August 11th, 2024
dCS Launches Varèse Music System the present day Vivaldi Apex refuses to die By: Michael FremerOn August 7th dCS launched its Varèse Music System, characterizing it as a product that embodies "our boldest ideas, realized" and naming it for the French experimental composer who invented the term "organized sound" and who famously said "What is music but organized noises?" The late Frank Zappa was among his most ardent Baby Boomer generation fans and promoters.The new Varèse Music System consists of a multiple task pre-DAC Core that... Read More
Comments: 5August 9th, 2024
At Its New Soho Technica House, Audio Technica Debuts the new AT-ART1000x "Direct Power" Phono Cartridge replaces the original AT-ART1000 By: Michael FremerAt Audio Technica's new SoHo-based Technica House, described by the company as "a shared space of collaboration and inspiration, celebrating the Japanese aesthetic and Audio-Technica's analog philosophy" Audio Technica's chief engineer for cartridge design, Yosuke Koizumi explained the changes made to the original AT-ART1000 "Direct Power" moving coil cartridge introduced in 2016 and designed by company veteran and even back then... Read More
Comments: 17August 9th, 2024
Our Man in Tokyo Visits the Recent 2024 Tokyo International Audio Show here's the first part of his multipart video coverage By: Tracking AngleOur man in Tokyo Michael Schoolnik went to the recent Tokyo International Audio Show and shot some footage you'll enjoy watching. And here are some timings.0:00 Intro0:25 Accuphase2:05 Ortofon3:24 Luxman5:12 Sforzato6:43 Triode9:08 Esoteric10:20 McIntosh Read More
Comments: 0August 9th, 2024
Karajan, Bruckner, and the Next Generation of Deutsche Grammophon’s Original Source Series - Part 3: “The Force Awakens” - Unleashing Bruckner In a Listening Room Near You A Deep Dive into the History and Technology behind this Epic AAA Reissue, mastered and cut directly from the 8-track master tapes By: Mark Ward
In Part 3 of this extended analysis and review of the new Karajan cycle of Bruckner’s 9 Symphonies - remixed, remastered and cut directly from the original 8-track master tapes to vinyl by Emil Berliner Studios - I survey the remastered cycle as a whole, as well as examine how the digital recordings of Symphonies 1-3 were sonically refurbished. (You can read Part 1 here, and Part 2 here).
Read More Comments: 19August 9th, 2024
Joni Mitchell Archives Vol. 4 Culls Unreleased Material From Her Most Innovative 1976-1980 Time Mitchell curated wide-ranging 6 CD/4 LP box set By: Tracking AnglePress release: LOS ANGELES — Throughout the latter half of the seventies, Joni Mitchell continued to creatively break ground with her fearless and fluid exploration of jazz. Rather than tread the same path, she challenged and reinvented her style with a folk fusion like no other. Ascending to an unrivaled sonic peak, this innovative sound took shape across the gold-certified Hejira [1976], the gold-certified double-LP Don Juan’s Reckless Daughter[1977], her... Read More
Comments: 1August 7th, 2024
Karajan, Bruckner, and the Next Generation of Deutsche Grammophon’s Original Source Series - Part 2: “Back to the Future” - Evolutions and Revolutions in the Science and Art of Recording and Vinyl Mastering A Deep Dive into the History and Technology behind this Epic AAA Reissue, mastered and cut directly from the 8-track master tapes By: Mark Ward
In Part 2 of this extended analysis and review of the new Karajan cycle of Bruckner’s 9 Symphonies - remixed, remastered and cut directly from the original 8-track master tapes to vinyl by Emil Berliner Studios - I focus in on the technical processes behind the original recordings, and the technology used to breathe new life into these classics of the gramophone. A huge thank-you to Rainer Maillard for the time he took to send me his additional thoughts pertaining to this project and much else (beyond his extensive essay in the set's booklet). (You can read Part 1 here, and Part 3 here).
