MA Recordings
MA Recordings is an independent audiophile record label founded in 1988, producing acoustic recordings via a proprietary two-microphone technique and selling CDs, SACDs, vinyl, and high-resolution digital downloads direct-to-consumer from offices in the USA, Japan, and Hong Kong.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1988
- HeadquartersEncino, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What MA Recordings does
MA Recordings is an independent audiophile record label founded in 1988 in Japan by producer-engineer Todd Garfinkle and now headquartered in Encino, California, with regional operations in Japan and Hong Kong. The label specializes in acoustic recordings produced using a strict two-omni-directional microphone technique, with signals routed through custom handmade equipment and exotic audio cabling into KORG MR2000s DSD recorders capable of 5.6 MHz native sampling. All recordings are captured in acoustically significant environments such as concert halls, churches, and galleries, which the company treats as co-creators of the final product. The catalog spans Classical, Jazz, World Music, Baroque, and Early Music and exceeds 127 titles, with supplementary distribution of the Russian classical Caro Mitis Hybrid SACD label and the Crystal Cable high-end audio cable line from the Netherlands.
The business is run as a privately held, founder-controlled operation with 1–10 employees and no disclosed external funding. Commercial activity is concentrated on a direct-to-consumer e-commerce storefront at marecordings.com, powered by osCommerce, with no formal sales team or third-party channel partnerships. Products are sold in multiple formats — standard Redbook CDs ($17.50), Caro Mitis Hybrid SACDs ($26.50, currently discounted), audiophile vinyl pressings ($40–$66), 176.4 kHz HiRez PCM downloads ($40), and 5.6 MHz Native DSD downloads ($40) — alongside Crystal Cable interconnects and speaker cables ranging from $235 to $6,250. The Emerald Audiophile Series uses dark green polycarbonate CDs to mitigate laser-refraction artifacts. Target customers are audiophiles, classical and world-music collectors, and high-end audio equipment enthusiasts seeking acoustic authenticity and premium sound reproduction.
Distribution is operated directly from the three regional offices, with Crystal Cable resale geographically restricted to a defined list of ~24 countries. The company has no AI/ML capabilities, no public listing, no institutional investors, and no M&A activity; the most recent operational signal is the announced wind-down of Caro Mitis Hybrid SACD distribution at special discount prices, indicating a defensive contraction of third-party label carrying rather than expansion.
MA Recordings firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- MA Recordings
- Legal name
- M·A Recordings
- Website
- https://marecordings.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1988
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- MA Recordings is an independent audiophile record label founded in 1988, producing acoustic recordings via a proprietary two-microphone technique and selling CDs, SACDs, vinyl, and high-resolution digital downloads direct-to-consumer from offices in the USA, Japan, and Hong Kong.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
MA Recordings industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Recorded Music / Audiophile Music Label
- NAICS
- Record Production and Distribution (51225), Record Production and Distribution (512250)
- SIC
- Phonograph Records & Prerecorded Audio Tapes & Disks (3652)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Recording Studios (Commercial, Project, Mobile) (MPAIAHAA)
Keywords
Where MA Recordings is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Encino
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
MA Recordings business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Physical Media Sales: Sales of CDs, SACDs, Hybrid SACDs, and vinyl records at various price points ranging from $17.50 for standard CDs to $66.00+ for premium audiophile vinyl releases
- Digital Downloads: Hi-Rez PCM and Native DSD downloads sold at $40.00 per title for high-resolution audio files (176.4 kHz WAV, 24-bit)
- High-End Audio Cables: Distribution of Crystal Cable products including interconnects, speaker cables, and iPod cables at prices ranging from $235 to $6,250
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Standard Redbook CD releases |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Hi-Rez Downloads (PCM and DSD) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Premium Vinyl Releases |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Caro Mitis Hybrid SACDs |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Crystal Cable Audio Cables |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels3 records
MA Recordings product offering
Product offeringCore offering
MA Recordings is an independent audiophile record label that produces and sells high-resolution acoustic music recordings across multiple formats including CDs, SACDs, vinyl, DVD-ROM, and digital downloads. The label employs a proprietary two-microphone recording technique with custom handmade equipment in acoustically significant venues such as concert halls, churches, and galleries, spanning genres including classical, jazz, baroque, early music, and world music.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Series Momentum: A sub-label presenting recordings not necessarily produced by MA but which are of musical integrity and deserve to be made available to the public.
- Caro Mitis
Quantifiable outcome
- 127+ new products in catalog
Companies that use MA Recordings
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
MA Recordings technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
MA Recordings partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor.
