Vinyl record

Vinyl record is an audio storage medium, most commonly used for preserving music. It is a subset of the family of Analogue disc records (see). A Vinyl gramophone or phonograph record consists of a disc of vinyl plastic, engraved with a single concentric spiral groove in which a sapphire or diamond needle is supposed to run, from the outside edge towards the centre.

Vinyl records are made in the following formats:

Common formats

• 12" 331/3 rpm long-playing (LP) format
• 7" 45 rpm (single) format

Less common formats

• 12" 45 rpm extended-playing (Maxi Single) format
• 10" 331/3 rpm long-playing (LP) format
• 10" 45 rpm extended-playing (EP) format
• 7" 331/3 rpm extended-playing (EP) format
• 16 rpm format for voice recording

Some late 78rpm records were also pressed in vinyl.

The sound quality and durability of vinyl records in highly dependent on the quality of the vinyl used.