Collecting log: THE RIVER single disc test pressing for the possible CX-encoded noise-reduction release in the early 1980s (Part 2 of 2)

Taken from the front sleeve of the CX-SAMPLER
LP (Columbia Special Products CXSM 170258),
distributed in the U.S. and featuring tracks from
Billy Joel and some others, but not including any
recording by Springsteen.

Compatible eXpansion (CX)-encoding technology was a short-lived and ultimately unsuccessful initiative by Columbia/CBS Records in the  U.S. and Europe during the early 1980s. Originally created in the late 1970s by CBS laboratories in the U.S., the technology aimed to reduce surface noise and extend dynamic range on vinyl-disc playback through the use of a decoder. While its adoption failed on vinyl, the noise-reduction system achieved greater success when applied to laserdiscs. In the U.S., at least one Springsteen album, BORN TO RUN (Columbia JC 33795), was commercially released in this now-forgotton format, possibly as a temporary, experimental release to gauge customer reactions and market trends (see 09/30/2021 and 10/08/2021). However, no other albums have been confirmed to be pressed in this audiophile edition anywhere in the world.

Springsteen is mentioned as a candidate
for CX alternate releases in a Billboard
article titled "CBS steps up push on CX
LPs" (Nov. 13th, 1982). Bill Fox, Vice
President of operations and finance at
CBS Records Group, was responsible
for the worldwide CX effort (Note that
Billboard has released magazine issues
into the public domain by releasing
them on Google Books and the
Internet Archive).

Then, in 2016 and again in 2020, a purported CX-encoded test pressing of THE RIVER (Disc One only), intended for demo or in-house use only, surfaced on eBay from the East and West Coasts, respectively. As shown in the previous post (01/04/2025), each test pressing came in a plain white sleeve with a small rectangular sticker that mentioned "CX" and featured a misspelled artist name (see the image far below). Despite being stated as a test pressing, the labels on the vinyl itself were the standard red Columbia design with a yellow rim, making them indistinguishable from a regular pressing at first glance.

That said, there are two distinct differences between the "CX" test pressings and regular pressings. The first is the matrix numbers stamped on the deadwax of the CX discs (see the images of SIDE ONE in the post on 01/04/2025 and SIDE TWO on 09/30/2021):

SIDE 1:   p    XRD-AL-36855-A2
SIDE 2:   p    XRD-BL-36855-A2

The preceding "p" stamp is the hallmark of Columbia Records' Pitman-plant pressing.

By contrast, to the best of my knowledge, all standard U.S. vinyl pressings—whether early or late—feature hand-etched matrix numbers. Early pressings also include two distinctive markings: a "MASTERED BY CAPITOL" stamp and the hand-written initials "KP " of Mastering Engineer Ken Perry (see 05/30/2020 and earlier, such as 09/10/2014). For instance, Disc One from one of the regular pressings in my possession bears the following matrix numbers (oblique, hand-etched; straight; stamped):

SIDE 1:   p   PAL-36855 1G F7        MASTERED AT CAPITOL         KP
SIDE 2:   p   PBL-36855 1F F6        MASTERED AT CAPITOL         KP

The second difference is the width of the silent part between tracks, which is noticeably wider on the CX-test discs (see the photo immediately below). However, I am uncertain whether this feature is technically related to the CX noise reduction system. Does anyone have any information about this?

Compared to the standard disc (left ), the CX-test pressing (right ) features a visibly unique characteristic: wider spacing of the silent grooves between tracks. Both images show Side Two of Disc One, with insets offering enlarged views of the silent groove section between Track One (Hungry Heart ) and Track Two (Out in the Street ).

Without a doubt, the central question regarding these alleged CX-encoded test-pressing copies is whether they are official or counterfeit, as no CX-encoded version of this album has ever been commercially known to exist. In the following, I summarize the facts and evidence that either support or refute the authenticity of these test pressings.

CX-encoded LP alternates (identified by the red
logo sticker) have been released for several
of Billy Joel's albums in the U.S. and Europe
(not in my possession). Could Springsteen's
titles have been released as well?

Supportive

1. Both the East and West Coast sellers acquired this Springsteen test pressing along with other known CX-test and regular pressings from industry insiders or audio reviewers. The West Coast seller explained, "We recently purchased a small collection of records from a sound engineer who had some audiophile albums and a few were the short lived CX encoded albums put out by Sony/Columbia/CBS records."  By the way, sound professionals are excellent sources of these vinyl pressings. I also obtained a few test pressings from a sound engineer based in NYC, including a LIVE/1975-85 disc previously mentioned (see 09/24/2022 and 09/30/2022).
2. Each vinyl disc appears to be professionally pressed, exhibiting a clean surface with minimal crackling or popping when played on a turntable. As shown in the previous post (01/04/2025), the record labels seem genuine and indistinguishable from those on standard pressings.
3. The sound quality is fine even without decoding, although I must stress that I'm not an audiophile but a collector.
4. The matrix number prefix, XRD, is quite uncommon, and I have never seen it in the matrix numbers on any U.S.-pressed LPs of Springsteen’s titles. However, a search of the Discogs and Popsike databases uncovered several instances of this prefix appearing in the matrix numbers of Columbia/CBS Records releases across various genres, from rock to classical music, including Elvis Costello's CX-test pressing for GET HAPPY!  (here). According to the East Coast seller, "The XRD means it's encoded for the CX process."  However, I have not yet been able to confirm this claim.
5. The commercial release of the CX-encoded edition of BORN TO RUN LP raises the possibility that, back then, additional albums were being prepared for similar treatment—potentially including THE RIVER CX demo LP. Multiple CX-alternate releases from the back catalog of a single artist, such as Billy Joel, further support this idea.

