November 20th, 2024
The Beatles 1964 US Albums In Mono Box Opening I didn't bother with lighting or makeup so I could scoop the bitter trolls! lol By: Michael FremerThe box set arrived about an hour ago and I got right on it and shot this box opening video. Honestly, more interesting is the second embedded video with Kevin Reeves and Pat Kraus showing the tapes and the cutting process along with some of the ideas that went into the new cuts. The tape box notes show that bass was seriously cut for the original records as was some top end splashy cymbal stuff.What wasn't clear from the video is what they did for these new... Read More
Comments: 0November 20th, 2024
All Along The Watchtower 40 Years On, A Deluxe Love Letter To Prince By: JoE SilvaLet the record reflect that the first time people heard “Purple Rain” played live, nobody clapped. It was August 8th, 1983, and Prince and the Revolution were doing a benefit gig to help out a local dance studio where his band worked out their choreography. Furthermore, that iconic solo? Improvised on the spot. And he was just 25 years old. All of this leaps up from just a couple of the 176 pages Twin Cities journalist Andrea Swensson has pieced together for “Prince... Read More
Comments: 0November 19th, 2024
Monk's Music Thelonious Monk's startling classic in its best sound By: Fred Kaplan1957 was a landmark year for Thelonious Monk, possibly the most overtly original pianist in jazz history. He started playing in New York nightclubs again for the first time in six years, owing to the return of his cabaret card (essential for the city’s musicians back then), which had been suspended due to a drug charge. He recruited John Coltrane, who brought a thrilling new timbre to his band. And he recorded Monk’s Music, one of his most splendid albums—a brash... Read More
Comments: 2November 19th, 2024
Bella Sound Kaula 2 and Kaula 2 Essential Power Cords Quantum Sound Improvement By: Ken RedmondEach year, I dedicate one review to exploring the often contentious world of audio cables, selecting what I believe to be a significant product in this category. This year's choice will surely spark lively discussions in the comments, given its price point and the technology used. My annual exploration allows me to delve into a subject that consistently ignites passionate debates among audiophiles and casual listeners. I always look forward to readers sharing... Read More
Comments: 0November 18th, 2024
The Ramones Paved a “Road to Ruin” A sonically rich pressing from punk’s godfathers By: Dylan PegginThumbing through my parents’ record collection as a kid was the equivalent of an archaeologic excursion. Records were an object of wonder long before I became a bonafide collector, down to how the grooves came across the speakers and the mythology behind the album artwork. When I was five years old, my eyes became fixated on a cartoonish-looking album featuring four men donning a uniform of leather jackets and ripped jeans. My ears were eager to hear what it entailed,... Read More
Comments: 3November 18th, 2024
At Capital Audio Fest 2024 YG Acoustics Swings For the Audio Fence has new American distribution, makes a big push in many rooms By: Michael FremerWhile most of the luxury speaker brands don't participate in CAF, Stenheim and especially YG Acoustics made points of being seen and heard this year. YG especially made a play for the ears and hearts—not to mention the wallets—of Capital Audio Festival attendees by demoing a wide range of its speakers from the lower priced to the next to the top XX model. Despite the small rooms in which they showed, the sound was exceptional in every room, but for my ears, it... Read More
Comments: 2November 15th, 2024
Andover Audio Updates and Upgrades Spinbase with Spinbase 2 greater connectivity options, more inputs among the enhanced user friendliness By: Tracking AngleNovember 13, 2024—Boston-based Andover Audio is proud to announce the launch of the SpinBase 2, the next evolution of its award-winning turntable-speaker system (the turntable is not included). Maintaining the clean, classic design of the original SpinBase, the new model dials up the aesthetic with heathered fabric wrap and Andover’s iconic main control knob. This compact and clever design blends convenience with high-quality sound and ease of setup and use,... Read More
Comments: 0November 15th, 2024
The Who, Kinks Producer Shel Talmy Passes Away (August 11, 1937— November 14, 2024) Harvey Kubernik explains why Shel mattered so much By: Harvey Kubernik
Photo credit: TalmyEnterprises. The legendary and influential record producer Shel Talmy passed away yesterday (November 14th) from a stroke at age 87. Talmy arranged and produced the Kinks recordings 1964-1967, My Generation by the Who, and hit singles by the Easybeats, Manfred Mann, Chad & Jeremy, and worked with the Creation and Pentangle. He produced early sessions for a young David Bowie.
