Comment by mikece

I thought there was something in the early 2000s that used a laser (an array of them, actually) to map the grooves on a vinyl (or wax) record with perfect precision that allowed for the virtual audio processing of the record in higher quality than any physical stylus or pre-amp system could deliver. (There was also the side-benefit that the reading process didn't involve physical wear on the record or cylinder to optically record the grooves.)

Also, not being a vinyl expert, I would like to learn more about the different types of stylus and how that affects playback... does anyone have any links?