Sonic purists swear that everything sounds better on vinyl, and you know what? Spinning records is also just way more freaking fun. It's common to digitize your LPs, but what if you could easily do the reverse? This dude made a device that makes it easy to press audio files into albums in real time.
Motherboard checked in with German engineer Souri Automaten (side note #1: can his real last name really be "machines" in German??) at SXSW; apparently he designed the first incarnation of this current device almost 30 years ago (side note #2: it looks like he hasn't updated his website in about as long).
Here it is in action:
Unlike most record cutters, Automaten's machine is extremely easy to use. That's what sets it apart: Just about anyone could buy it and start cranking out LPs. A record lathe equipped with a diamond stylus cuts the master, and the whole thing is ready to go by the time the track is through. At $4,000 it's a bit steep for a hobbyist, but as an investment, it might give indie bands or labels a cost-cutting, hands-on approach to their tunes.
Or: How completely awesome would it be to create The Perfect Playlist and give someone special a custom mix on wax? [Motherboard]