Music

Phonocut lets you cut your own vinyl record

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Plug in an audio source, place a blank vinyl record on the platter and push start
Phonocut
Plug in an audio source, place a blank vinyl record on the platter and push start
Phonocut
With the Home Vinyl Recorder, you could cut the 10-inch record version of a mix-tape for your loved ones
Phonocut
You can cut a live performance straight to vinyl with the Home Vinyl Recorder
Phonocut
Gigging bands and solo performers can cut their own records with the Home Vinyl Recorder
Phonocut
Only Phonocut blanks can be used with the Home Vinyl Recorder
Phonocut
From studio to vinyl record without needing to take a trip to the pressing factory
Phonocut
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Vinyl records are back in our living rooms, with sales steadily growing in recent years to a level that could see the format outsell CDs for the first time since the mid-1980s. That's great news for consumers, but for gigging bands and solo performers not signed to a major label, getting in on the vinyl action could be out of their budgets. That's where Phonocut's Home Vinyl Recorder might help.

Essentially the device allows users to plug in an audio source (wireless connectivity is in development), place a blank vinyl record on the platter and push a button to start cutting a 10-inch vinyl record at home, at the studio or in the rehearsal space. Of course, you don't necessarily have to be a musician to make the most of this system, you could just create the vinyl equivalent of mix-tapes to give to a loved one.

From studio to vinyl record without needing to take a trip to the pressing factory
Phonocut

Phonocut recommends that it's "special recipe" blanks are used to ensure the "highest fidelity, longest durability and cleanest cut." In fact, using blanks from any other source will void the 12 month warranty and may damage the recorder. Each side has enough room for about three songs or 10-15 minutes of music in total. The blanks will be available direct from the company or distribution partners, and it's estimated that each blank will cost around US$10.

The project's team members shape up as Florian Kaps, Flo Kaufman, David Bohnett and KamranV, while the overall look of the unit comes courtesy of Creaholic – founded by Elmar Mock, co-inventor of the Swatch. The Home Vinyl Recorder features a high-torque, low-power direct drive motor and digital controls, and carving out the grooves is undertaken using a diamond stylus that should be good for about 100 records before needing to be replaced.

Phonocut has launched the project on Kickstarter to fund production, where pledges start at €999 (about US$1,100). If all goes to plan, shipping is estimated to start in December 2020. The video below has more.

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Source: Phonocut

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3 comments
CoachFerg
This is a niche product trying to resurrect a technology that exists on the fringes. It's an interesting doo-dad, but nothing more than that.
mattlass
If you're a professional musician and can appreciate the glaringly superior audio quality of vinyl, this is a godsend. There is nothing that comes close to vinyl played on a high end system. Vinyl is enjoying a huge resurgence in popularity because people are realizing how great this "fringe" technology is.
sidmehta
It's a fabulous idea to cut a vinyl record straight from the studio or a live performance. It removes several layers of imperfection that creep in when recording, mixing, digitizing, etc. Absolutely wonderful, 5 stars!!
For those who don't get vinyl -- vinyl gets away from digital "hash", "ringing" and other real-world imperfections that make digital sound harsh, unnatural and basically -- unsatisfying. The trade off is vinyl has lesser high frequencies, a smaller dynamic range and weaker signal-to-noise ratio. To put it crudely: a lesser sound technically but much more satisfying musically. Remember how great music was in the 80s? Too young to know? OK, ask your GF / wife how vinyl sounds. She knows.
A small concern:
Adding wireless to the source means you are killing the very reason for which you were made: to get away from digital sound and it's lack of integrity.