How Vinyl Records Are Made | How Stuff Is Made | Refinery29

This week on How Stuff Is Made, we get a behind-the-scenes look at how Vinyl Records are made. These vintage items are making a comeback, to honor that, we're delving deeper into how vinyl works. Press play to see how this music making process goes down!
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[@refinery29]

Do you prefer listening to music on vinyl? Comment below!

[@user-so9pi6mt5b]

Refinery29 yep I like to listen to the Beatles' Sgt peppers lonely hearts club band with my gram

[@refinery29]

+seam Thanks for sharing & watching! :)

[@bellasavignano7218]

definitely! i have a real record player from the 60s and i much prefer it to digital, the sound quality is so much better!

[@joemadphoto]

love the How stuff is made series! Vinyl rocks.. I grew up in the 80's / 90's..so I was a CD guy.. but I have been collecting Vinyl the past couple years.

[@refinery29]

+joemadonna Thanks for watching! :)

[@jakesharer7683]

"It's what audiophiles are looking for." Proceeds to play the record on a Crosley

[@heyitsbee3535]

Snailzy lol true

[@uglytm1481]

Snailzy ikr

[@tonyb3123]

I had a Crosley. It was fine. You can stop being a cringey jerk about this now.

[@cameronrhodes604]

@@tonyb3123 cough cough no counterweight cough cough cheap built-in speakers cough cough

[@vwestlife]

You must be completely unaware that Crosley sells a wide range of turntables, all the way from the $60 Cruiser shown here to true audiophile-grade turntables selling for over $400. The majority of their lineup is perfectly fine, including most of their portable record players, which feature an Audio-Technica magnetic cartridge, diamond stylus, and adjustable counterweight.

[@onnileinonen4744]

2:48 forbidden liquorice

[@miareanna7533]

maybe this will actually taste good

[@sarah-in4oc]

*uses a crosley*

[@alianabestani9564]

sarah they should have a trigger warning in the beginning of the video

[@dakota3841]

all that so it can get ruined on that crossley cruiser

[@heyitsbee3535]

Dakota Spinks truth

[@alianabestani9564]

lol I got triggered when I saw that.

[@vwestlife]

Only if you play it hundreds of times. Actual tests have shown no audible wear after playing a record 50 times on a Crosley Cruiser and only minor wear after 100 plays -- far more than most people ever play a record for as long as they own it.

[@michaelscottspapercompany6373]

@@vwestlife you’re lying. Really on any record player a vinyl is going to be at least a little noisy after 100 plays.

[@rayparkerjr9685]

A Crosley? VinylEyezz: *TRIGGERED*

[@forsetha]

I ain't afraid of no ghost, but I'm scared shitless of Crosley Cruiser's.

[@KingRiverVlogs]

@@forsetha same here!

[@EleniLee]

The person at the factory that made my plastic beach record who listens for imperfections needs to get fired, it jumps so much in one song it must skip about half of it lol

[@sbg1fan892]

Lennie Bennie lolol

[@pointlessshithead3272]

what record player do you use?

[@EleniLee]

POINTLESS SHITHEAD something from goodmans, not sure it’s exact model but I know it’s not the best I could buy, either way it plays the rest of my records perfectly it’s just my plastic beach vinyl that skips

[@DJ_Macphisto]

Lennie Bennie Have you cleaned your copy of the record as well as the stylus? That might help it not skip. If that doesn't work, then either the pressing you bought is defective or possibly warped slightly.

[@SPAZZOID100]

eleni ! Most plants skip that step. You want quality?? Press your records in Japan or Germany. 👍

[@nawafabughazaleh]

My dad has records over 50 years old and still working. They are a vintage treasure.

[@douglaschance2437]

I have records over 100 years old and still working

[@noahboddy1484]

Im genuinely AMAZED that we ever even figured out how to make these in the first place!

[@emeraldvision775]

I have a great record collection!! About 300 records, all my favorites. I have Spotify and cds, but vinyl is such an experience.

[@someguy6191]

I got a Daft Punk RAM vinyl a good while back, and wondered how they made it and this video did a good job explaining it to me. Although I'm sure my discs didn't have a person listen to it, because it was very dirty when I got it and once I cleaned it, still had some skips in it.

