Cutting Edge?

The New VESTAX VRX 2000 Vinyl Recorder 

Back in the 80s, with the dawn of the consumer digital revolution, analogue gear was declared to be a 'dead man walking.' Record companies, home stereo and recording gear manufacturers were all shouting from the roof tops that the days of analogue electronics and vinyl LPs were numbered. They were soon to be replaced by the emerging digital technologies of the compact disk and the endless possibilities of home PCs hard-disk storage and manipulation capabilities.

The new technologies were said to offer an extremely 'honest' recording and playback capabilities, without the 'snap, crackle and pop' of those ancient bits of plastic with grooves that spun at 33 1/3 RPM. The initial reports said that CDs were indestructible and offered perfect sound fidelity. Commercial record companies stopped vinyl production, and the popularity of vinyl was taken over by the CD.

In the last few years there has been a range of 'turntable-style' of CD players that mimic the operation of the trad turntable. They can be beat-mixed, scratched and slowed down or sped up, yet many pros still prefer the more organic feel of a real turntable.

The other factor that kept vinyl alive is the creative instincts of the new breed of muso…the turntablist. The explosion of club/dance music and culture around the world has fuelled this new evolution in music expression. [See the "There's a revolution goin' on" story at roadogz.com] The new DJ/Producer/Muso is constantly on the lookout - or is that 'ear out' ? - for obscure old recordings as well as the latest sounds and vibes to spin in and create new forms.

Up until now, the problem was that not all dance music tracks were pressed in large 'commercial' quantities. This gap was filled-in by legal and illegal ways. The legal way is where high profile DJ’s, promoters and records shops are given one-off pressings from producers and record labels - called 'White Label' releases - to test a release’s popularity before committing it to bulk release. [The illegal way is to simply get pirate or bootleg copies!]

These one off pressings are referred to as acetates, or more commonly within the dance music industry as “dubplates”, and up until now, have been quite expensive to produce. In addition they have an extremely limited lifespan in comparison to standard vinyl.

The Vestax VRX 2000 aims to change all of this.

Vinyl recording works in real time, allowing for instant duplication from any line level audio source: CD, DAT, Mini Disc, Cassette, MP3 data, or the audio output on your computer’s sound card. The Vestax stereo cutting head cuts directly into the vinyl without any mother plates or processors, and the recording is instantly playable on any turntable.

The new Vestax blank vinyl record - the Harmodisk in 'Vestaxspeak' - is a totally new type of plastic that can last up to 90% of the time of a standard record, maintaining excellent sound quality throughout playback.

Vinyl blanks and replacement cutting styli will be available only through Vestax VRX 2000 dealers

Does the world need a Vinyl Cutter?

Along with their turntables and 'battle mixers, Vinyl LPs are the 'instruments' that DJs create and perform with. Anything that can give musicians - of any ilk - extra possibilities to create should be welcome. A piece of gear that gives the muso the same access to a variety of sounds and services that has previously only been available to the 'elite' has to be a good thing!! Although not cheap, it will make this access available to the masses as Vestax VRX 2000 dealers around the world will offer their customers an in house vinyl cutting service. For those well heeled, - i.e. with an excellent 'day gig' - they will be able to buy these units and have them serviced by Vestax.

Bring on musical democracy I say!! What do you think??? Any thoughts, drop me a line at roadogz.com   (Pun intended!)

Willy T.

© Giraffe Media.