HD Vinyl is promising 30% more audio information and 30% longer playing time – and it's now taken a step closer thanks to a raft of new agreements with major pressing plants. The company used the Making Vinyl conference in Detroit to announce a deal with GZ Media, the world's largest vinyl manufacturer, reports DigitalMusicNews.
Based in the Czech Republic, GZ employs more than 2000 people and accounts for 60% of the world's vinyl record production. Two other plants, RSA in Connecticut and Viryl Technologies in Toronto (which has worked with Jack White's Third Man Records), have also signed-up to produce HD Vinyl, bringing the format a step closer.
But it won't be an overnight job. Guenter Loibl, HD Vinyl founder, explained a fair amount of work will be required to get the factory producing the new records. "Since HD Vinyl stampers will be made out of laser-cut ceramic instead of electroplated metal stampers, new molds and fittings have to be developed."
Earlier this year, Rebeat Innovation, the company behind HD Vinyl, revealed it had raised $4.8m (£3.4m) to develop the format. The patent behind the format describes a method of manufacturing vinyl records with greater fidelity, greater amplitude and longer playing times than conventional LPs. This year, Rebeat has raised a further $1.9 million. So it looks like the company is serious.
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