- Crystal CableminorMA Recordings serves as an authorized reseller of Crystal Cable high-end audio products, offering their cables (PICCOLO, MICRO, STANDARD, REFERENCE, ULTRA series) on the MA website. Crystal Cable products feature ultra pure silver infused with gold, using Dupont Kapton insulation.
- Caro MitisminorMA Recordings imports and distributes Caro Mitis Hybrid SACDs - a Russian classical label producing pure multi-channel DSD recordings. Caro Mitis specializes in state-of-art performances by Russian and European musicians with many World Premiere Recordings.
- Pratum Integrum OrchestraminorLeading Russian orchestra performing on authentic instruments. Caro Mitis exclusively records and supports this orchestra.
- SONY DADCminorManufacturing partner for Caro Mitis Hybrid SACDs. All Caro Mitis titles are manufactured at SONY DADC in Austria.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
MA Recordings competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- 2L (Lindberg Lyd): Norwegian audiophile label specializing in high-resolution classical recordings (SACD, DXD, DSD). Directly comparable niche audiophile competitor with similar format strategy and premium pricing on classical content.
- Opus3 Records: Swedish audiophile label producing high-quality jazz, classical, and folk recordings using minimal-microphone techniques. Closely aligned with MA's two-microphone philosophy and acoustic-first recording approach.
- Stockfisch Records: German audiophile label producing intimate acoustic recordings with proprietary equipment and high-resolution formats. Comparable to MA in recording philosophy, format strategy (SACD, vinyl, DSD), and acoustic music focus.
- Channel Classics Records: Dutch audiophile classical label producing SACDs and high-resolution recordings with a focus on acoustic authenticity. Similar to MA in classical music emphasis, premium format strategy, and direct-to-consumer distribution.
- Reference Recordings: US audiophile record label known for HDCD and SACD releases with focus on high-quality classical and jazz recordings. Directly comparable to MA Recordings in its niche audiophile label positioning and emphasis on premium sound quality.
- Chesky Records: Independent US audiophile label specializing in high-resolution jazz, classical, and world music recordings. Highly comparable to MA in target market (audiophile enthusiasts) and use of distinctive recording techniques to differentiate product.
- Analogue Productions: US audiophile label focused on premium vinyl reissues and new recordings with master-quality sound. Competes with MA in the audiophile vinyl space and shares the same high-end collector customer base.
- Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab: Pioneer in audiophile vinyl reissues and original recordings, known for high-quality mastering and premium physical formats. Directly competes with MA's audiophile vinyl and SACD product lines for premium format collectors.
Broad incumbents
- Harmonia Mundi: Larger independent classical and world music label with broad catalog and global distribution. Overlaps with MA in classical/world music audiophile market but operates at much larger scale across multiple formats and genres.
Others
- Crystal Cable: Dutch high-end audio cable manufacturer whose products are distributed by MA Recordings. Partnership/alliance relationship rather than competitor—represents the broader premium audio ecosystem MA participates in.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
MA Recordings social profiles
Digital presenceMA Recordings financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
MA Recordings leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
MA Recordings subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
MA Recordings funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
MA Recordings M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about MA Recordings
What does MA Recordings do?
MA Recordings is an independent audiophile record label that produces and sells high-resolution acoustic music recordings across multiple formats including CDs, SACDs, vinyl, DVD-ROM, and digital downloads. The label employs a proprietary two-microphone recording technique with custom handmade equipment in acoustically significant venues such as concert halls, churches, and galleries, spanning genres including classical, jazz, baroque, early music, and world music.
Is MA Recordings a public or private company?
MA Recordings is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was MA Recordings founded?
MA Recordings was founded in 1988. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is MA Recordings based?
MA Recordings is headquartered in Encino, United States, in the North America region.
How does MA Recordings make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Physical Media Sales are the primary driver. The others are digital Downloads and high-End Audio Cables.
Who are MA Recordings's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are 2L (Lindberg Lyd), Opus3 Records, Stockfisch Records, Channel Classics Records, Reference Recordings, Chesky Records, Analogue Productions and Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab. Harmonia Mundi is listed as a broad incumbent. Crystal Cable is listed as an others.
Does MA Recordings have an API?
No public API is recorded for MA Recordings.
What industry is MA Recordings in?
MA Recordings's product category is Recorded Music / Audiophile Music Label. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAIAHAA, Recording Studios (Commercial, Project, Mobile). Its NAICS code is 51225 and its SIC code is 3652.