HD Vinyl Pioneer, Guenter Loibl talks to Sound Matters about his ambitions to revolutionize vinyl record manufacturing using lasers. The HD-Vinyl concept first caught our attention back in 2016, when Austrian-based company, Rebeat first filed the patent for a new vinyl record production process involving lasers. Naturally, it wasn’t long before the internet was awash with speculation about the new … Read More
Mutual Appreciation Society: Music, Vinyl & Craft Beer
Two of my interests I think pair extremely well are music (particularly on vinyl) and beer – especially craft beer. Nothing makes a great record listening experience even better like some flavour-packed suds to tickle the taste buds. At first glance, both of these topics could appear distant from one another; after all, what does the revival of vinyl records have … Read More
Don’t Let Amazon Echo or Google Home Control Your Music at Home
As we progress further into the digital age, more of the devices we use on a day-to-day basis become interconnected. This process is often referred to as the “Internet of Things” or IoT for short. IoT affects a multitude of spaces, including infrastructure, manufacturing, agriculture, and more. But perhaps the most obvious area is home electronics. As time goes on, … Read More
Upcycled Vinyl Record Storage – How to Guide
Record storage solutions is a popular topic across the vinyl community. We’ve covered best practice storage in the past, and we’ve also covered the ubiquitous, and numerous solutions available through IKEA, but what if you’re after something a little more bespoke? The IKEA route is a great affordable way to get started with record storage – I owned their NORNÄS … Read More
Five Classic Album & Beer Pairings
I like vinyl records, and I like beer. Therefore, what could be better than appropriately paired frothy beverages with your favorite classic albums on wax. So grab a cold one, pop on your favorite album, and turn up the volume to five classic discs with added buzz. The Smiths – The Queen Is Dead The Smiths are synonymous with Manchester, … Read More
Vinyl’s Imperfections Improve the Listening Experience
It is the prerogative of each generation preceding the next to claim that their generation’s music was better. Or at least that’s how each generation typically feels… We all get there eventually; at first you’re checking out what’s new on the block musically every day, then it’s every week – or even every month. Before you know it, you haven’t … Read More
The Best & Worst Album Covers
The large-format cover art of vinyl records is one of the key draws for many music fans. There’s nothing quite like the blank canvas of a 12inch record cover for making an artistic statement that compliments your music. In the digital age, some would go as far to say we’ve lost the art of making great album covers – a … Read More
The Pros and Cons of Vinyl Records
Few debates in the audio world create such a large divide as the analog vs digital question. Vinyl vs CD/Digital is the classic battleground, where passionate enthusiasts on both sides of the argument often partake in heated exchanges with no real conclusion. The question itself is undoubtedly oversimplified – there are far too many variables to draw a line under such a broad debate, … Read More
Vinyl Record Sales Outstrip Downloads – But is it Sustainable?
If you’re an avid vinyl fan, you’ve likely heard the news that revenue from vinyl record sales outstripped digital downloads for the first time during the week spanning November 25th to December 1st. Great news — at least on the surface — but is it sustainable? We take a look at some of the recently published stats in an attempt … Read More
HD Vinyl Patent Proves Market Forces Can Save the Vinyl Record
For some time, independent record labels have expressed concern about Vinyl hype and the very real problems caused by the production bottleneck. According to small labels, independent artists now struggle to get their work pressed as the major labels leverage their size and budget to squeeze more and more records through a limited number of pressing plants across the globe. Due to … Read More