The sticker carries a misspelling and no record title.
And what does the number "11" refer to?  Copy number?

Refutable

1. The record labels are from Columbia Records' regular pressing rather than Pitman's white test pressing (see 01/25/2015 and 11/11/2017). Moreover, there is no "CX logo" on them, even though the CX-encoded BORN TO RUN disc features it on the standard red labels (see 10/08/2021).
   
2. Although THE RIVER is a double album, only the Disc One test pressing has surfaced to date. Note, however, that this seems plausible, as test pressings for multiple-disc sets are generally checked individually during manufacturing (e.g., LIVE/1975-85; see 09/30/2022). If this were the case, the release of the CX version of THE RIVER might have been abandoned halfway through due to Columbia/CBS Records' withdrawal from the project sometime in 1983.
   
3. The improbable misspelling "SPRINGSTEIN" on the rectangular sticker pasted on the sleeve raises suspicions that the record is not genuine but a counterfeit. The sticker is not unlike that of a LIVE test pressing, though (see 09/30/2022).

Based on the above, it seems to me that this is genuine, though I'm still unsure. I would appreciate your thoughts and any insights you may have regarding this particular CX-test pressing, as well as any leads or information you might have on it.

— Back to Part 1.

Collecting log: THE RIVER single disc test pressing for the possible CX-encoded noise-reduction release in the early 1980s (Part 1 of 2)

Two copies of purported U.S. CX-encoded test pressings of THE RIVER (Disc One) came in a plain white sleeve
with minimum information typed on a white sticker. Alongside is an original regular copy (US Columbia PC 36854).

Happy New Year, and thank you for your kind and considerate inquiries via PM about the status of the blog (and my health). Yes, I’m doing fine. As has happened occasionally in the past, over the past three months, my work and personal life have leaned heavily towards the former, leaving me unable to write. I suppose I’m truly a workaholic! Consequently, my collecting activities have been minimal, with only one or two items worth mentioning. That said, it’s only within the past week or so that I’ve finally found some breathing room. Here, I’d like to share my insights about a questionable record—whether official or bogus—that has piqued my interest for some time.

CX identification stickers are typically affixed to the rear
sleeves (photo sourced from the blog on 12/29/2022).

Previously, I introduced the Compatible eXpansion (CX)-encoded vinyl pressing of BORN TO RUN (U.S. Columbia JC 33795), released circa 1982 or early 1983 (see 09/30/2021 and 10/08/2021). This pressing shares the same catalog number as the late 1970s and later reissues, but it is distinguished by CX identification stickers on the album sleeve (see the image right). This particular vinyl format is notable because it can be played both with and without a CX decoder, which is why it is referred to as "compatible." To my surprise, this unique pressing of Springsteen's iconic album has been largely overlooked by collectors, as well as in guidebooks, databases, and fanzines like Backstreets, for nearly four decades. It appears to have only been added to the Discogs database around 2019 (here). 

Despite the innovative technology behind it, the CX encoding system was highly criticized by prominent sound engineers, including Robert "Bob" Ludwig, known later for his work on many of Springsteen's records, including back catalog reissues. Ludwig said, "I hate it. I’m going to give up the business if it ever catches on." (Billboard, June 27, 1981, p. 33). As a vinyl collector, however, I always regard this short-lived release as a unique entry in Springsteen's catalog, rarer and more difficult to find than other variant releases of the third album, such as the Half-Speed Mastered edition (U.S. Columbia HC 33795 for the original and HC 43795 for the reissue).

Although apparently a different pressing, the record labels and stamper rings of a CX-encoded disc (right) are
indistinguishable from those of a standard copy (left). Both are manufactured at Columbia Records' Pitman plant,
as evidenced by the "P" stamp in the deadwax (see the image below).

To date, this U.S. pressing remains the only confirmed commercially released CX-encoded Springsteen record, despite the numerous CX-encoded LPs pressed in Holland and widely available across Europe—none of which, to my knowledge, include any Springsteen titles. However, as I wrote previously (09/30/2021), BORN TO RUN was not the first CX-encoded Springsteen album that brought this unsuccessful audiophile format to my attention. That distinction goes to THE RIVER (Disc One only), reportedly not a commercial release but a test pressing. So far, I have seen it appear online just twice.

The matrix number on Side One deadwax is machine-typed
"XRD-AL-36855-A2" with a "P" stamp, the hallmark of
Pitman-plant manufacturing, on the upstream.

Back in 2016, the first copy appeared on eBay with the caption "COLUMBIA EXPERIMENTAL DEMO CX ENCODED #20/500 Bruce Springsteen The River."  The U.S. seller, located in Massachusetts, seemed knowledgeable about audio formats and devices, likely with some direct or indirect connection to the music industry. Then, in 2020, another copy was listed on the auction under the heading "BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN 'THE RIVER' CX ENCODED AUDIOPHILE PROMO 1 LP RARE UNUSUAL WLP," although it was actually not a WLP (white label promo). This second copy was sold by someone, probably a second-hand record retailer or shop staff, based in Washington State. Both vinyl pressings look identical in terms of labels and deadwax matrix numbers.

— Continued to Part 2.