Do Rhino records sound good?

satellite

Super Member
I know... I've been living under a rock. Rarely shop for new records, especially online, but have been browsing around lately to fill the million holes in my collection, and see this label everywhere. Sound quality?

Thanks for your opinions!
 
I searched my collection and have about 5 titles that are classified as Rhino. Two are live, so that doesn't really count.

But the couple of jazz titles I have sound very good. It probably has a lot to do with where they're pressed and what the masters are like. So not sure you can generalize about Rhino in general, but I have a pretty good hit rate that says that they can make a very good quality product.
 
It probably has a lot to do with where they're pressed and what the masters are like. So not sure you can generalize about Rhino in general
Yes, of course this must be true. I don't own any Rhino records, and know absolutely nothing about the label. I will do more research!
Thanks for your response.
 
Just a little bit of history as Rhino has been around for awhile.

Rhino Records started as a record store in 1973 in Westwood California, U.S.A., founded by Richard Foos. The first recording was released in 1975, "Go To Rhino Records" by Wild Man Fischer which was a small success.
Label Code: LC 02982
The early logo design had a picture of "Rocky the Rhino" (designed by William Stout) and featured mostly novelty, surf, local new wave bands, and a couple of reissues of out-of-print records from other labels. By the mid-1980s, the label was releasing a lot of reissues. Bill Inglot took care of the production, Ken Perrymastered, and Gary Stewart and James Austin were doing A&R. Around the same time, the logo was redesigned to just "Rhino".

In 1985 the label made a distribution deal with Capitol Records, which lasted until 1992. As part of the deal, they had access to the Capitol back catalog, and they started releasing reissues of the old Capitol albums. In addition, in 1989, EMI and Rhino acquired the Roulette family of labels. In 1992, when the deal with Capitol was ending, Rhino got an offer from Time-Warner. By entering this deal, half of the label was sold to Time-Warner, and WEA became the new distributor of the label. Warner put Rhino in charge of reissuing the Atlantic back catalog. In 1998, Time-Warner bought the remaining 50% of the label, but returned the record store back to Richard Foos.

Currently Rhino Records operates as a part of the Rhino Entertainment Company, which is a part of the Warner Music Group. The label specializes in reissues, compilations and anthologies.
 
@Slick Willie Thanks for the brief synopsis. I never researched the details, but that explains a lot that I had kind of already figured out already over the years. I have quite a few Rhino re-issues, compilations, anthology/greatest hits albums acquired over the years. With respect to the OPs question, I have never had an issue with the actual album pressings themselves--they play just fine, but the source material (as can be expected) is not always the greatest. The only real shortcoming worthy of mention is the quality of the packaging--the liners and sleeves are kind of cheap looking/feeling, but I don't play the covers, so doesn't really affect my purchase decision.
 
All of the Doors and Fleetwood Mac reissues that I have on Rhino are quite good. The Doors S/T is especially good as is L.A. Woman. Pretty good luck with them over several years. Only one turkey and that was a long time ago. It was Deep Purple's Machine Head.
 
I recently got the Eagles' Hotel California Rhino reissue (180 gram) -- perfectly flat, thick slab of vinyl and NO surface noise. Very smooth-sounding until the end tracks, which break up into distorted noise on Henley's vocals.
 
Just a little bit of history as Rhino has been around for awhile.

Rhino Records started as a record store in 1973 in Westwood California, U.S.A., founded by Richard Foos. The first recording was released in 1975, "Go To Rhino Records" by Wild Man Fischer which was a small success.
Label Code: LC 02982
The early logo design had a picture of "Rocky the Rhino" (designed by William Stout) and featured mostly novelty, surf, local new wave bands, and a couple of reissues of out-of-print records from other labels. By the mid-1980s, the label was releasing a lot of reissues. Bill Inglot took care of the production, Ken Perrymastered, and Gary Stewart and James Austin were doing A&R. Around the same time, the logo was redesigned to just "Rhino".

In 1985 the label made a distribution deal with Capitol Records, which lasted until 1992. As part of the deal, they had access to the Capitol back catalog, and they started releasing reissues of the old Capitol albums. In addition, in 1989, EMI and Rhino acquired the Roulette family of labels. In 1992, when the deal with Capitol was ending, Rhino got an offer from Time-Warner. By entering this deal, half of the label was sold to Time-Warner, and WEA became the new distributor of the label. Warner put Rhino in charge of reissuing the Atlantic back catalog. In 1998, Time-Warner bought the remaining 50% of the label, but returned the record store back to Richard Foos.

Currently Rhino Records operates as a part of the Rhino Entertainment Company, which is a part of the Warner Music Group. The label specializes in reissues, compilations and anthologies.

Hey Slick Willie, Thanks for taking the time to share this very informative post.
 
One of the older style labels:
Rhino%204.jpg
 
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