[@Free_Krazy]

Its cool still seeing records today. There is a record shop i would allways see with several people in it at a mall i went to often as a kid, i would usually go find HMV or some other music/movie or a EBgames/gamestop and usually there wouldnt even be as many people in these stores.

[@AveryLiburd]

this is absolutely amazing... 🎶

[@moldacious3058]

Just discovered my grandpa's old huge box full of vinyl records, so I searched this and I'm so thrilled! I might buy a turntable next month to try it all out! :D

[@sandhanitizer15]

Did you ever get a turntable? We need to know if you're completely addicted to vinyl or not now lol

[@moldacious3058]

@@sandhanitizer15 I've been trying to find a technician here in my city to fix his old Pioneer PL 115D turntable. I bought a cheap turntable for now, I don't really use it much since some people say it destroys the LP

[@sandhanitizer15]

@@moldacious3058 yeah it definitely could be bad for them if it's really cheap. Glad to hear that you actually got to play some though! It will be something cool to have to remember your grandpa by in the future.

[@TheRenard10]

I'm an aficionado of vinyl! I have over 330 of them I've bn buying or online ordering since May 2010. That's a beloved product i want to leave behind if i should celestially leave. I chose to own that many because I knew a neighbor, who no longer lived, his name is John, he had lots of them! I remember the first 45 I received for my birthday from Michael Jackson "Beat It", with my WKRP phonograph I had! How sentimental! One of my sisters still have a picture of me with a microphone in my hand announcing the MJ song. I was about 6.

[@cdabcdefg12345]

TheRenard10 330 isn’t an aficionado! But it’s still a pretty sick collection

[@50ShadesOfEndo]

Peaches Peaches What? Why?

[@jacobaguilar2474]

Thanks for this video. Learned so much! This is awesome. I love listening to vinyl, but figuring out it works seriously blows my mind. Whats your favorite vinyl? :)

[@ZX-zw3ge]

I'm still wondering how they started coming back. I see a lot of those at Target than CDs.

[@TheThatoneguy12121]

Nostalgia is a powerful thing.

[@ZaneMazal]

@@TheThatoneguy12121 nah i dont have nostalgia for it, i think its just nice to own a physical version of art and CDs are small

[@idkwashitape178]

looks over to my left: so that's how you were made

[@dean-lu6dy]

Same

[@sam8404]

The proper way to make an LP is actually starting with analog tape, not digital audio files

[@gentlebabarian]

Ikr was about to say.

[@KingBlonde]

Having digitally recorded albums digitally encoded onto vinyl is okay, but analog recordings definitely should be transferred with an all analog signal path. The best thing about records is that you can have an all analog recording that's very close to the master tape.

[@dantruong2582]

The digital file they use is just as good or better then the analog tape, likely RAW or WAV files.

[@kkfoto]

AAA records aren't easy to come by. Nearly everything is digitally processed at some point these days.

[@tankmchavocproductions6907]

I can’t hear the difference between the two on vinyl

[@rachelchen1815]

Love it!!!

[@PeaceLoveHappyness14]

1:27 reminded me of that Rollercoaster of Love urban legend

[@gracjanrotke]

Thank you for that, it was very interesting 👍😁

[@goldenvinylspin]

Love the video and I subscribed. I can't wait to be able to visit a plant and do a video too

[@thatdudemike]

Great video!

[@thekookstups]

I loved this!!!!

[@refinery29]

+karlatuplano Thanks for watching!! :)

[@AmeliaRosalinaTheHedgehog]

This is amazing

[@nedtheproducer5777]

i really didn’t know why records are so expensive nowadays but i really can understand now

[@fabisayshi]

I inherited some records a couple years ago, now I buy them. I like that sounds different.

[@sxhar5105]

LMAO A CROSLEY😂😭😭DO THEY EVEN COUNT AS VINYL PLAYERS🤧

[@jen6224]

Toxic wdym

[@leon9021]

+yikes Hes saying Crosley makes shit players.

[@quiche_lorraine]

They mess up your records

[@kaiyajones5555]

Here's a cookie for imparting your superior knowledge on us 🍪

[@leon9021]

Kaiya Jones Crosley owner spotted, jk ;^)

[@voguerachel]

tbh i didnt know how vinyl records worked in my 19 years of life until today

[@matrouve6599]

Still not clear how does those grooves produce or contains the audio.

[@Jiji-the-cat5425]

@@matrouve6599 They're tiny and make the needle vibrate.

