The vinyl records have resurfaced in recent years thanks to the fact that they attract many users by offering a more complete user experiencetangible and with a warm sound quality given by the analog recording inserted in its grooves.
However, as already we saw in his daythe plastic that gives shape to the discs presents several important problems, such as if the playback is frequent its quality deteriorates and also the base material to manufacture them, the PVC or polyvinyl chlorideit is not exactly ecological.
Discs made from plants to the rescue of the format
In this context, a curious invention aims to solve some of these drawbacks of classic vinyl, completely dispensing with plastic for the manufacture of records and opting for a more environmentally friendly option.
Is about EvoVinylof the company Evolution Musicwho has been researching for more than five years in a alternative material as support for the musical grooves of the format. The result? Well, a compound derived from plants formed mainly by sugar cane as basealong with some natural mineral binders and colorants.
According to its creators, the advantage of this material is that it allows produce records using existing machinerybut it could also save time and money for manufacturers thanks to the fact that the bioplastic compound requires lower temperatures for pressing. According to Marc Carey, CEO of Evolution Music:
Tests carried out to date have shown a 30% energy saving If a plant completely switches to this product
AND it takes 50% less time to print a disc, so great energy savings can be achieved.
In addition, any waste from the process, such as the usual scraps of excess material, can be reused to manufacture the so-called “Shredded LPs”, which have the same quality as the virgin material. And any EvoVinyl album that ends its useful life in the trash could be recycled or broken down in an industrial composting facility.
Another advantage is that no need to invest in a new turntable, since the current ones serve. And, furthermore, according to the first tests, the material with organic origin is less prone to static electricity than classic vinyl, so it attracts less dust and produces less noise during playback.
As for sound quality, the first tests have been evaluated by music producers such as Rob Cass and high-end speaker manufacturers such as PMC, who ensure that the “performance of EvoVinyl is indistinguishable from traditional vinyl.”
At the moment it is a project in development of which only a couple of limited productions have been made for Earth Day with contributions from Michael Stipe, Coldplay, Brian Eno, HER, Robert Smith and Nile Rodgers of REM, but its Those responsible assure that there are many more artists and distributors interested and that they are also working on how to apply organic material in the manufacturing of other formats such as CD.
Images | Evolution Music