When I traveled by train to Kyiv earlier this month as part of a small group invited by the Transatlantic Dialogue Center, I stocked up on a headlamp, power bank for my iPhone and various other sundries in anticipation of blackouts and nights in a bomb shelter. While blackouts up to 16 hours have become routine thanks to incessant Russian bombings (many buildings have their own diesel generators) that have targeted the Ukrainian energy sector, I was surprised to... Read More

Here's an audio comparison between the 2002 double 45 released by Analogue Productions mastered by Kevin Gray and Steve Hoffman, and cut by KG at AcousTech Mastering and plated and pressed at RTI and the current UHQR cut by Bernie Grundman and plated and pressed at QRP.The cartridge was the MUTECH RM-Hayate MC ($7500) mounted on the SAT CF1-12 tonearm ($ don't ask), mounted on the Wilson-Benesch Prime Meridian turntable ($$ don't ask), feeding a voltage... Read More

Here's how I produce a 42 pound lasagne every Christmas "from scratch" (bad word to use around records, I know)—and it's related to this channel's mission: vinyl records. How's that? But first: you might want to attempt this recipe. It's incredible. Back in 1997 I got a phone call from the wife of United Federation of Teachers founder Albert Shanker (referenced in Woody Allen's movie "Sleeper"). Shanker had recently... Read More

Blue Note announced these three new titles that can be made public today and a bunch that have to wait a while: Jan. 23: Julian Lage - Scenes from Above, Jan. 30: Joel Ross - Gospel Music, Feb. 6: Ron Carter & Ricky Dillard - Sweet, Sweet Spirit. The first two will have immediate vinyl releases. The Ron Carter coming on vinyl "down the road".Julian Lage Scenes From Above Guitar virtuoso Julian Lage returns with his 5th Blue Note release, Scenes From... Read More

Los Angeles – December 17, 2026 – Verve Label Group and UMe, the centralized global catalog division of Universal Music Group (UMG), are thrilled to announce the 2026 continuation of their acclaimed Acoustic Sounds Series, their audiophile vinyl reissue program presenting definitive editions of essential albums from the Verve and Impulse! Records catalogs. The 2026 slate places a special spotlight on landmark Impulse! Records sessions and classic Verve titles spanning... Read More

Nothing says Christmas like Tchaikovsky’s supremely popular music for this seasonal classic.  This is the kind of music that even the Scroogiest of listeners will have a hard time resisting.  We continue our survey of its many fine recordings, focusing on CD/SACD and streaming versions, plus recordings of the popular Nutcracker Suite. You can read up on the history of the work and our recommended vinyl versions of the complete ballet in Part 1.

Nothing says Christmas like Tchaikovsky’s supremely popular music for this seasonal classic.  This is the kind of music that even the Scroogiest of listeners will have a hard time resisting.  The work has a fine pedigree in recordings, including several acknowledged audiophile classics.  Therefore, as we ready ourselves for bottomless glasses of egg nog and Glühwein (yes please), mince pies and fruitcake, this is the perfect time to dive into the history of this irresistible work, why its music is so magical, and take a tour of the best versions to be found on vinyl and digits.

The Los Angeles & Orange County Audio Society holds its annual Gala the first Sunday of December at a Buena Park California hotel not far from Knott's Berry Farm and Disneyland. Awards are handed out and there's a raffle held to benefit the Society, with tens of thousands of dollars worth of audio related prizes donated by manufacturers and retailers.This year's prestigious Founder's Award went to Dave and Sheryl Lee Wilson, the couple that... Read More

Every year since 2003, my editors at Slate—my main output, where I write a (roughly) twice-weekly column on national security—indulge my outside passions and lets me post a piece on my favorite jazz albums of the previous 12 months. Here’s the piece for this year, filed last week, replete with a bite-size essay on each album and a link to an audio track that, I think, best captures its vibe. As I have done since the revival of Tracking Angle, I submit below a... Read More

(Press release): The Köln Concert – the groundbreaking recording of Keith Jarrett’s improvised solo concert at the Cologne opera house – has attained legendary status since its release in 1975. An iconic album and an essential document of the era, few live recordings in any idiom have been celebrated as widely. In the liner essay included in the 50th anniversary edition of the LP, the concert’s context is outlined in detail. Recorded on 24 January 1975 and originally... Read More

