WebProNews

Tag: vinyl records

  • 3D Printed Records Don’t Sound That Great

    Vinyl records are making a comeback. The superior sound quality that’s afforded by records has prompted numerous musical acts to release albums on the age old technology alongside the usual CD and digital releases. Indie acts, who might not have been able to afford vinyl releases before, can now release on the medium thanks to 3D printing, but it might not be that great of a listening experience.

    Wired recently visited Amanda Ghassaei, assistant tech editor at Instructables, where she is putting classic and contemporary albums on 3D printed records. She uses Objet’s Connex 500 printer to make the records due to the printer’s ability to print at high resolutions. That being said, the high resolution printing afforded by Objet’s printer is still at a lower resolution than what is required by traditional vinyl records.

    Of course, the question now is whether or not the sound quality is any good. That’s a resounding no as the low resolution of the 3D printed records leads to a sound quality that’s about a quarter of the quality found in an MP3. Check it out for yourself below:

    It’s a little disappointing, but 3D printers are only going to get better as the years go on. Soon or later, you’ll be able to make your own traditional records on a 3D printer. The record industry isn’t going to like it, but would they really try to ban 3D printers? I’m pretty sure plenty of people would like to see them try.

  • Record Store Day and Vinyl Keep Indie Music Stores Afloat in a Digital World

    In an age where just about everything you could possible want can be purchased/downloaded from various websites across the internet, it’s kind of refreshing to hear that people are still buying vinyl records. In fact, according to Nielsen, roughly 61% of all vinyl purchases take place in brick-and-mortar record shops. Granted, I’m sure the antiquated format doesn’t generate the same kind of interest as, say, the latest Justin Bieber single on iTunes, but it’s good to know that people still enjoy the rich, warm sound that only vinyl and a good stereo system can produce. If you haven’t had the pleasure, I suggest you do so.

    Record Store Day, which was started back in 2007 by Eric Levin, Michael Kurtz, Carrie Colliton, Amy Dorfman, Don Van Cleave, and Brian Poehner, is a global celebration of independent music shops. The holiday has grown in popularity over the years, with artists releasing EPs, singles, and entire albums to coincide with the occasion. In fact, Lana Del Rey, Gorillaz, and rap group The Pharcyde are all releasing special edition vinyl as a way of showing their support. Of course, there are always individuals looking to make a quick buck off of an event that’s supposed to help drive traffic into these indie shops.

    The holiday was officially kicked off in 2008 by Metallica at Rasputin Music in Mountain View. During its first year, 10 artists released special edition albums, including Death Cab For Cutie, R.E.M., Stephen Malkmus, Vampire Weekend, The Teenagers, Black Kids, and Jason Mraz. 300 stores helped launch the holiday, and the number has grown steadily with each passing year.

    Despite all of the technology working against it, vinyl continues to hold strong, thanks to the format’s legion of highly devoted followers. Below you can find a nifty image that clearly illustrates how much indie record stores account for vinyl sales each year. It’s pretty impressive.

    And remember: Record Store Day takes place on April 21st, the third Saturday of the month. Show your support by picking up a record or three.

    (image)