Vinyl record production gets a much-needed tech upgrade

Brian

Joined: Feb 25, 2006
Posts: 19270
Des Moines, Iowa, USA
United States

Posted on Jan 30 2017 08:49 AM

Interesting article and video on vinyl production improvements:

https://www.engadget.com/2017/01/29/vinyl-record-production-tech-upgrade/

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revmike

Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 3797
North Atlantic
Canada

Posted on Jan 30 2017 10:34 AM

Cool. There are a couple of new Canadian plants using automated presses too.

Rev

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ArtS

Joined: May 09, 2008
Posts: 1336
Isle of Kent, MD
United States

Posted on Jan 30 2017 11:18 AM

Looks slow. Am I missing something?

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ElMonstroPorFavor

Joined: Sep 01, 2006
Posts: 2719
New Orleans, LA
4 Contributor Pins

Posted on Jan 30 2017 12:15 PM

I agree that it looks surprisingly slow but simply having new vinyl pressing machines on the market is pretty great. From what I understand, the few new pressing plants that have opened have relied on finding old equipment and fixing it.

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homerhead

Joined: Mar 17, 2006
Posts: 530
Portland, OR
5 Contributor Pins

Posted on Jan 30 2017 12:16 PM

Eeeek - the records are dropped like on mom and dad's old changer! Pre-scratched for your listening convenience :)

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Brian

Joined: Feb 25, 2006
Posts: 19270
Des Moines, Iowa, USA
United States

Posted on Jan 30 2017 02:50 PM

Yeah I think the point of the article is that finally some new machines and tech are being used to produce vinyl, and not just relying on ancient equipment. I don't know how fast/slow the existing machines are.

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Badger

Joined: Nov 16, 2013
Posts: 4536
Wisconsin
United States

Posted on Jan 31 2017 07:32 AM

I wonder how long it will be before 3D printing can translate the tolerances necessary to produce a record. Likely expense-prohibitive but possibly someone might do a proof-of-concept just 'cause.

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Wes
SoCal ex-pat with a snow shovel

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ElMonstroPorFavor

Joined: Sep 01, 2006
Posts: 2719
New Orleans, LA
4 Contributor Pins

Posted on Jan 31 2017 09:45 AM

Badger wrote:

I wonder how long it will be before 3D printing can translate the tolerances necessary to produce a record. Likely expense-prohibitive but possibly someone might do a proof-of-concept just 'cause.

It's been done but I'd rank it at about wax cylinder fidelity

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Badger

Joined: Nov 16, 2013
Posts: 4536
Wisconsin
United States

Posted on Jan 31 2017 01:08 PM

ElMonstroPorFavor wrote:

It's been done but I'd rank it at about wax cylinder fidelity

Thanks, I'll have to look into that. This particular area keeps evolving.

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Wes
SoCal ex-pat with a snow shovel

DISCLAIMER: The above is opinion/suggestion only & should not be used for mission planning/navigation, tweaking of instruments, beverage selection, or wardrobe choices.

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da-ron

Joined: Jan 02, 2009
Posts: 1305
The original Plymouth, UK.
United Kingdom

Posted on Feb 08 2017 07:36 AM

ElMonstroPorFavor wrote:

I agree that it looks surprisingly slow but simply having new vinyl pressing machines on the market is pretty great. From what I understand, the few new pressing plants that have opened have relied on finding old equipment and fixing it.

What was once a cottage industry is now called upon by major labels to satisfy a reissue market. It's not really up to it. There is one guy that fixes these things and the wait is 6 months. There are two suppliers of the lacquer used in the pressing process. One is US made and costs a fortune, the other is made by a guy in his garage in Japan. He keeps retiring but people keep begging him to make another batch. It's down to one or two people with the knowledge of how this stuff works and they are retiring now, such as the one woman who knew what adhesive to use for the cutting stylus.

Hopefully these new machines will take the pressure off the existing ones and satisfy the re-issue market.