(December 12, 2025 - Los Angeles, CA) Rhino High Fidelity (Rhino Hi-Fi) expands its acclaimed series of limited-edition, audiophile vinyl reissues todaywith two pivotal albums: T. Rex’s Electric Warrior and Devo’s Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo!.Each album was cut from the original analog master tapes by Kevin Gray and pressed on 180-gram black vinyl at Optimal in Germany. Both releases are limited to 5,000 individually numbered copies and available exclusively at... Read More

It's once again time for Tracking Angle's annual holiday gift guide. Whether it helps you find a perfect gift of music or hi-fi for friends and family, or guides you to a self-indulgent present for yourself, either way you're sure to find a high quality something or other guaranteed to bring happiness and good cheer for the holiday season and throughout the next year.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Chicago, IL - December 9, 2025—Thorens, one of the world’s oldest and most iconic turntable manufacturers, has appointed MoFi Distribution as its exclusive distributor for North America. Founded in 1883 in Sainte-Croix, Switzerland, Thorens has shaped the landscape of analogue music reproduction for more than 140 years, from early phonographs to legendary turntables such as the TD 124. Under the leadership of CEO Gunter Kürten, who took over the... Read More

Little Fwend, the automatic tonearm lifter made by Lasse Gretland of Norway, has grown into a niche success story. Unparalelled product quality and usability – plus attention from Technics – has turned the device into a cult favorite among turntable enthusiasts.

Newvelle Records is having a big record sale between now and Christmas. The company has priced most of its stock at nearly 50% off. Individual records are currently $35-$40. According to Newvelle's Elan Mehler, "Ron Horton's Double LP is $45, Full 6 LP Box sets are $200. We still have a couple of Season 4 Box Sets, Irma Thomas, and Ellis have a couple left as well".Many great records there! Read More

It’s a remarkable moment to be a record collector. Music lovers have never had more ways to hear their favorite albums in whatever format feels right: hi-res files, streaming on the move, sometimes reel-to-reel and cassette tape—the whole buffet. And yet, there’s a meaningful difference between a solid pressing and a pressing built to be the definitive document of an album. Audiophile labels have chased that ideal for decades: each working to deliver versions that... Read More

UMe's Vinylphyle series, its version of Rhino's High Fidelity reissue series strikes the same pose, hits the same high notes and so far is a complete success. Warner Records should be flattered. With these two strong, image making audiophile quality reissue programs Rhino and UMe have left Sony in the vinyl dust. If Sony's not going to let its master tapes go to others to reissue titles, the least it can do is start a similar series.There are... Read More

Last night (December 3) at members club/coworking space Neuehouse in Kips Bay, Manhattan, Sony/Legacy unveiled the 50th anniversary Dolby Atmos mix of Pink Floyd’s Wish You Were Here, soon to be released on December 12 on standalone Blu-ray and in the multi-format deluxe box set. (I assume the Atmos mix will also stream on Apple Music.) Newly mixed by longtime Pink Floyd engineer James Guthrie, this is the third surround iteration of Wish You Were Here, after the... Read More

Caelan Cardello’s exciting new Jazz Bird/Liam Records release Chapter One had audiences from the recent Warsaw Audio Video Fair to The Capital Audio Festival applauding as if Caelan and his trio were playing live instead of on 180g vinyl.Musically, Caelan’s studio set debut is nothing like the now sold-out Rufus Reid Presents Caelan Cardello (Liam Records ARF-1)—a live recording of elegantly performed jazz standards that goes down smoothly— like well-aged Scotch.On... Read More

In early November I posted a "re-do" story about the AFI Flat.Duo originally reviewed back in February. The "re-do" article included files comparing an excerpt from side one of the 4 LP one-sided reissue of the famous Reiner/CSO stereo recording of "Also Sprach Zarathustra" recorded in stereo in 1954 but not released in stereo until 1960 As LSC-1806. After recording it I put it into the AFI Flat.Duo, set it to "Relax" mode and... Read More