Austrian start-up Rebeat Innovation have set out to make improvements to the manufacturing and distribution process within the vinyl record industry with what has been labelled ‘HD Vinyl’.
Having secured a patent for ‘3D-based topographical mapping combined with laser inscription technology’ and an investment of $4.8 Million, the Rebeat team will aim to use laser burning techniques to create the grooves on the vinyl stamper, this results in longer playing times, a wider frequency range and reduces the manufacturing time by up to 60%.
Rebeat Innovation CEO Günter Loibl said in an interview with Pitchfork: “Our goal is to officially present our test stampers at the Making Vinyl conference in October,” he said. “It will take another eight months to do all the fine adjustments. So by summer 2019 we shall see the first HD vinyls in the stores.”
They are currently awaiting delivery of a $600,000 laser printer which will be first used to deliver a number of test stampers in partnership with a limited number of pressing plants.