Read More Comments: 8August 7th, 2024
Mastering the New Linkin Park "One Steps" Reissues With Black Belt Mastering's Levi Seitz our man on the west coast Michael Trochalakis visits Black Belt By: Tracking AngleTracking Angle west coast correspondent Michael Trochalakis recently visited Levi Seitz's Seattle based Black Belt Mastering where the new Because Sound Matters Linkin Park "One Step" released were cut. Olivia Rodrigo's "Sour" and Beyonce's "Renaissance" are among the many other well regarded vinyl issues and reissues Seitz cut at Black Belt. Seitz gives Michael a tour of the facility and discusses his three lathes, then... Read More
Comments: 0August 6th, 2024
Karajan, Bruckner, and The Next Generation of Deutsche Grammophon’s Original Source Series - Part 1: “Past is Prologue” - A Conductor’s Journey A Deep Dive into the History and Technology behind this Epic AAA Reissue, mastered and cut directly from the 8-track master tapes By: Mark WardBetween 1975 and 1982, the renowned Austrian conductor Herbert von Karajan and the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra recorded and released the nine numbered symphonies of the great Romantic composer Anton Bruckner for Deutsche Grammophon. For Karajan it was the culmination of a lifetime studying and performing these works. The cycle, coming at the beginning of the Bruckner revival, was one of the earliest complete recordings, and has remained a benchmark ever since.... Read More
Comments: 16August 4th, 2024
Dave Rawlings Takes You on a Tour of His Woodland Studio In Nashville it almost blew away during a tornado! By: Michael FremerMusician, recording artist, label owner, Gillian Welch partner in life and in the studio, and all around analog aficionado Dave Rawlings invited me to visit his Woodland recording Studio during last June's Making Vinyl where we finally sat down face to face to talk about the things we both know and love. This meeting—something we both talked about doing for almost five years now—was worth the wait as you'll see and hear. Over the past almost half-decade... Read More
Comments: 0August 2nd, 2024
Rhino High Fidelity's First Multi-LP Box Set Goes to ZZ Top! comprises albums from 1971-1976 (press release isn't precise about cutting source) By: Tracking AngleLOS ANGELES—Rhino High Fidelity (Rhino Hi-Fi) returns with the latest addition to its acclaimed limited-edition, high-end vinyl reissues with the first-ever boxed set release. ZZ Top From The Top: 1971-1976 includes ZZ Top’s First Album (1971), Rio Grande Mud(1972), Tres Hombres (1973), Fandango! (1975), and Tejas (1976). This Hi-Fi release celebrates their musical excellence and includes detailed liner notes by James Austin in conversation with frontman Billy... Read More
Comments: 16August 1st, 2024
Patrick Leonard Talks With Bob Lefsetz About "It All Comes Down to Mood" (and his long and amazing career) a great interview by Bob, well worth the listen time! By: Michael FremerPatrick Leonard and his wife Anna stopped by today (she piloted her plane to Teterboro airport) to discuss promotional plans for the soon to be available album It All Comes Down to Mood, which debuted July 26th on Apple Music and is available for pre-order at Acoustic Sounds, Music Direct and Elusive Disc. The couple also got a chance to hear the album on my system.After playing most of side two of the four sides, Patrick said he wants to mix his next record here. He... Read More
Comments: 5August 1st, 2024
Neil Young Archives Volume III Drops September 6th 22 discs (17 CDs, 5 Blu-rays) By: Tracking AngleJuly 26, 2024 (Los Angeles, CA) – The limited edition Deluxe Edition of Archives Vol. III, available on September 6 exclusively at neilyoungarchives.com, includes recordings and films together that show the unheralded sweep of Young's efforts from the 1976-1987 period of his journey. It is one of the most extensive anthologies in his recorded history.There are a total of 22 discs, with 17 CD’s in 11 soft-paks and 5 Blu-rays in 3 soft-paks. There are 11 films on... Read More
Comments: 3August 1st, 2024
A Live "Audiophile Roundtable" Appearance on Steve Westman's Channel taking the online temperature By: Michael FremerI figured it was a good time to catch up with Steve Westman and his community. I wanted to check the reaction. It was mostly good. Read More
Comments: 1July 26th, 2024
Marking the Passing of an Exceptional Man: Thomas Andrew MacNab (“Tam”) Carlson (1941-2024) (Tam Created the Ralston Listening Room at the University of the South) By: John Marks
By the time all the construction dust had settled (in the summer of 2010), more than a million dollars had been spent to transform a section of the second floor of Sewanee’s Jessie Ball duPont Library into a world-class audiophile listening room rivaling the playback in the most famous recording studios and mastering labs worldwide.
Read More Comments: 1July 25th, 2024
John Culshaw at 100 - 10 Essential Recordings Celebrating the great Classical Producer with 10(+) of his greatest recordings By: Mark Ward
Born 100 years ago this year, John Culshaw set new standards in the craft and art of classical recording, primarily during his tenure at Decca. His recordings of Wagner's complete Ring cycle and Britten's War Requiem were critical and commercial successes of an order that has rarely been equalled, and remain acknowledged classics of the gramophone. To mark his centenary, we talk about what made him such an important figure in the history of recording, and pick 10(+) essential records which fully display his exceptional gifts as a record producer, and which sound as fresh today as they did when they were first made.
Read More Comments: 11July 24th, 2024
Next Two Pablo Titles Ship July 26th Norman Granz's "underdog" label finally rises to the top By: Michael FremerTom Fine explains the history in the liner notes accompanying each of these Pablo reissues, that in 1960 label founder Norman Granz sold Verve Records to MGM and moved to Europe where he promoted concerts and collected art. When his non-compete agreement expired in the early '70s he noted that many of his jazz friends, who like him, were now older but hardly "washed up", were without recording contracts. Two, Ella and Oscar, he also managed. You'll... Read More
Comments: 6July 18th, 2024
Rhino Reissue of Talk Talk's "It's My Life" Coming October 4th 40th anniversary release overseen by Talk Talk drummer Lee Harris and Mark Hollis's son Charlie By: Michael FremerThough most older fans today consider later albums "The Colour of Spring" (1986) and Spirit of Eden (1988) and to a lesser degree 1991's Laughing Stock to be Talk Talk's peak (though younger crowds especially prefer the last two albums), It's My Life from 1984 was the beginning of the band's rise to musical excellence (though critics mostly hated Spirit of Eden when it was first released and it was a commercial failure).Rhino Records on... Read More
Comments: 4July 17th, 2024
It's Monk's Time! With the Unique Thelonious Monk A critical look at the first decade of his recorded legacy, a deep dive into three of his greatest tracks and further recommendations By: Willie LuncheonetteMonk was born on October 10, 1917 in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. Four years later his family moved to New York City, settling at the Phipps Houses at 243 West 63rd St in Manhattan, known then as the San Juan Hill area, later referred to as the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts neighborhood. When he was five years old, a neighbor gave him piano lessons in the stride style of Fats Waller and James P Johnson. At ages 10-12 he had classical piano lessons from Simon... Read More
Comments: 5