We put the new pocket-size vinyl format to the test—with mixed results
Some versions really benefit from the extra space of the gatefold jacket and printed inner sleeve,
Chris Foresman
Some versions really benefit from the extra space of the gatefold jacket and printed inner sleeve,
Chris Foresman
while others have virtually no additional information beyond the song titles.
Chris Foresman
while others have virtually no additional information beyond the song titles.
Chris Foresman
A few of our samples had this difficult-to-remove defect, which appears to be an artifact of the manufacturing process. Needed a liquid cleaner to remove it.
Chris Foresman
A few of our samples had this difficult-to-remove defect, which appears to be an artifact of the manufacturing process. Needed a liquid cleaner to remove it.
Chris Foresman
while others have virtually no additional information beyond the song titles.
Chris Foresman
A few of our samples had this difficult-to-remove defect, which appears to be an artifact of the manufacturing process. Needed a liquid cleaner to remove it.
Chris Foresman
Additionally, I compared the classic track “Linus and Lucy” by A Charlie Brown Christmas with a 2012 pressing of the full album, as well as the 2019 3-inch version using an adapter, all on the LP-120, to give readers the best comparison between formats.
Once again, the LP version of the seminal soundtrack from A Charlie Brown Christmas sounded bright and noticeably louder than its 4-inch counterpart. No major surprises here. And of course, the LP includes the entire soundtrack, so if you’re a big fan of the film or the kind of contemplative piano jazz that Vince Guaraldi is famous for, you’ll probably fall for the full album.
Unsurprisingly, the 3-inch version of “Linus and Lucy” sounds quite comparable to the Tiny Vinyl version, with much quieter playback at the same amplifier settings. But it also sounds a lot noisier, probably due to differences in the materials used in manufacturing.
Although the 3-inch discs can be played on standard turntables, as I have done here, they are designed to go hand-in-hand with one of the many Crosley RSD3 variants released over the past five years, or on the Crosley Mini Cruiser turntable. If you manage to get hold of an original 8ban player, you might get the original “loud analog” lo-fi sound that Bandai also intended. It’s really part of the aesthetic of 3-inch vinyl.
The new 3-inch vinyl singles feature a standard pin hole, making them easier to play on standard turntables. This also means that there are now adapters for the small spindle to fit these holes, so you can technically put a single 4 inch in there. But due to the design of the tonearm and its mount, the stylus won’t swing all the way to the edge of the Tiny Vinyl; instead, you can only play from the grooves around the 3-inch mark. It’s a bit of a shame because otherwise it would be fun to play these miniature singles on a little more ergonomically sized hardware.