[@alainphanouvong7751]

Well… 28 years of life until today for me lol!

[@moopycheyenne5998]

I really want to start a record collection💜

[@alexthebirb6966]

Did it happen?

[@omaraguilar137]

wow!!

[@AudrinaGY]

sooooo cool

[@skye1235]

I used to own a crosley, after a few years and as I got more into collecting vinyl I've finally purchased an audio technica

[@TripDaly_AndiTripDaily]

Still a terrible turntable, why not buy a real one from the 70s that was way more wattage out put?

[@skye1235]

@@TripDaly_AndiTripDaily because ... money? If I could afford a 1970s one that works I would have bought it but I do not have that sort of cash. So I got something better than my old Crosley that I could afford.

[@pjsanantonio]

Don't get me wrong the AT-LP120 is an alright table, But for actual quality control! That explains alot.

[@grambo4436]

Wow! Even in 2018 Vinyl is still growing strong even when it was first released by Columbia records. Hopefully music will get better especially in DJ world where they start getting creative when produce the perfect dance track with groove's; even within the styles of Disco, Funk, House, Techno, Trance Etc. MY dream is to experience the classic rave scene of the late 80's to the mid 2000's.

[@Travis-guy-247]

Definitely, it's experienced a huge resurgence in recent times. In fact, it's getting bigger & bigger by the year, and in 2020 I believe vinyl overtook CD sales for the first time since the late 80s. Even though I use Spotify and DJ with MP3s on my laptop, I still went out and bought 2 turntables and have started to build up quite a vinyl collection. It's nice to have an actual tangible music collection rather than just something on a hard drive or my Spotify account (and songs can be removed from streaming services too). Also, it's just so satisfying to watch the vinyl spin on the turntable!

[@sarcastian]

How did they record the grooves back in the day without a computer?

[@tuduki5545]

What's the background songs? The first 2 to be exact

[@paigex420]

I have a Victrola Journey. It gives me great sound. I don’t listen to vinyl to be hip, I listen because I love it

[@samsamsierra]

that guy's job sure seems hard...

[@Lyander25]

I mean, imagine the toll it'd take on one's mind to sit at a table for hours on end listening to the same music over and over again? If they like the tunes, cool; if not, and given how loads of music nowadays is it's entirely possible, then they're out of luck. I get it, jobs that don't involve manual labour or decades of study don't seem as impressive or tiresome to most, but it's an (arguably) important job nonetheless, and one that leaves its own unique burden.

[@evanblanco2146]

I’ve never thought I would hear united record and audio file in the same sentence

[@musiclibrary5094]

good information......good video...thanks to share the memories of ANALOG MUSIC LP RECORDS....

[@drrobotnikmeanbeanma]

How to make copies if vinyls to transfer music to another vinyl without a Pc ???

[@sunlight.02]

I hope Theres LP here in philippines and hope its affordable

[@war.helmets9636]

I like records because you can acutely have a collection and so hold what you own

[@litoboy5]

Cool

[@babyjesus2025]

that guy has the best job ever listening to music all day I'm jealous. Nevermind that's all I do all day myself plus I get to drive the country, im not stuck in an office... Keep On Rocking In The Free World.

[@eyerolling5765]

Cool video! I want a record player now

[@leon9021]

Save yourself the trouble unless you really want to get into it.

[@Agent-vj3ns]

EyeRolling you seriously need to drop at least $1,000 for an entry-level audiophile setup. worth it if you enjoy listening to music in it's absolute best format. I have a VPI Rega and Thorens turntable. Highly suggest you look at them. All make great decks.

[@leon9021]

M C dont think this is the type of video to inspire audiophile minds

[@coffdrop77]

I'd recommend the Audio Technica LP-60 for a beginner.

[@Giantcappuccino]

Your best bet if you seriously want to start playing records is to find a late 80's / early 90's p-mount Technics turntable on your local Craigslist for about $50-$100. As long as it's fully functioning, it will be FAR better than anything you will find new today for under $400.

[@ado9na0s]

Could I use your vídeo for my vídeo about vinyl LP?

[@davidmthekidd]

nice.