Read More Comments: 1November 15th, 2024
Capital Audio Fest 2024 "Turntable Centric" Video Coverage Starts Here Cap Audio Fest seemed well attended and there was plenty to see and much that was new By: Michael FremerPart 1 of Tracking Angle's Capital Audio Festival 2024 coverage is an hour plus long video mostly highlighting turntables and tonearms but also a few other interesting features including an interview with composer/musician/HD Tracks entrepreneur David Chesky's 17 year old son Lucca who introduced a new $995/pr loudspeaker. You're sure to enjoy the interview I conducted with him.The top photo show a The Wand turntable fitted with a newly designed arm... Read More
Comments: 0November 13th, 2024
Bill Evans's "Explorations" Is Next Craft "Small Batch" One-Step Release arriving December 13th, limited to 2500 copies By: Tracking AngleLos Angeles, CA (November 13, 2024)—Craft Recordings is proud to unveil the next installment in its acclaimed Small Batch series—a meticulously crafted reissue of Bill Evans Trio’s final studio LP, Explorations. Arriving December 13, Explorations marks the series’ seventh installment, which has previously spotlighted jazz luminaries such as John Coltrane, Miles Davis and Thelonious Monk. Strictly limited to 2,500 pressings worldwide and available to pre-order today,... Read More
Comments: 3November 13th, 2024
"Birth of the Blue"—First Recording Session with the "Kind of Blue" band Released by Acoustic Sounds! mastered AAA from a new 30IPS 1/4" stereo master tape sourced from 3 track master! By: Tracking AngleNovember 13th, 2024 – Analogue Productions, the world leader in high quality vinyl production, is thrilled to announce the December 13 release of Birth of the Blue, a collection documenting the transformative first session in 1958 by the same band that would go on to record Kind of Blue - the one of the greatest and greatest-selling jazz album of all time - the following year. Featuring Davis’ legendary sextet - John Coltrane, Cannonball Adderley, Bill Evans, Paul... Read More
Comments: 15November 12th, 2024
Capital Audio Fest Coverage Starts Here In Doug White's "The Voice That Is" Room why? Because somehow I passed it a dozen times and forgot to go in and look what I missed! By: Michael FremerWhile driving home from the Capital Audio Festival this past Monday, as I crossed the Millard E. Tydings Memorial Bridge that spans the Susquehanna River between Havre de Grace and Perryville, Maryland I realized I'd left something behind at the Hilton Hotel, Rockville Maryland that I'd not be able to turn around and retrieve, and that is coverage of Doug White's room containing a significant trove of analog gear I'd planned for weeks to be sure to... Read More
Comments: 2November 12th, 2024
Blue Note Launches Tone Poet Society Subscription Service + 2025 Tone Poet Titles! ACCLAIMED SERIES OF DEFINITIVE ALL-ANALOG 180g VINYL REISSUES PRODUCED BY JOE HARLEY & MASTERED BY KEVIN GRAY FROM ORIGINAL MASTER TAPES By: Tracking AngleBlue Note Records has announced the launch of the Tone Poet Society, a new subscription service dedicated to the legendary jazz label’s Tone Poet Audiophile Vinyl Reissue Series. Blue Note has also announced the 2025 line-up of the acclaimed series which is produced by the “Tone Poet” Joe Harley and features definitive all-analog, 180g audiophile vinyl reissues that are mastered from the original master tapes by Kevin Gray of Cohearent Audio, manufactured at RTI, and... Read More
Comments: 7November 12th, 2024
The Pure Fidelity Horizon MK2 Canadian turntable-maker updates its popular Horizon/Harmony models with a brand new speed controller By: Michael JohnsonIn the spring of 2021 a few years into my journey as an audio writer, I was on the hunt for my dream turntable. I'd previously owned some very nice ones : a VPI Scout 1.1, a Rega Planar 3, and a Pro-Ject Debut Carbon to name just a few. But at last I decided I was ready for the big leagues, and wanted to step into the true high-end. There were assuredly some great contenders out there at the time. The Technics 1200G was very appealing for both its sonic... Read More
Comments: 3November 12th, 2024
Gandy Gifting Full Ownership to Employees in an EOT (Employee Ownership Trust) Not retiring but magnanimous gesture assures smooth succession and also prevents V.C. vulture buyout By: Michael FremerOn October 28th Rega co-founder Roy Gandy (the "ga" part of the company name) gifted 100% of his shares (which represents full company ownership) to his employees as part of an EOT arrangement. Read the statement below and be amazed and if you are a Rega turntable owner, a dealer or distributor, be assured. Hopefully other companies will do likewise or follow a similar path. Given the hollowed out, sad states of some other veteran companies have become under... Read More
Comments: 9