HD Vinyl in 2019?

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Bowie Fett, Jan 26, 2018.

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  1. Mr_Vinyl

    Mr_Vinyl Forum Resident

    I think the ''HD'' word is just the working title as the article stated. It could be called ''HDA'' vinyl (High Definition Analogue) for all we know. Agreed that the HD acronym has a dirty ring to it - especially for vinyl fans. The bottom line is sound, quality, and price. If all three can be ''better'', then why not?
     
    Tommyboy, dkmonroe and andrewskyDE like this.
  2. eddiel

    eddiel Senior Member

    Location:
    Toronto, Canada
  3. delmonaco

    delmonaco Forum Resident

    Location:
    Sofia, Bulgaria
    I wonder if this technology could be used for replication of old original vinyl pressings, by scanning their grooves and replicating them on a new matrix.
     
    ArneW and PDK like this.
  4. Classicrock

    Classicrock Senior Member

    Location:
    South West, UK.
    I think HDDV would likely be a good title. 'High definition digital on vinyl'.
     
  5. DPM

    DPM Senior Member

    Location:
    Nevada, USA
    As in acquiring the original Robert Ludwig cut of Led Zeppelin II and reproducing that with high grade vinyl compound.
     
    JasonA likes this.
  6. hodgo

    hodgo Tea Making Gort (Yorkshire Branch) Staff

    Location:
    East Yorkshire
    This!!!!
     
    Rockchef likes this.
  7. Simon_LDT

    Simon_LDT Forum Resident

    Location:
    England, UK
    So what is actually ''HD'' about this? After reading the article, it sounds to me like a new method of creating a master stamper, reducing time, cost and the need to use chemicals. However, it seems that the LP's will be the same. Doubt there will be any sonic benefit and if anything QC will probably get even worse as plants will now be churning out stuff even quicker!
     
  8. Deuce66

    Deuce66 Senior Member

    Location:
    Canada
    “High Definition Vinyl” Is Happening, Possibly as Early as Next Year | Pitchfork

    “High Definition Vinyl” has moved closer to a turntable near you. In 2016, a European patent filing described a way of manufacturing records that the inventors claimed would have higher audio fidelity, louder volume, and longer playing times than conventional LPs. Now, the Austrian-based startup Rebeat Innovation has received $4.8 million in funding for the initiative, founder and CEO Günter Loibl told Pitchfork. Thanks to the investment, the first “HD vinyl” albums could hit stores as early as 2019, Loibl said.

    The HD vinyl process involves converting audio digitally to a 3D topographic map. Lasers are then used to inscribe the map onto the “stamper,” the part that stamps the grooves into the vinyl. According to Loibl, these methods allow for records to be made more precisely and with less loss of audio information. The results, he said, are vinyl LPs that can have up to 30 percent more playing time, 30 percent more amplitude, and overall more faithful sound reproduction. The technique would also avoid the chemicals that play a role in traditional vinyl manufacturing. Plus, the new-school HD vinyl LPs would still play on ordinary record players.

    What’s next? Rebeat Innovation has ordered a big laser system, for about $600,000, with hopes that it will be shipped by July, Loibl said. Once that system is up and running, Loibl said he plans to produce test stampers for five to-be-determined “early mover” pressing plants. In September, the first test stampers would arrive at those plants. “Our goal is to officially present our test stampers at the Making Vinyl conference in October,” Loibl said, referring to the vinyl trade event held in Detroit. “It will take another eight months to do all the fine adjustments. So by summer 2019 we shall see the first HD vinyls in the stores.”
     
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  9. telepicker97

    telepicker97 Got Any Gum?

    Location:
    Midwest
    Only to find out that the old ones sound better anyway.

    'As the days go by..."
     
    Chemguy and eric777 like this.
  10. The process inherently introduces a digital stage, which fairly or not will be a turnoff for a big part of the audience these are likely being targeted to.
     
    showtaper and Dr. Funk like this.
  11. Danby Delight

    Danby Delight Forum Resident

    Location:
    Boston
    A digital stage for vinyl has been the norm since the early 80s at least.
     
  12. PDK

    PDK Forum Resident

    Location:
    Central Florida
    A point that rings very true to my cognitive sensibilities.
     
    dkmonroe likes this.
  13. Porkpie

    Porkpie Forum Resident

    Location:
    UK
    “Longer running times” - hopefully that means albums that were traditionally single records will be pressed as such and not require being turned into double albums to improve the quality like now.

    I like that a lot of artists have returned to making 45min albums after the 70min self-indulgence of the 90s.
     
    OldSoul, Man at C&A and 81531 like this.
  14. rdog

    rdog Forum Resident

    I can throw away my obsolete non-HD vinyl with my obsolete CDs.
     
    Squad 701, dobyblue, eric777 and 3 others like this.
  15. yamfox

    yamfox Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
    I wonder what their first titles will be - easily licensed classical demo material stuff or something more interesting? I think records that have traditionally suffered from groove-cramming due to length would be a good showcase for the purported advantages of the tech, some Todd Rundgren maybe..
     
    Deuce66 likes this.
  16. Dr. Funk

    Dr. Funk Vintage Dust

    Location:
    Fort Worth TX
    All the hype and discussion about High Definition Vinyl may turn out to be very entertaining............What do you say Michael Fremer? :-popcorn:
     
  17. Deuce66

    Deuce66 Senior Member

    Location:
    Canada
    I'm pretty sure source and mastering will be just as important in this new process as it is today, garbage in will still be garbage out. Will it improve the quality of the pressings?
     
    telepicker97 likes this.
  18. telepicker97

    telepicker97 Got Any Gum?

    Location:
    Midwest
    Fyp.
     
  19. lightbulb

    lightbulb Not the Brightest of the Bunch

    Location:
    Smogville CA USA
    Given the anticipation of the new technology, inherent high expectations, and justification for a higher price point, the cost of the "final end product would be vastly” increased.
     
  20. Yovra

    Yovra Collector of Beatles Threads

    I'm intrigued. All the stories aside the only proof is a HD vinyl-LP on my system with low lights and on a decent volume. I guess Kind Of Blue is among the first titles that will be released, next to a few of Marshall Crenshaw's albums and quite a few classical titles....
     
  21. Bobby Morrow

    Bobby Morrow Senior Member

    Can’t wait to hear what warped HD vinyl sounds like.:)
     
    blair207 likes this.
  22. David Austin

    David Austin Eclectically Coastal

    Location:
    West Sussex
    What I find most interesting is that the LP format - which has been around for 70 years (longer, if you count its 'Vitrolac' Program Transcription precursor) - is still being developed. It's a shame that previous promising developments like DBX (not backwards compatible) or CX (pretty much backwards compatible) never caught on. Maybe there's some kind of market resistance to improving the format. Whether HD Vinyl really is an improvement remains to be seen (the digital element will put some people off, but it is a hi-res element). If it is indeed an improvement, it will be interesting to see if the market accepts it.
     
  23. Tommyboy

    Tommyboy Senior Member

    Location:
    New York
    HD Vinyl pressed at Rainbo
     
  24. Severin22

    Severin22 Well-Known Member

    Location:
    WI
    This whole thing with putting digital recordings on vinyl... I don't get it. Why not just buy the CD or download the file? With vinyl you're just adding surface noise to the digital recording, no? What's the point? How many newer vinyl buyers do you think even know that these new records aren't analog? Do they care?

    Imagine in 10, 20 years from now flipping through the used vinyl bins and having to differentiate which ones are analog and digital. Oy.
     
    bldg blok likes this.
  25. showtaper

    showtaper Concert Hoarding Bastard

    Correct. These will not be AAA pressings........
     
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