# Making sense of German Decca classical labels



## guermantes (Nov 3, 2014)

Hello,
I am not a collector but when I do buy every know and then I like to know what I buy and if it is worth in any given situation to pay a premium for a more collectible item. Since many UK-pressed Decca SXL/SET are too expensive for my liking, I am often tempted by German pressings. (I would alternatively go for London label but they are mainly sold in the US-second hand market and since I am in Sweden postage becomes too expensive.)

While the differences between UK-pressed wide band and narrow band are pretty well documented, the German Deccas confuse me. There predominantly seems to be two kinds: black label with gold text (sometimes with the RoyalSound logo), and light blue with small black box with white logo at twlelve o'clock.

How do these labels differ from one another?
I have a vague impression of only having seen the blue label on recordings that in the UK would get SXL6448 and above, that is, when the use of the wideband label ceased, but this is just an impression.

Does anyone know more about the German Deccas?


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