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What is “HD Vinyl”?

The original story for “High Definition Vinyl” actually starts in 2016 – when a European patent was filed for the process.

The idea is the brainchild of Austrian start-up Rebeat Innovation which believes it has cracked the formula to create HD vinyl - all you need is some 3D mapping software and a hefty laser system. 

According to Rebeat Innovation, the technology will offer better sound quality, higher frequency response, 30% more playing time and 30% more amplitude than current vinyl records. How much of this you will actually hear is really dependent on what system you have, however - if you've bought a player that also moonlights as a suitcase, it's likely you won't get the full effect.

HD Vinyl promises to “dramatically increase the quality, lifespan, and fidelity associated with traditional vinyl LPs”.

So how will they actually be made? According to Loibl, the new stampers will be laser cut onto an as-yet-undecided ceramic material, which he says will avoid the degradation inherent in the nickel-based stampers. “Ceramic material has a huge advantage over nickel: no chemical reaction with PVC. On a nickel stamper with every copy some molecules are put out of the stamper by PVC. This is the main reason for stamper degradation.”

The biggest thing, however, is that HD vinyl promises to be 100% backwards compatible. 

 

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