[@markbenvemete5786]

You could start with a brief history such as Edison developed a tin foil cylinder then in the 1880`s Emile Berliner flattened it out into a disc, Berliners disc. this allowed artists to produce records on mass. Also note the average pop or crackle on a record is between one and two one thousands of a second in duration

[@theninthofjanuary]

Wooooowww

[@gaivssanctvsdeorientalvs5499]

Actually wax cylinders were used before records and technically Edison diamond discs and shallac records were before the vinyl record just so you know

[@bktee8182]

I buy vinyls just for the bigger size artwork & booklet and the big pretty Disks. Plus where’s the fun in streaming on your phone

[@riisikumi2236]

you buy what

[@rocketaroo]

Shellac records for me!

[@fenrir5]

📢📢📢🤪🤪🤪😠😠😠😂😂😂 Yelling closely at that ruby chisel recorder thing would make for one fucking hilarious prank! Lol

[@dawson588]

I still love vinyl

[@dietermitplatten]

vinyl love is neverending

[@n1ghtm4r3z]

Man, I’d love to have Hunter’s job.

[@brandonpatrick2631]

Keep making vinyl even a thousand years from now

[@patrickbrandon1420]

I think the best kind is the wind up machine cause it doesn't need power

[@kumaravelp7890]

Sir i need 1970 tamil old song it's Available and possible

[@whvance]

Ayyyy, I’ve got that Nikki Lane record

[@pipermay4755]

*touches grooves*

[@evanblanco2146]

This is what audio files want, digitally remastered records being pressed

[@Urketadic]

I still dont understand how the sound that comes out is so clear.

[@brennanreidy2389]

Incorrect information being given here. The first laquer or vinyl disc is actually called the "father" or "master" disc. Then, a "mother" plate is made as a duplicate. Following...a "stamping" disc is produced and used in the presses to create the vinyl product for distribution and sale. I'm a press operator so I promise I know ;)

[@xxlillywhoxxmsp3335]

yes i actually LOVE vinyl,but these days i like more spotify!

[@refinery29]

+xxlillywhoxxmsp Cool! Thanks for sharing & watching!! :)

[@elliettemaloney7659]

XxLillyWhoxX MSP yeah Spotify is really useful and a lot more practical but I just love the aesthetic of the record and record players 😊

[@belenyer7759]

Yes, I'm a spotify user too but a Vinyl Record is far more superior in sound quality.

[@SawedOffLad]

Apple music is better imo

[@hadoboirudo]

damn they put the sleeves on by hand

[@davedavenport8176]

So my picture on my profile is of my basic training in the Army 1982 ya I know I am becoming an old fart LoL. But I have many albums from Germany and here in the State’s and have two nice players. One is a vintage Yamaha and the other is much more expensive and recently purchased. I so enjoy the accurate sound produced when listening to vinyl albums 💿 and yes I have a nice caste tape player just because I can not give up on the past. Funny thing is my daughter’s listen to the vinyl albums and enjoy them as much as I do.

[@ThatGamerDude9000]

As a relatively new audiophile, would anyone know if the digital file used to make vinyls is generally higher quality than the publicly available WAV files? I was thinking of getting a high quality turntable and recording vinyls to my computer @ 192kHz 24bit via an audio interface to get high quality digital files to play on my sound system. I would just straight up listen to the vinyl, but I am afraid of physical wear and tear on the vinyl degrading the quality over time. My guess is the quality of the file used for the master depends on the studio, some using lossy MP3s, some using WAV files, and some using DSDs or other high quality files with high sampling frequencies.

[@Valkail_]

get FLAC files and a good sound system

[@ThatGamerDude9000]

@@Valkail_ yeah, in the year plus since I wrote that, I found out the only real reason to get vinyl is to listen to a master that isn't available digitally. Found that the dynamic range on vinyl is generally lower than digital copies due to inherent qualities of the medium. Basically getting all my music from qobuz, since tidal is the only alternative I could find (but I prefer to own my music over streaming it).

[@Valkail_]

@@ThatGamerDude9000 ay good that you found Qobuz. Happy listening. What headphones / speakers you using?

[@ThatGamerDude9000]

@@Valkail_ haven't actually gotten the setup yet (money is the major limiter since I was unemployed for a couple months), but looking at getting the Polk Legend L200s, with a Rel T/5x subwoofer, using the Onkyo TX-RZ50 as an amp, and connecting it to my computer with the RME ADI-2 DAC FS.

[@banquo4223]

Better than their makeup tutorials

[@bigmrcriticman5596]

What if I want crackles and pops in my Frank Sinatra, or beach boys vinyl? Do they just get stripped away from me?

