We recently looked at Tiny vinyl, a new miniature vinyl single format developed through a collaboration between a toy industry veteran and the world’s largest vinyl record manufacturer. The 4-inch singles are pressed in a process nearly identical to standard 12-inch LPs or 7-inch singles, except everything is smaller. They have a standard-size spindle hole and play at 33⅓ RPM, and they hold up to four minutes of music per side.
Several smaller bands, like The Band Loula and Rainbow Kitten Surprise, and some industry veterans like Blake Shelton and Melissa Etheridge, have already experimented with the format. But Tiny Vinyl partnered with US retail giant Target for its big coming-out party this fall, with 44 exclusive titles launching throughout the end of this year.
There was a similar product someone got me as a gift a couple years ago. A subscription to vinyl postcards. I couldnt play them.
The problem wasn’t that they were low quality. It was that they were too small. My turntable has automatic shutoff, where it lifts the tone arm off the record and swings it back out when the tone arm gets too close to the center. Considering how small these mini vinyls are, I suspect they will have the same problem and be unplayable on my turntable.
And yes, the article confirms that problem.
Using a format that’s unplayable by current turntables is dumb and doomed to fail. Unless they’re planning to sell an exclusive player for their format, which is dumb and doomed to fail.
Kinda strange. Why not just use 45s? I guess perhaps cheap modern turntables can’t play 45 rpm. But I feel like those turntables often have automatic arms and might not be able to play this either.
Smaller = cheaper to make, less space needed for storage, etc. They also look thicker, so might be more robust. I’d be surprised if any record player couldn’t play 45 rpm, the reason for 33⅓ will be because they are smaller they need to be slower to increase the playing time.
Oh never heard of this!!
And you likely never will again, as most turntables will not play these.
@SaltySalamander @alyaza given the points raised by other comments I think you’re right.
ty-vy (tie vie) is how they should brand it, not “tiny vinyl”
gotta think of them kids who like e’rythg shrtnd
