Crossposted from https://fedia.io/m/technology@beehaw.org/t/3075145
We recently looked at Tiny vinyl, a new miniature vinyl single format developed through a collaboration between a toy industry veteran and the world’s largest vinyl record manufacturer. The 4-inch singles are pressed in a process nearly identical to standard 12-inch LPs or 7-inch singles, except everything is smaller. They have a standard-size spindle hole and play at 33⅓ RPM, and they hold up to four minutes of music per side.
Several smaller bands, like The Band Loula and Rainbow Kitten Surprise, and some industry veterans like Blake Shelton and Melissa Etheridge, have already experimented with the format. But Tiny Vinyl partnered with US retail giant Target for its big coming-out party this fall, with 44 exclusive titles launching throughout the end of this year.
I don’t understand what makes this a new format, as opposed to a resurgence of an old one in a smaller-than-45 form factor.
Not sure why it’s hard to grasp, but they mixed the speed from the 33 1/3rpm (long play) and shrunk the 45rpm (single) and the result something in between. Now you could argue that all records are just versions of the 78rpm format, but it’s a bit pedantic
So, it’s not a new format (think of the difference between WAV and OGG), but, instead, a mini version of a 33. And, for the record, that’s not new. I used to have mini-33 singles as a kid (and, no, I don’t mean 45s).
So in your world there is only 78rpm 10 inch and the rest are not new formats?
Different form factors of the same format.
An example of a new format on the same form factor, would be the Capacitance Electronic Disc.
Form factor = size. Speed, mono/stereo and album/single/maxi are different formats.
It isn’t. In the 1980s I remember getting tiny plastic records in cereal boxes that played one song, horribly.
I remember those. They were horrifically wonderful
Surely that’ll sound really wobbly?
Earache did it.
https://www.discogs.com/release/4492305-Various-The-Worlds-Shortest-Album
I know, it was 5” and 45rpm, but I consider it a lot less lame.
Yeah any automatic turntable will choke on that, immediately think it’s reached the end and return the play arm.
I’d love to try it though. It can’t be as bad as those in-magazine thin film 45s.
Flexi disks are so cool though. Worse in every way imaginable other than “neat as fuck,” and the disposable nature and weeeeeird shit that got pressed to flexis makes them collectible amongst those of us dumb enough to be into that sort of thing.
At best this is a curio. Cynically, it’s just a way to charge more money for less music.
Four minutes per side, at a lower dynamic range and lower quality than a standard 12"? Pass.
