Major Labels Are Working on a New Vinyl Records Specification

How about putting new records in polylined inners rather than paper or cardboard.

Just a thought.

 

So am I seeing 93 on that receipt? Of course some would sell their stuff cheap, nobody bought it either in those years.

 

The above brought this video to mind:

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Yes, that is when stores were clearing out their vinyl sections. It's not really a "bargain find" - if you went into any store, the entire vinyl section was heavily discounted and then you just have to find something you like. This is after the era of cutout bins, where record companies would re-distribute the overstock to the discount sections of various stores.

DJing, I'd get people coming up "you're playing records?" in the age where the alternative was buying full CDs for $15, vs LPs for $10, or rather 12" singles for $5 with actual DJ product, so definitely un-hip. The only thing vinyl that never went away was DJ 12" and promo and remix services.

Also gone a bit earlier, the 7" singles, where they'd also have an endcap with the billboard top 40 singles for you to consume - the good old days for record companies when radio payola meant directly telling people what they should buy from a limited selection. 79 or .99 cents, if I recall.

 

On the way home, I bought Heathen by Bowie (on Sony Columbia Legacy) and it's in a polylined inner, as most of those Sony reissues seem to be.

Other record I bought was an Ian Dury Greatest Hits LP on yellow vinyl. It's not in a polylined inner.

 

The conference has happened. Any news on what information (about "progress") was released?

A recap - the actual press release published on the conference site:

We are very pleased to announce a collaboration between The RIAA (The Recording Industry Association of America), ‘MAKING VINYL’ and the Media-Tech Association with the goal of updating the standards for vinyl records.

Manufacturing specifications for vinyl were last updated in 1978. The advent of new manufacturing technologies and resurgent popularity of vinyl prompted music industry leaders to review existing specifications and evaluate whether updated standards could help further advance the vinyl market.

How might new standards help?

• Vinyl records are a premium product — a high-quality experience is essential to retaining consumer confidence and meeting consumer’s expectations
• Minimizing counterfeit products in the marketplace.

Workgroups will begin forming in the coming weeks with a target date of early 2019 for possible standards.

More information and progress will be released during the Making Vinyl Conference Oct 1-2, 2018 in Detroit.​

 

If this is any sort of money grab by the RIAA, I have two fingers extending upwards quite stiffly in the air. *&^$%(**(_##@%^&)*(%##@#$.... ....^#@#$%*^~#^&{: !!!!

 

I think we will have to wait and see. If it is a move to improve the quality of produced LPs and 45s (at a slightly higher price) while maintaining compatibility with existing equipment, then that is fine to me. However, it is a different thing if it requires the customers to purchase new equipment to play the new "LPs" and "45s".

One improvement I could see that would improve the sound quality without changing the standard is to make 45RPM the standard for the LP. I've seen advertisements for high-quality LPs that play at 45RPM, and that combined with slightly less space between the standard grooves could allow for the same playing time with better sound quality. See the following video on how to put 2 hours of music on one "LP".

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Depends on which polylined inners they are. Some of those sleeves are bad to chemically react with vinyl. Older London/UK Decca and RCA Red Seal sleeves known horrible offenders. And when bad, can't be cleaned off. Rice Paper sleeves would be superior a la Nagaoka or Original Master Sleeves.

 

No. Could easily show it to be cheaper especially going back 50 years. Where it is expensive is the recent rush of Special Editions and coloured versions. I won't include special audiophile product such as MFSL One Step. All I would say is that I was paying £25 for imported Audiophile labels in the mid 90's.