Vinyl records are made of plastic, produced through a three-step process involving a master cut, a metal mold, and a pressing plant.
The needle in the record player traces the grooves on the vinyl, creating vibrations that are converted into electrical signals. These signals are then amplified by the stereo to produce sound.
The cutting lathe is used to create the initial groove on a blank disc, which serves as the master cut for the record.
The grooves on records are tiny circular lines that contain the audio information. When the needle traces these grooves, it translates the wiggling motion into music.
A double-sided record is made by cutting side A and side B on separate blank discs, then using metal molds to press both sides together at the record pressing plant.
The turntable holds the record and spins it at a constant speed, allowing the needle to trace the grooves and play the music.
The needle rides in the grooves of the spinning record, translating the mechanical movement of the grooves into an electrical signal that is amplified to produce sound.
Records are big flat discs with circular lines on them that you can use to play music. But how does a record work, anyway? We asked audio engineer Josh Bonati to help us find the answer.
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