July 27th, 2023
A $249 Transimpedance MC Phono Stage From Andover Audio this thing is ridiculously good!By: Michael Fremer
A manufacturer arrived the other day to install a costly turntable that I won't identify here. We played some records and you can be sure it sounded really fine. I could probably write the review after that first listening session but of course I won't. Then I went into my utility room and played a record we'd just played, on the Michell Gyro SE (the review will shortly be published). He couldn't see the turntable nor did I identify it. But he... Read More
Comments: 5July 27th, 2023
John Marks’ Bookshelf for Lovers of Recordings #4 A DOZEN BOOKS REVIEWED, ONE A WEEK FOR THE NEXT TWELVEBy: John Marks
Here are notes on a selection from my favorite books on the history of recording technology, the history of the record business, and the interactions between recording technology, the record business, and the art of music. One example of what I mean by all that is, in the late 1920s, piezoelectric “crystal” microphones supplanted carbon microphones for radio broadcasting. Crystal microphones had a better signal-to-noise ratio than carbon microphones. Therefore, the... Read More
Comments: 10July 26th, 2023
Analogue Productions Gives "Pretzel Logic" a Double 45 AAA UHQR Release third in the Dan series from Analogue ProductionsBy: Michael Fremer
A perfect black and white frozen New York City cover for an album released February of 1974 when winters there were still really cold and "pretzles" (sic) were 15 cents. The master tape images in the fold out containing Donald Fagen's notes show that the mixes were finalized on February 5th, lacquers cut at The Mastering Lab on the 6th and the record released for sale on the 20th. That's a pretty fast turnaround! Speaking of fast, compared to the... Read More
Comments: 48July 26th, 2023
Focal Naim North America Adds AVIDHIFI Turntables for North America Distribution AVID abandons its original "go it alone in America" distribution strategyBy: Tracking Angle
Montreal – July 26, 2023 – Focal Naim North America is excited to announce the addition of the highly reputable brand AVIDHIFI to its North America distribution network. With the incorporation of AVIDHIFI, Focal Naim North America adds a lineup of high-end turntables made in England to its current audio partners. “Focal Naim North America is proud to distribute AVIDHIFI with its exceptional build quality and outstanding sonic performance,” said Roman Vet, VP Marketing... Read More
Comments: 4July 25th, 2023
Mastering Engineer and Audio Restoration Expert, Michael Graves, Discusses the Stax/Craft Recordings Boxset, "Written in Their Soul: The Stax Songwriter Demos" Graves Shares the details of the ambitiously expansive projectBy: Evan Toth
When we listen, what are we really hearing? Are we transfixed on the mastering, the quality of the vinyl, the hardware we’re using? Or, perhaps we are merely listening to the sound and skill that the musicians are creating as a group? The truth is we’re listening to all of those things, but there is one element that we often tend to forget about and it reminds me of the old adage, if a tree falls in the woods - and there’s no one there to witness the event - does it... Read More
Comments: 0July 25th, 2023
Jason Moran's Lovely Pitch-Black Rainbow The pianist's solo soundtrack of our decadeBy: Fred Kaplan
As I’ve noted a few times in this space, Jason Moran is the most versatile, virtuosic jazz pianist on the scene. Around the turn of the decade, as player and composer, he focused on elegiac melodies, deceptively simple in form, rich in harmonies and textures, stirring, even spiritual, in their quest. Some tracks on this album from that period, The Sound Will Tell You, resemble movie music (but deep movie music); two of them were written for the HBO adaptation of... Read More
Comments: 1July 25th, 2023
What Exactly Goes on at a "Making Vinyl" Event? here's some of what occurred at Making Vinyl Minneapolis the past JuneBy: Tracking Angle
During the past decade, consumer demand for vinyl outpaced pressing capacity, resulting in delays of as much as 10 months. But that changed in the past year when existing players on both sides of the Atlantic dramatically expanded volume capabilities by adding machinery, and new plants became operational. Moderator Eric Astor, whose Furnace Record Pressing recently sold a majority ownership stake to Metallica, discusses the topic with pressing newcomer Connie Comeau, COO of The ADS Group/Copycats Media, and two indie label execs jazz specialist Zev Feldman, and Andrew Rossiter, of reissue label Org Music.
Read More Comments: 0July 23rd, 2023
Our Man In Seattle, Michael Trochalakis Visits KLAUDiO's Peter Cheon at His Koolance Headquarters no manufacturing here, but Peter's vintage gear and vintage gear replicas will interest youBy: Michael Trochalakis
Michael had such a good time interviewing Peter at the Seattle Audio Fest, he got himself invited to the Koolance warehouse where he saw all of Peter's vintage and replica vintage audio gear along with a few new KLAUDiO products. Also interesting was seeing Peter's "real" business, which involves industrial water management and cooling systems. Mr. Cheon has 200+ products he's designed in his line, many of which are patented. This is a short,... Read More
Comments: 2July 21st, 2023
Previously Unreleased Nina Simone Live Album "You've Got to Learn" Out Today on Verve Includes Simone’s First-Ever Recording Of “Music For Lovers” And “Blues For Mama,”By: Tracking Angle
July 21, 2023 (New York, NY) – Today marks the Verve Records/UMG release of You’ve Got To Learn, a previously-unreleased recording of Nina Simone’s performance at the 1966 Newport Jazz Festival. The album arrives as part of the “Happy Birthday Miss Simone” campaign, a year-long celebration of Simone’s 90th birthday. Listen to the album HERE. You’ve Got To Learn is a major find for Simone’s fans. The album includes Simone’s first-ever recording of “Music For Lovers”... Read More
Comments: 1July 21st, 2023
For Those Who Actually Play Their Records, Something From Blue Note to Hang on the Wall a new series of limited-edition Francis Wolff fine art photography collector’s piecesBy: Tracking Angle
Blue Note Records has announced The Francis Wolff Collection, a new series of limited-edition fine art photography collector’s pieces that celebrates the legacy of Blue Note co-founder and photographer Francis Wolff as well as the musicians he loved. The series launches today with a collection of one-of-a-kind pieces featuring Wolff’s iconic photographs of the legendary saxophonistJohn Coltrane at the 1957 recording session for his masterpiece Blue Train (BLP 1577).... Read More
Comments: 3July 21st, 2023
"Peter Frampton @ 50" Box Set Rights a Musical Wrong! these albums deserved a far greater audience then— they'll hopefully get one nowBy: Michael Fremer
Here's Tracking Angle's exclusive look and listen to Intervention's upcoming limited to 2500 copies Frampton@50 3 LP box set cut from analog tape by Chris Bellman and sounding like it! Intervention worked with Peter Frampton to get this box to look and sound the way he wanted it and the results are what every great reissue should look and sound like. The box rights a musical wrong.
Read More Comments: 11