Technological breakthrough: boost for vinyl?
The
3D-printer, which many expect to be the hype of 2013, is gradually
becoming a part of our daily lives. Personalised cell phone covers
have been around for longer, but now, for the very
first time, an American woman has 3D-printed an LP.
In a detailed report on instructables.com Amanda Ghassaei shows
step-by-step how she did it – and more importantly – how we can
do it ourselves, as her article includes computer software and a few demos.
Admittedly, the sound can still improve drastically… but as
3D-printers become more refined, this problem will resolve itself,
says Ghassaei.
Record store
business models
This new
technology comes as a very unpleasant surprise to record store
owners, who were just recovering a bit thanks to niche markets where
vinyl has become increasingly more popular.
They will
seriously have to reconsider their business model: will they cater to
the new technology (e.g. by organising workshops or by selling
templates for the printers) or do they surrender out of sheer fear
for 3D-technology becoming another tool for music pirates? Or are we
jumping ahead and will printing your own LP’s just be another
flavour of the week? – (YVL)
