is not yet known.
Europe
Mastering SID Codes: IFPI L551, L552, L553, L554 or L555
Mould SID Codes: IFPI 94xx
