The VinylDisc from Optimal Media Production is a cute idea. Why not put record grooves on the flip side of a CD? With the interesting resurgence of analog, this novelty disk may give more users the impetus to give the old turntable a try.

…Optimal Media Production’s vinyl/CD hybrid, which is just like a normal CD except that on the top, it has vinyl grooves etched in. Place a VinylDisc on your turntable, drop the needle at the start of the track, and you’ll hear up to 3.5 minutes of music at 33 RPM.

As for the overall sound quality, I just finished giving the vinyl side of a Sonic Kollectiv VinylDisc compilation a spin, and it sounded decent — not as good as 180 gram, but certainly good enough to warrant consideration from bands and labels looking to offer something new to their customers: a CD that everyone can play, with a secret bonus track in the grooves on top for those who have record players.

Beyond the debates on analog vs. digital sound quality (I for one believe a properly deployed turntable in a decent system sounds fantastic), maybe the recent resurgence of analog music is due to the fact that there’s no DRM involved?