This morning, Ray dropped a gem into our Slack channel:
So off to Google I went and stumbled across this article from Exclaim.ca claiming that high definition vinyl is possible. I mean… vinyl is analogue right? There is no technical resolution right? Does adding HD at the end of something actually mean anything? Are you telling me that the hallowed allegedly superior sound of vinyl can be improved on? Well yes and no.
The HD in this case packs 30% more music onto the record and with a higher dynamic range too. This comes down to using a laser to cut the master instead of a traditional lathe, which allows more compact and detailed grooves to be cut into the stamper as well as offering a greater frequency range and volume. And on top of making the whole master production process quicker (traditionally a bottleneck), it’ll also allow the stamper to last longer too.
It is claimed to be a fully backwards compatible process, so you’ll be able to play them on any turntable with any needle. But this is where the caveat comes in — you’re probably going to need better needles than those you use for DJing, maybe whole carts, and who knows… perhaps even all new turntables to experience the full glory of HD vinyl.
OLD PROCESS — NEW TECH
I’m struck by how cool it is to see modern technology applied to a process still so entrenched in ancient production workflows. And given that laser cutting masters is seemingly real, does this mean that we’re at a point where regular vinyl can be cut on demand?
In all honesty, I don’t see HD vinyl as being of any benefit to DJs. Who knows — HD noise maps with matching HD DJ carts could appear. And I’m sure many would throw money at it and claim it was better.
Cramming more on a platter is great for pro rock concept LPs, but given the stellar audio quality we already experience from vinyl and digital, HD vinyl is probably best left to the audiophiles, because I’m pretty sure that seeing an HD logo on a record sleeve is going to bump the price. Expect to see classic LPs remastered and reissued, but I wouldn’t hold out for DJ friendly releases any time soon.
Image courtesy of Scape Mastering.
Something with chain and weakest link.
Unless for DJ’s companies are going to make better cantilevers it wouldn’t make much difference if at all.
But I will first have to see………. in three years ;)
Just as anything that is novel requires the masses to be the norm. I think it is in reach sooner than thought simply because laser technology is real and has applied in many industries that require “laser precision” to their products. We’re in an era of “perfecting” previous inventions so I am not surprised by this. It will be costly at the novelty stage but will be affordable at the norm. Look st HD TV as an example. Gotta love technology!!!
Vinyl killed dejaying!!! LOL!!!
Take a master file (digital). Run it through CAD software (digital). Use a laser (digitally controlled) to etch the matrix. Press vinyl (analogue) and… progressively destroy all the supposedly added nuances each time you play it.
The uproar of one hand clapping.
But there is no “press vinyl” in this laser etching process. So imagine a high definition recording file and through a patented process transmitted that to a laser to etch that directly onto the wax. So instead of valleys and some bumps as we hear from regular vinyl record, this laser etching process would add lots of peaks within the valley of the groove to create “surround sound” if I can use this to emphasize. But like Mark said, for this to be different, new technology in needle development needs to be established to pick up these new “peaks” within the valley.
This times 1000. What could possibly be the point of this? To create a media format that is designed to degrade every time it’s used, and fail if it’s ever exposed to temps higher than a typical summer day? Made out of a petrochemical whose price fluctuates wildly, and with greatly diminished potential for brick and mortar sales because stores don’t floorplan physical media anymore.
And even if you were to address the issue of degradation on each playback by creating laser pickups to read the groove (been done for YEARS), the higher resolution the data is, the lower tolerance there is for warping, an off-center spindle, or any of the other issues vinyl DJs experience regularly.
And if it’s going to be backwards compatible, that means the RIAA equalization curve needs to be applied, which is another source of noise and degradation.
I don’t get it.
A neat idea however I feel that it will always have a niche following like Quadraphonic Vinyl, Super Audio CD or the Pono MP3 player. Having said that if you get someone like Jack White & Third Man Records behind the idea, it may just catch on given their love of pressing unusually formatted records. This would have the knock-on effect of influencing the masses outside of the select few audiophiles willing to brag about something which you can harldy notice but looks better on paper.
only interested in this if it allows to cut deeper (more resistance to wear). The audio quality of an unplayed hot stamper already exceeds the specs of most listening systems, no need to improve on it IMO
I think this is great! I’m only surprised that it’s new because it seems so logical. I’m sure it would have happened by 1990 if the whole industry hadn’t switched to cds by then. Anything that extends vinyl’s existence is cool with me. Problem is I’m into cassettes and that s is really hard to hang on to.