[@evanblanco2146]

I’m surprised she said records at the time 3:09

[@henrywallace3563]

How many crosley cruisers in the video omg...

[@airindiana]

3:35. That dude was depressed to be told his flipping the disc over skills, perfected over decades at crayon chewer records were totally obsolete, given there’s always been a plastic window in BOTH SIDES of the paper thingy. Bad day at the office.

[@phoebechoate7958]

I want that job

[@refinery29]

+phoebecoate Same!!

[@leon9021]

Not at United though ;^D

[@joseavila6422]

Phoebe Choate why? Apparently he has to listen to EACH record. That's listening to the same album/singles ALL. DAY. LONG. I'm pretty sure they'd get tired of even their most favorites by the end of a shift. Not to mention having to hear music you HATE and wouldn't be caught dead hearing it if you didn't have to. Believe me, I cringe hearing songs I hate even just from the first few beats.

[@tim_brooks]

a record is not “a vinyl.” records are not “vinyls.” when will people learn this?!

[@victoria4]

what is a vinyl? pls educate us lol

[@leon9021]

+Victoria P Hes saying a record is a called just "a record", vinyl is just the material of the record. And the plural of Vinyl is not Vinyls, much like the plural of feet isnt feets.

[@bkkersey93]

Really isn't that big of a deal. Another liberal douche bag taking office after Trump is more of a big deal.

[@leon9021]

Blake Kersey not a big deal to educate someone either.

[@matthewkim8547]

And who exactly cares?

[@neo-xy3fr]

Great! I still dont get it

[@serene1486]

ah one day im tryna afford a vinyl n the vinyl player

[@LUISENRIQUE4495]

OK

[@brainprism88]

they send digital file(!) to the record company... it is much more easy to listen lossless file on my pc.... that is show that why we shouldnt but a new records unless till they use old masters or master tape records.

[@goldenretriever6440]

You know what would be cool If we could make VHS popular again

[@krishoswrld]

People may be hating on crosley.....but research shows as long as u clean your records and take care of it....not much damage would be done. Also most people (like my self...who is a teen) can only afford a crosley..not everyone is blessed with enough $$

[@SgfGustafsson]

Thisssss

[@lxcidityy]

Nikki Lane!!

[@jennygardiner4200]

i’m looking for a record player that’s not too expensive, if anyone has any recommendations please let me know! i was going to get a crosley, but the reviews are so dodgy i don’t wanna risk it.

[@Jiji-the-cat5425]

Crosley Cruisers aren't the best but this whole idea they will "tear apart" your vinyl is exaggerations made by audiophiles. I have a somewhat cheapo Jensen record player which after all these years hasn't broken, tore up, or damaged any of my records, sound is ok on it. Of course not all Crosleys are the Cruiser. Crosley makes the 1975T which is actually really high quality and also has a CD player. Teac makes one with a tape player and CD recorder, though it's a bit pricey. It's really up to you in the long run.

[@riisikumi2236]

ATLP60XUSB

[@sorachi295]

What we have today is a serious lack of quality control with too many warped vinyl in sealed shrinkwraps!

[@mayakay]

take that record off of that crosley immediately or so help me

[@garry9074]

How 1948 vinyl's made? Using what technology?

[@ChristopherSobieniak]

The very nature of sound itself, vibrations.

[@r.s.ganesanmohan9437]

35 Years Back Record Playar Songs Very Super Goldan Time And Quvality Exland db

[@osaelbarrantes8060]

Gracias suena interesante.. It sounds kinda interersting.. Auwiedershen

[@leon9021]

Untied Records an Audiophile record plant? Hilarious! ;^D

[@sofnaji]

I wanna chew on those warm excess vinyl shavings

[@adougherty93]

The way she said “biscuit-shaped puck” made me uncomfortable

[@SquidproGames]

I’m only 14 but I’ll always prefer records

[@zibbiagray147]

💜Love^_−☆ it 😍

[@IsraelQuezada999]

At 00:10 , is that stylus made of plastic?? What kind of turntable has a plastic stylus?? I'm beginning to believe that all the terrible things I've heard about the crosleys are true.

[@trumpstroll7438]

Hmmm.

[@exefile6299]

Nikki Lane - "All or nothin'."

[@QAV44]

Apollo has millions of these.