Rebeat Innovation has received a $4.8 million grant to make the most of a 2016 patent describing a method of record manufacturing that can result in higher definition audio. A HD vinyl would have higher audio fidelity, plus a 30 percent increase in both volume and playing times compared to your standard LP.
Speaking with Pitchfork, Rebeat Innovation CEO Günter Loibl said the company is aiming to present test stampers at Detroit’s Making Vinyl conference in October, with the first HD vinyls expected to arrive in stores around eight months later. The timing couldn’t be better considering the recent news that US physical sales outsold digital downloads for the first time in seven years.
The best part? HD vinyls will be compatible with your everyday turntable, which means you’ll be able to enjoy higher quality audio in the very near future.
Impatient for new vinyl? Check out the exclusive releases coming to a record store near you this Record Store Day.
