What if you made your own custom vinyl?
Have you ever wondered if a particular recording you loved existed on vinyl? Then, in the next second, you realized that this recording didn't exist on this medium? Do you really have to wait for it to be released by a label one day? Today, the answer is no, don't wait any longer! What if by some miracle you could burn on vinyl for your personal pleasure? This is certainly what Yado Vinyl said to himself the day he created his own microgroove engraving machine: giving himself the freedom to create a private copy for personal use.
Incredible machinery
Passion can make wonderful things happen, and Yado Vinyl's machine is proof of that. No less than 7 months of work were necessary to set up this engraver, thought out down to the smallest details.It includes a recording head with two integrated speakers, but also a control box (to control the recording speed or adjust the heating temperature of the diamond), an oil damper (to adjust the suspension and weight of the head on the vinyl during recording), and a microscope (to check the grooves).
In a small room in his house, Yado then transforms into a magician, doing (almost) whatever he wants with his pancakes. The possibilities in its catalog seem endless. Do you want a colored vinyl? It's possible! Simply choose from his vast color chart, ranging from blue to red, including green, yellow, orange, mauve, and even fluorescent! In fact, he will apply the chosen color to a 2 mm thick transparent blank vinyl (the equivalent of a 180 g commercially available vinyl, with the same lifespan). He can even combine colors to make your vinyl totally unique!
And if you want a picture disc, with a beautiful image of your favorite artist (or your cat), it's still possible! Same for a cut vinyl (using a scroll saw)... a stained vinyl... a chameleon vinyl...! You have to wonder if Yado has limits when you know that he has even experimented with the manufacture of a 'liquid-filled' vinyl, in other words with liquid inside!
Handcrafted
We're familiar with industrial vinyl manufacturing, like the MPO factory in France. For Yado, the same thing is possible, and the process he uses is quite different... for a nearly identical result.
First, he receives your audio files and passes them through a sound processing software, with which he will indicate the different separations between the pieces, so that the tracks are correctly visually identifiable on the vinyl. After also defining the start and end range, he will use a mixing desk to adjust the decibels of the recording so that the sound is as clean as possible.
Next comes the engraving phase. A blank vinyl is pre-prepared using a lubricating product to help the diamond slide. This will also result in minimal background noise when listening. Finally, static electricity is removed using a small microfiber cloth. The cleaned vinyl is then placed on a turntable, held by a pressure puck to avoid any movement that would compromise the engraving. With the speakers integrated into the engraving head, Yado has the ability to listen to your recording in real time during the engraving. A microscope attached to the machine will allow it to check that the process is running smoothly.
Once both sides have been recorded, the vinyl will be listened to on a conventional turntable to check that everything is in order.
From vinyl… to the cover!
But things don't stop there. In Yado's workshop, we also find a cutting machine and a large printer (or rather an inkjet plotter, for the more expert). As you will have understood, with this equipment, it is also possible to personalize the cover, the inner sleeve and even the label of your vinyl! To do this, you just need to prepare your graphic elements, in RGB color, while taking care to respect the correct dimensions. For the design of a 33 rpm record, plan 100 mm in diameter for the label, 310 mm squared for a single cover and 305 mm squared for the inner sleeve. A double cover (gatefold) can also be produced.
Finally, You can also choose the size of your record. Three sizes are available: 12″ (33 rpm size), 7″ (45 rpm size) and even 10″ (25 cm size)! Tout cela, bien entendu, combinable avec les différentes personnalisations couleur citées quelques lignes plus haut.
The resulting printed sleeve will then be varnished, cut, folded, and glued by hand. As for the macarons, they will be printed on self-adhesive paper and then automatically cut using a cutting machine. They will then be manually glued to the center of the vinyl, on each side.
The sound quality on your vinyl depends only on you!
Obviously, if you want to get the best possible sound on your vinyl, I recommend you provide Yado with the best possible audio file. To do this, opt for WAV format (preferably 48 kHz, 24 bits), an audio format that – by default – will not compress your recording. But it is entirely possible to send Yado other formats, such as FLAC, AIFF, WMA, or even MP3 at 320 kbps. The rule is simple: The better quality your sound files are, the better the sound will be on your vinyl.. However, keep in mind that an MP3 file – or any other compressed audio format – will not become better if you convert it to WAV format.
Also, be careful about the length of your recording. Chez Yado, l’enregistrement sur un 12″ ne doit pas excéder 20 minutes par face (en vitesse 33 tours), et 10 minutes par face (en vitesse 45 tours). For a 25 cm (10″), count on 12 minutes maximum per side (at 33 rpm speed) and 6 minutes maximum per side (at 45 rpm speed). Finally, if you want to burn a 45 rpm record, be careful not to exceed 4 minutes per side (at 45 rpm speed) and 5 minutes per side (at 33 rpm speed).
Order your personalized vinyl without leaving home!
At the end of 2018, Yado opened an online store where you can now order your vinyl without leaving your home! Everything is quite simple to use and – above all – everything is customizable; you choose the size of the vinyl, the color, the speed, or even the quantity.
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