In case you haven’t noticed, vinyl is making a bit of a comeback. Who would have guessed that the plastic disc that first arrived on the scene in 1931 would still bring so much excitement 95 years later?
Although much has changed in the world during that time, the format itself and the techniques used to create it have not changed much. So, is vinyl currently as good as it gets, or can it be improved?
We reached out to some of the best developers in the business to see what they think about the state of the format in 2026.
Eric Kingdon
There are a few things you can change, and some have already happened. Fast speed, with 45rpm 12-inch discs, good halving and direct cutting.
More speed increases mean challenges in production and play. Changes in established standards such as the RIAA curve can mean significant change.
Of course, an addition such as an IEC curve has already taken place to improve the efficiency of the hardware. Having the option to choose anywhere is welcome.
Heavy vinyl, with ‘character’ and texture, is a good option. Moving to something other than carbon/oil is an important consideration. The safety of acetate production is also another thing to protect.
I think consumers would appreciate a clear indication of the origin of the materials used. We had it on CD when it was first introduced, why not record it?
Jonathan Nye
If I had to pick one change, it would be a higher playback speed, something like making 45rpm the default for albums.
The higher speed improves high frequency performance, reduces distortion (especially around the inner holes), and makes tracking easier on the stylus. It gives the system more physical space to handle music information.
Another interesting area is the groove geometry. A slightly wider groove can be easier to clean, less resistant to debris, and reduce wear by spreading the tracking force over a larger area. It may also make tracking more stable in search passages.
Trading, of course, is playtime. Wide grooves mean fewer grooves on each side, which is precisely why the microgroove LP became the standard in the first place. Like most things in vinyl, it’s a balance between functionality and performance.
David Baker
The way vinyl playback creates a new electrical signal by scratching a rock against a plastic wall is pure magic, and I’m not sure I could have it any other way. There is a good essay Revolution by Gideon Schwartz for much of the design and testing that led to the current model.
I would like to mess more with the format itself. If I could make one change, it would be in the vinyl production industry. There are a lot of poor quality records out there, and while vinyl is booming, we are a long way from the number of quality cutting rooms we had in the 20th century.
If vinyl is going to continue to demand the price it does, some sort of regulation that ensures that vinyl mastering meets a standard quality threshold would save a lot of disappointment for end users.
Heinz Lichtenegger
Pro-Ject has previously been a major supporter of the ‘HD Vinyl’ format being developed by Guenter Loibl at Rebeat. The possibilities with this technology are great, but unfortunately, in a fast-paced world, it seems that it is not the most important thing, and the opportunity may be missed.
But really, I believe the biggest thing that could improve the record format in our current market is that there are more business leaders who really care about the category. Vinyl is in vogue, and that means there are many opportunists in all aspects of the vinyl/analogue industry who are here to take advantage.
We see brands that simply find a seller somewhere in the world, buy a product that allows them to sell it at a low price without attention to detail in the good design of the equipment, and as a result they flood the market with bad choices that turn to customers.
Similarly, we are seeing more and more vinyl records being produced today that have poor quality control, either in the production or the mastering process. All this creates an environment where customers are not getting the truth, quality, value for money; and that poses a risk to the continued popularity of our category.
Turntables should be accessible – we believe – but as business owners we must also take care of the future of our customers and the entire sector. I’ve made turntables since the early 90s, and that’s because I always believed that I could give the customer a great experience that would last for years.
I know there are others who hold this belief. But we need more people like this – not people who are making turntables now because it’s ‘cool’, but who will leave the sector after flooding us with inferior products when the fads change.
Never in our industry has a format come back from the dead like vinyl. We need to protect that and keep showing people why the format is so special, to keep it.
Roy Marston
Records are inherently flawed, but I think that’s why we love them. One thing that concerns me is the environmental impact of the production and disposal of PVC discs. The recent increase in new vinyl record sales is a good thing because it shows that people really care about music.
But I think we should investigate the rotation of the format, and how to ensure that these records are kept for a long time and eventually end up in used recording facilities instead of being thrown away. We should probably promote the use of non-fossil-based bioplastics.
Robert Suchy
I would make the width of the vinyl record a little bigger, so you have 30 minutes of playback on each side. This can lead to further improvements in other areas – longer tones, higher crust weight, and so on.
Roy Gandy
The current 33⅓rpm vinyl LP format seems to be a good fit. Many technological changes have been attempted with good marketing but with no real benefit in sound quality. Many of the best recordings have been made directly from tape and without the use of a commercial mix disc.
So, for Rega, the biggest quality change would be to eliminate or significantly improve mixing in both analog and digital domains.
However, the most important change will be to reduce the expected sales price of the LP. Rega can record and sell LPs for a reasonable profit for production, distribution and sales, around £20.00.
Touraj Moghaddam
We did a lot of tests and verification of record player playback using different vinyl comps against acetates and the main source with very interesting results.
In fact, in the last few years, the two most important improvements have been the results of the development and modification of the cutting lathe, not less, and secondly, the improved vinyl combination.
As an example, during a blind ‘listening’ test by one of the best engineers and cutters and one of the most experienced music company executives, it was a night and day experience between the acetate and the test pressure.
Acetate is very close to master, almost like lacquer cut to produce a record – no steps in between. However, in this example, the test pressure – four steps from the lacquer – was obviously too high! How?
Acetate was cut on the first – working well – lathe and test pressure produced on lacquer which was later cut on a highly modified and improved lathe – same lathe / same model, same settings. A clear indication of where the weak link was – the cutting lathe!
There is nothing really wrong with the record format or the RIAA, and in fact any changes to these aspects would result in the revision of the play material and would not serve any purpose.
We have already completely shown that our reference record playback system can be very close to the king – this time we have to look at ways to make records better – improved cutting lathes, pressing machines and vinyl combinations.
Let’s not forget that this also doesn’t really increase the cost – to produce or play – unlike format changes and the like that might happen.
Alfred Langer