Chad Kassem, Acoustic Sounds, and Analogue Productions: Origins, Vision, and Growth
Chad Kassem is widely regarded as one of the central figures responsible for revitalizing interest in analog sound and high-quality vinyl production. As the founder of Acoustic Sounds, Analogue Productions, Quality Record Pressings, and Blue Heaven Studios, Kassem built an empire rooted in one guiding principle: the uncompromising pursuit of sonic excellence. His work not only preserved a vanishing craft during the digital revolution but also helped define the modern standards of audiophile production.
Kassem’s story begins in the mid-1980s in Salina, Kansas, far from the traditional music industry hubs. After moving from Louisiana to Kansas, Kassem discovered a growing demand among collectors for clean, well-preserved vinyl records—especially as compact discs were beginning to dominate the market. In 1986, he founded Acoustic Sounds as a mail-order business dedicated to selling used records, rare imports, and high-quality pressings to audiophiles. Working from a small apartment and armed with a deep passion for sound, he began building relationships with customers who shared his obsession with analog fidelity.
At that time, vinyl was considered obsolete. Major record labels were phasing out LPs in favor of CDs, and mastering engineers were leaving the field. Yet Kassem saw opportunity in this decline. He realized that while the mainstream industry was chasing digital convenience, there remained a dedicated audience of enthusiasts who valued the warmth, depth, and realism of analog recordings. Acoustic Sounds quickly gained a reputation for integrity and expertise. Customers trusted Kassem’s descriptions of condition and sound quality, and word spread across the audiophile community.
By the early 1990s, Kassem wanted to do more than just sell records—he wanted to make them. Recognizing that many classic albums were out of print or poorly reissued, he founded Analogue Productions (often abbreviated AP), a label focused on reissuing important recordings directly from original analog master tapes. His goal was to restore these records to their full sonic potential, without compromise.
Analogue Productions’ early catalog included landmark recordings in jazz, blues, and classical music. Each release was meticulously prepared, often involving world-class mastering engineers like Doug Sax, Kevin Gray, and Bernie Grundman. The records were pressed on heavyweight vinyl, packaged with deluxe artwork, and marketed to collectors who cared as much about sound as presentation. These releases—covering artists such as Miles Davis, Nat King Cole, Thelonious Monk, and Creedence Clearwater Revival—set new standards for reissues, showing that vinyl could be not just nostalgic, but truly high-end.
As demand grew, Kassem faced a challenge familiar to anyone in the reissue business: inconsistency in pressing quality. The few remaining vinyl pressing plants in the United States were overloaded, and maintaining tight quality control was difficult. Many audiophile labels at the time were at the mercy of aging equipment and overworked facilities. Rather than accept these limitations, Kassem decided to build his own solution from the ground up.
In 2011, he launched Quality Record Pressings (QRP), a state-of-the-art vinyl pressing plant located in Salina. QRP was designed to be the finest pressing facility in the world, combining newly engineered machinery with painstaking attention to temperature, humidity, and cleanliness. Every step—from the creation of the metal stampers to the final packaging—was managed internally. QRP’s mission was not mass production but perfection. Its presses were customized to ensure consistent groove depth and flatness, reducing surface noise and defects that plagued even high-end vinyl at the time.
QRP quickly earned a reputation for excellence, attracting clients beyond Analogue Productions. Major labels, including Universal Music and Sony, began outsourcing special audiophile editions to Kassem’s plant. This expansion turned Salina, Kansas, into an unlikely global hub for premium vinyl manufacturing.
Meanwhile, Kassem’s interests extended beyond reissues. He founded Blue Heaven Studios, a former church converted into a recording and performance venue with exceptional acoustics. There, Kassem began producing direct-to-disc recordings—a demanding process in which artists perform live as the sound is cut directly into a lacquer master, bypassing tape or digital stages. The results captured a level of realism and immediacy few recording methods could match. These sessions also formed the basis for Blues Masters at the Crossroads, an annual event that brought together legendary blues musicians to perform and record in Salina, celebrating the heritage of American roots music.
Through these ventures, Kassem built a vertically integrated operation unparalleled in the audiophile world. Acoustic Sounds handled retail and distribution, Analogue Productions managed licensing and reissue production, Quality Record Pressings took care of manufacturing, and Blue Heaven Studios provided a creative space for new recordings. This self-sufficiency allowed Kassem to maintain full control over quality—something few record labels or retailers could claim.
As the vinyl revival accelerated in the 2010s, Kassem’s foresight proved invaluable. While many companies scrambled to reopen or build pressing plants to meet demand, he already had a fully operational, world-class facility and decades of experience in mastering and distribution. Analogue Productions’ reissues became benchmarks in the market, often selling out quickly and commanding high resale prices. Each new series—such as the Ultra High Quality Record (UHQR) editions of classic albums—demonstrated the limits of what analog technology could achieve when cost was no object.
Kassem also embraced high-resolution digital formats, expanding Acoustic Sounds’ catalog to include Super Audio CD (SACD) releases and DSD downloads for customers who sought the same quality in digital form. Yet he remained steadfast in his belief that analog recording and playback represented the purest connection between artist and listener.
Beyond business, Kassem’s work has cultural significance. He helped preserve analog master tapes that might otherwise have been neglected or lost. He provided employment and technical training in Salina, proving that craftsmanship could thrive in small-town America. And through his festivals and community outreach, he became a passionate ambassador for both music history and the tangible artistry of recorded sound.
Today, more than thirty-five years after its founding, Acoustic Sounds stands as one of the world’s leading audiophile retailers, serving customers in dozens of countries. Analogue Productions continues to expand its catalog, releasing definitive editions of some of the greatest albums ever recorded. Quality Record Pressings remains a gold standard in the industry, often cited as one of the finest pressing plants in existence.
