Fortunately vinyl records are still available to us and companies involved in bringing the product to store have been prepared to invest and have confidence in the public to recognise the advantages of Vinyl over other forms of media for music
The nostalgia around vinyl records is not going away; in fact interest is increasing as more and more people are looking to purchase music on this unique media. A very interesting article on the BBC web site gives us an insight into the manufacturing processes and explains how sales are increasing. Record Store Day gives us all the chance to participate in ensuring we have the opportunity to continue purchasing vinyl with its fabulous sound quality.
Dischromatics Ltd, an established CD, DVD & Blu-ray Duplication manufacturer works with the company who are featured in the article, GZ Media, to supply musicians, groups and bands in its customer base with vinyl product in various forms. It’s amazing to hear that some of the manufacturing equipment is over 40 years and still produces high quality product. GZ Media are based in a small village just outside Prague and produce two million pressings a month.
With a number of companies still manufacturing new player turntables or decks including Sony, Panasonic and Philips to mention but a few, the future for vinyl looks to have more longevity than was anticipated just twelve months ago, especially as more top artists are turning to vinyl to release their music. Vinyl records produce a ‘truer’ sound to CDs and there are a number of reasons for this, not least because of the over-compression of digital formats.
In today’s world of pristine computer-based productions, artists can sometimes be left yearning for the sounds of past generations, and pressing their music on vinyl helps get one step closer to recreating the sonics of yesteryear. For the ultimate purists, digital can almost be completely avoided by recording tracks to tape, although this can be a real labour of love. The flexibility of DAW software packages like ProTools provide the producer with unlimited tracks and edits, however this is something which is far different when working solely in the analogue realm, and these limitations can be a real shock for users that have ‘cut their teeth’ using software.
One of the factors vinyl consumers appreciate is the ability to have a physical unit; the use of special finishes on packaging and record effects like coloured substrates adds to this appeal by giving the units a more unique look. This can be an important way for artists to help their record stand out, and even the use of coloured inner sleeves – as opposed to the traditional white paper – can enhance the overall feel of a release. These options, coupled with a genuine love for the tactile experience vinyl brings, have meant that the numbers for best-selling LP’s continue to grow internationally.
As the sales of vinyl does not appear to be showing any signs of slowing down any time soon, there is an increased focus on the format and the record store scene. Available at runs of 300 units and up this kind of production may be a lot more realistic than some think, with the wealth of options providing a great selling point; especially for an increasing number of ‘die-hard’ fans.