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Brian Joined: Feb 25, 2006 Posts: 19270 Des Moines, Iowa, USA	Posted on Jan 30 2017 08:49 AM Interesting article and video on vinyl production improvements: https://www.engadget.com/2017/01/29/vinyl-record-production-tech-upgrade/ — Site dude - S3 Agent #202 Need help with the site? SG101 FAQ - Send me a private message - Email me "It starts... when it begins" -- Ralf Kilauea Top
revmike Joined: Feb 26, 2006 Posts: 3797 North Atlantic	Posted on Jan 30 2017 10:34 AM Cool. There are a couple of new Canadian plants using automated presses too. Rev — Canadian Surf http://www.urbansurfkings.com/ Top
ArtS Joined: May 09, 2008 Posts: 1336 Isle of Kent, MD	Posted on Jan 30 2017 11:18 AM Looks slow. Am I missing something? — Surfcat NEW - MARCH OF THE DEAD SURFERS (Released Oct 17, 2024) - Agent Octopus YOUTUBE Video - March of the Dead Surfers NEW AGENT OCTOPUS - BANDCAMP SPOTIFY LINK - AGENT OCTOPUS - SURF Top
ElMonstroPorFavor Joined: Sep 01, 2006 Posts: 2719 New Orleans, LA	Posted on Jan 30 2017 12:15 PM I agree that it looks surprisingly slow but simply having new vinyl pressing machines on the market is pretty great. From what I understand, the few new pressing plants that have opened have relied on finding old equipment and fixing it. — Storm Surge of Reverb: Surf & Instro Radio Top
homerhead Joined: Mar 17, 2006 Posts: 530 Portland, OR	Posted on Jan 30 2017 12:16 PM Eeeek - the records are dropped like on mom and dad's old changer! Pre-scratched for your listening convenience :) — Rick Top
Brian Joined: Feb 25, 2006 Posts: 19270 Des Moines, Iowa, USA	Posted on Jan 30 2017 02:50 PM Yeah I think the point of the article is that finally some new machines and tech are being used to produce vinyl, and not just relying on ancient equipment. I don't know how fast/slow the existing machines are. — Site dude - S3 Agent #202 Need help with the site? SG101 FAQ - Send me a private message - Email me "It starts... when it begins" -- Ralf Kilauea Top
Badger Joined: Nov 16, 2013 Posts: 4536 Wisconsin	Posted on Jan 31 2017 07:32 AM I wonder how long it will be before 3D printing can translate the tolerances necessary to produce a record. Likely expense-prohibitive but possibly someone might do a proof-of-concept just 'cause. — Wes SoCal ex-pat with a snow shovel DISCLAIMER: The above is opinion/suggestion only & should not be used for mission planning/navigation, tweaking of instruments, beverage selection, or wardrobe choices. Top
ElMonstroPorFavor Joined: Sep 01, 2006 Posts: 2719 New Orleans, LA	Posted on Jan 31 2017 09:45 AM Badger wrote: I wonder how long it will be before 3D printing can translate the tolerances necessary to produce a record. Likely expense-prohibitive but possibly someone might do a proof-of-concept just 'cause. It's been done but I'd rank it at about wax cylinder fidelity — Storm Surge of Reverb: Surf & Instro Radio Top
Badger Joined: Nov 16, 2013 Posts: 4536 Wisconsin	Posted on Jan 31 2017 01:08 PM ElMonstroPorFavor wrote: It's been done but I'd rank it at about wax cylinder fidelity Thanks, I'll have to look into that. This particular area keeps evolving. — Wes SoCal ex-pat with a snow shovel DISCLAIMER: The above is opinion/suggestion only & should not be used for mission planning/navigation, tweaking of instruments, beverage selection, or wardrobe choices. Top
da-ron Joined: Jan 02, 2009 Posts: 1305 The original Plymouth, UK.	Posted on Feb 08 2017 07:36 AM ElMonstroPorFavor wrote: I agree that it looks surprisingly slow but simply having new vinyl pressing machines on the market is pretty great. From what I understand, the few new pressing plants that have opened have relied on finding old equipment and fixing it. What was once a cottage industry is now called upon by major labels to satisfy a reissue market. It's not really up to it. There is one guy that fixes these things and the wait is 6 months. There are two suppliers of the lacquer used in the pressing process. One is US made and costs a fortune, the other is made by a guy in his garage in Japan. He keeps retiring but people keep begging him to make another batch. It's down to one or two people with the knowledge of how this stuff works and they are retiring now, such as the one woman who knew what adhesive to use for the cutting stylus. Hopefully these new machines will take the pressure off the existing ones and satisfy the re-issue market. — http://thewaterboarders.bandcamp.com/ Top

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Vinyl record production gets a much-needed tech upgrade