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

Technics just unveiled its "next gen" direct drive turntable, the SL-1200GR2 (silver) and the SL01210GR2 (black). According to the press release, the new turntable "...features a revolutionary new drive control technique for smooth, accurate rotational stability and a new power supply for an exceptionally low noise floor. "The newly upgraded turntable is equipped with standout audio and design features, including: · A new Delta-Sigma-Drive and a... Read More

This press release lists prices in Euros only so not sure if this launch is simultaneously in Europe and the USA but it's newsworthy nonetheless. At Munich High End 2023 Pro-Ject Audio Systems launched an extensive "EVO" line of new tonearms in both standard and premium versions that occupied a rather large sized wall. This photo shows only some of the arms on that wall.Pro-Ject EVO arms at Munich High End 2023The lineup includes 9",10" and... Read More

Los Angeles, CA (September 6, 2023) – Craft Recordings’ acclaimed Small Batch vinyl series returns with an audiophile pressing of Thelonious Monk’s Brilliant Corners. A landmark title in the pianist’s celebrated catalog, the 1957 album not only introduces several Monk originals, but also features an all-star line-up of talent, including Sonny Rollins, Max Roach, and Paul Chambers. Shipping September 8th and limited to just 4,000 copies worldwide, Brilliant Corners can... Read More

Originally released September 21, 1993 and recorded by Steve Albini, In Utero was Nirvana's first #1 debut on the Billboard 200 and went on to 6x platinum certification in the United States. The 30th anniversary release will be issued October, 27th, 2023 in a variety of formats including include a limited-edition 8LP Super Deluxe box set, 5CD Super Deluxe box set, 1 LP + 10” edition, 2CD Deluxe edition, and a Digital Super Deluxe edition. (Interestingly,... Read More

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

Last Spring, 2023 Clearaudio, a company best known for it's turntables, tonearms, phono cartridges and record cleaning machines celebrated its 45th anniversary. Rather than mounting its usual large High End Munich main floor exhibit, the company chose to throw a big party before the show for its distributors around the world and for others who would normally have met with them at the High End show to do business. The cozy restaurant attached to the Inn in which... Read More

(Photo credit: Sarah Beastman Hamilton [Lebeast Photography of Vancouver, BC, Canada])Greece-based Agnew Analog, recently introduced the Agnew Analog Reference Instrument Type 612, a brand new disk mastering lathe, now available to order. It's the first new "from the ground up" lacquer cutting lathe to be introduced in since 1966 which is when Neumann introduced its VMS 66 (L.J. Scully began making them in the 1930s for 78rpm record manufacturing). The... Read More

Last May 1st, Tracking Angle published "The Onzow Zerodust Controversy Concludes Here" in which I thought we'd put the story forever to rest. I thought "everyone" would be satisfied by the instructions published there. Please read them using the above hyperlink.Later Onzo Labs' Akira Ishibashi requested that I remove the original photo we'd been using to show the residue left on the stylus, to one more representative of what WAM... Read More

(Photo of Rainer Maillard at Emile Berliner Studios, 2019 by Michael Fremer)Tracking Angle invited DGG "Original Source" Series producer/mixer Rainer Maillard and cutting engineer Sidney C. Meyer to respond to Michael Johnson's review of the "second batch" of titles, specifically with the tracking issues he encountered on the Brahms The Piano Concertos disc.Mr. Maillard responded:With each cut we had to make decisions and thereby were forced... Read More

The press release from The Electric Recording Company: The eponymous album of Crosby, Stills & Nash marked the inaugural studio release by the renowned American folk rock supergroup. Unveiled byAtlantic Records in 1969, the album stands as a seminal masterpiece within the realms of folk rock and rock music genres. With David Crosby,Stephen Stills, and Graham Nash at its core, all of whom boasted prior affiliations with accomplished bands (Crosby with The Byrds,... Read More

Acoustic Sounds just announced the forthcoming UHQR release of The White Stripes' 2002 double LP "Elephant". The lacquers were cut more than a year ago on June, 22nd, 2022. By chance I happened to be in Nashville moderating panels for Making Vinyl, Nashville and visiting United Record Pressing, Nashville Record Pressing, Welcome to 1979 and Nashville Record Productions. When Chad Kassem told me that Ryan Smith at Sterling Sound was cutting lacquers on... Read More

Veteran disc mastering engineer Paul Gold runs Salt Mastering out of a small, Greenpoint, Brooklyn, N.Y. studio crammed with tape machines—including a few rare and unusual ones you'll have to watch the video to see— and a pair of Neumann lathes. He contacted me to say he's just completed a "shaker console" he's been working on for fifteen years! And he thought I'd enjoy seeing it. I did. It's not like Shaker furniture. Gold goes back... Read More

Overnite Sensation FZ's legendary 1973 album's 50th anniversary super deluxe edition celebrates 50th anniversary with expanded fifty seven unreleased and rare studio and live tracks. Eighty eight track, five-disc edition includes 4 CDs and Blu-ray disc with outtakes, alternate edits and unedited bonus vault masters plus two previously unreleased shows recorded at The Hollywood Palladium and Detroit's Cobo Hall. Blu-ray includes original Quad mix, plus new surround sound and Dolby Atmos mixes of the core album. 180g vinyl set of greatest interest to Tracking Angle readers: 2 LP 180-gram black audiophile vinyl reissue with the album cut at 45 rpm for the first time ever from the original analog tape by Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman Mastering in 2023 and a bonus 24” x 12” poster of the complete cover art.

BOSTON - (Aug. 23, 2023) - U-Turn Audio, an independent American maker of award-winning turntables, announces their first ever refresh of the beloved Orbit Turntable lineup. Building off a decade of success, the next generation of Orbit takes turntable design and technology to the next level with a range of new features like its high-tech magnesium tonearm, electronic speed control, revamped drive system, and more customization options than ever before. U-Turn Audio... Read More

"TOM WAITS’ ENTIRE METAMORPHIC AND GROUNDBREAKING MID-PERIOD ISLAND RECORDS STUDIO CATALOG NEWLY REMASTERED FROM ORIGINAL TAPES AND PREPPED FOR RELEASE ON VINYL "AND CD FOR FIRST TIME" (all caps from press release)

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

When the new batch of Deutsche Grammophon Original Source records arrived from the label for review, fellow Tracking Angle writer Mark Ward alerted me that I was on deck. And while I can’t hope to match his tour deforce review outlining the first four titles in this series, I have been eager to put into words my thoughts on the ongoing results of this monumental undertaking.While I didn’t formally review the first four titles, I did listen to all of them, and they... Read More