Teenage Engineering has revealed the story behind its new APC–2 industrial record cutter, a collaborative project with SUPERSENSE that aims to make professional vinyl record cutting more accessible. Combining modern engineering with real-time disc recording, the APC–2 is designed to lower the barriers to creating physical records while preserving the craftsmanship and sound quality that have defined the format for decades.
Key Features
- Developed in collaboration between Teenage Engineering and SUPERSENSE
- Integrated vacuum system, playback tonearm, amplifier, power supply and vacuum pump
- Wi-Fi-based configuration and all-in-one operation
- Designed for affordable, real-time production of original playback discs
- Demonstrated publicly with a live-to-disc performance recorded in Vienna
Sometimes the most exciting innovation isn’t about replacing an old process. it’s about making it possible for more people to experience it. In a world where music can be uploaded in seconds, there’s something deeply satisfying about watching sound become a physical object in real time. That’s the idea driving the APC–2.
For decades, professional vinyl mastering has relied on restored vintage lathes such as the legendary Neumann VMS70 and VMS80. While these machines remain highly respected, they’re also increasingly difficult to maintain. The engineers capable of servicing them are becoming rarer each year, and the knowledge required to build modern replacements has largely disappeared.
That’s what makes the APC–2 such an ambitious undertaking.
Reimagining a legendary process
Rather than attempting to recreate every aspect of a vintage cutting lathe from scratch, Teenage Engineering partnered with Vienna-based analogue specialists SUPERSENSE to rethink how a professional record cutter could work today.
At the heart of the project is the expertise of Swiss inventor Flo Kaufmann, whose DIALBA cutting heads have earned a reputation for matching, and in some cases exceeding, the performance of classic designs. His cutting heads are already used in SUPERSENSE’s MASTERCUT machines, although each unit remains painstakingly handcrafted and produced in limited numbers.
Instead of building an entire ecosystem around increasingly scarce vintage equipment, the APC–2 focuses on creating an integrated, modern workflow.
The system combines a vacuum suction mechanism to hold records securely during cutting, a custom-designed playback tonearm, built-in amplification, power supply and vacuum pump, all controlled through Wi-Fi configuration. Everything required for professional disc cutting lives inside a single machine.
From a usability perspective, that’s a significant shift. Traditional record cutting lathes have long been specialist tools requiring extensive knowledge and dedicated facilities. The APC–2 appears designed to reduce that complexity while maintaining professional aspirations.
Making vinyl more immediate
Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the APC–2 isn’t the hardware itself, but what it enables.
Teenage Engineering believes record cutting has traditionally existed behind a series of barriers—access to expensive equipment, specialised operators, pressing plants and record labels. Their vision isn’t to replace large-scale vinyl manufacturing but to open entirely new creative possibilities.
“It might sound ambitious, but the dream is clear: that this machine will lead to millions of records that would never have existed through traditional pressing plants. We’re not trying to compete with large-scale production. We’re opening up something different.”
Instead of mass production, the focus is on short runs, on-demand records and immediate physical releases.
Imagine recording a live performance, cutting it directly to disc, and handing audience members a playable record shortly afterwards. That’s exactly the type of experience the APC–2 has already demonstrated.
The concept feels surprisingly aligned with the growing interest in boutique physical media. As musicians continue looking for more personal ways to connect with audiences, small-batch vinyl releases have become increasingly desirable. Rather than waiting months for pressing plant schedules, artists could potentially produce limited editions almost immediately after performing.
It’s a different relationship with vinyl records, one that’s less about mass manufacturing and more about documenting moments.
A live debut in Vienna
The APC–2 recently received its first public outing at SUPERSENSE’s headquarters in Vienna during a soft launch event.
Guests watched artist Shimmer perform live while the APC–2 simultaneously recorded the performance directly onto disc. The resulting record is now available through SUPERSENSE, demonstrating the machine’s ability to capture performances in real time without the traditional delays associated with vinyl production.
Even more impressively, the accompanying demonstration video was recorded entirely using Teenage Engineering CM–15, TX–6 and TP–7 hardware, while all of the audio heard throughout the film comes directly from a record cut on the APC–2 itself.
That end-to-end workflow highlights something Teenage Engineering has steadily been building towards over recent years: a creative ecosystem that stretches from recording and production through to the physical medium itself.
More than another piece of studio gear
While a lot of new music technology focuses on making software faster or production easier, the APC–2 asks a different question: what if the process of creating physical media could become part of the performance?
It’s an idea that feels perfectly suited to today’s creative landscape. Independent artists, experimental venues and boutique record stores continue searching for experiences that simply can’t be streamed. Live-to-disc recording offers exactly that—each record becomes both a performance and a unique artefact.
Whether the APC–2 ultimately reshapes the vinyl industry remains to be seen, but it’s refreshing to see a company tackle one of audio’s oldest manufacturing processes with genuinely new thinking. Rather than chasing nostalgia, Teenage Engineering and SUPERSENSE appear focused on giving vinyl a contemporary future.
For musicians, producers and collectors alike, that’s a compelling idea, and perhaps the beginning of an entirely new chapter for physical music media.
