I spent all of day one at the sports arena where most of the exhibitors were "mainstream" audio companies from around the world. There were fewer "big" exhibits this year—no giant speakers from Gryphon, Wilson, Magico and others. The only really big one was Borresen's flagship M6 and it delivered on its promise. Exhibits of mostly "down to earth" products (still priced in the stratosphere) was a welcome trend. In terms of product... Read More

Only covering the sound here and the news is not good for a few reasons. First, the sound is bass-heavy, generally "thick" and unpleasant and the perspective is flat. If you bought the UHQR or have an original pressing and don't want to spend $150, you are all set. The 192/24 Qobuz stream sourced from Bernie Grundman's digital file produced using the same tape he used to cut UHQR lacquers sounds far superior in every way to this vinyl edition. The... Read More

A publicist recently pitched me this just released book, describing it as a celebration of the 75th anniversary of the first commercial LP and claiming it to be an "authoritative, highly illustrated, and multi-faceted look at the history and culture of vinyl record collecting and turntables." Five authors are listed: Gillian Garr, Martin Popoff, Matt Aniss, Richie Unterberger and Ken Micallef. I'd heard of two: Richie Unterberger and Ken Micallef.... Read More

Recorded in 1961 and released in 1962, Mosaic comes from an immensely prolific period of Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers. Although the group’s lineup changed frequently, from mid-1961 through early 1964 it was unusually stable. The band was also one of Blakey’s very best: Wayne Shorter on tenor, Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Curtis Fuller on trombone, Cedar Walton on piano, and Jymie Merritt on bass. The only change was when Reggie Workman replaced Merritt in 1962,... Read More

It’s official: Rufus Reid Presents Caelan Cardello is out today via the newly established Liam Records! Executive produced by Tracking Angle editor Michael Fremer and co-produced by Robyatt Audio's Robin Wyatt, this album captures the exciting duo of Rufus Reid and Caelan Cardello performing live at the Klavierhaus, New York City. It’s available at Acoustic Sounds, Music Direct, Elusive Disc, and Michael 45 (also seemingly available at iMusic and Disk Union). CDs... Read More

This is the first time in its eighty-year history that the full score of Rodger's and Hammerstein's landmark musical Oklahoma!, including every song, dance, and instrumental interlude, has been recorded absolutely note complete, including the original orchestrations. The result is revelatory.

London – November 2, 2023 – As announced last Thursday, October 26, the last Beatles song, “Now And Then” is out today worldwide. Apple Corps Ltd./Capitol/UMe are pleased to share details and updated premiere plans for the song’s evocative new music video, which Peter Jackson has directed in his first foray into music video production. The “Now And Then” music video will premiere worldwide tomorrow (Friday, November 3) at 1pm GMT / 9am EDT / 6am PDT on The Beatles’... Read More

Romanel, Switzerland – Thursday November 2nd 2023. Following more than four years of R&D efforts, Nagra’s new ambitious phono stage is finally in production and first units are shipping worldwide.The HD PHONO is the ideal companion to the Reference turntable and Reference MC cartridge and when all three are combined they form the ultimate analog source. Nagra, the reference in analog tape reproduction now offers a reference playback solution for LP lovers.It is... Read More

In 2022, one in every 25 vinyl LPs sold in the US was a Taylor Swift record. That’s 1.7 million LP sales across her catalog last year, almost 945,000 of which came from her latest album, Midnights. Swift’s vinyl success not only represents her continuing fame, but also her smart marketing tactics and ability to still sell albums. Midnights comes in four cover variants, which with the associated wall mount forms, on the back, a clock. To many artists and consumers,... Read More

When I visited Paul Gold's Salt Mastering recently, I asked him why he named his facility "Salt Mastering" and he replied that mastering should be like using salt to season food: you shouldn't taste the salt, it should be used judiciously, only to bring out the intrinsic flavors of the ingredients.Bernie Grundman's original Aja mastering certainly lived up to that mastering definition, which is why it's considered a great sounding... Read More

What happened to Sly Stone? His new memoir, Thank You (Falletinme Be Mice Elf Agin), purports to tell all. Co-written with Ben Greenman and Sly's once-girlfriend, now-manager Arlene Hirschkowitz, Thank You is the first time the now 80-year-old, interview-reluctant artist has told his side of the story: his formative years, his rise to superstardom, and the long decline that followed.

"Fluid remix by Giles Martin" is humor but the new Spin-Clean record washer kits celebrating the about to bar released 50th anniversary "Red" and "Blue" The Beatles hits albums are real. Though the promotion was brokered by Bravado Entertainment, The Beatles North American licensing agent, the two models will initially be available worldwide exclusively at leading independent record stores and on the Spin-Clean website.An accompanying... Read More

The tape box pictured in the notes tells the tale in tiny hand written letters: "original master was 1/4". In other words the source for this UHQR reissue was a 1/2" Dolby A copy of the master, which became the 2 track Dolby Master. When you hear the record you won't care about from where it came, you'll just know it's the best sounding Aja you've ever heard and it's not close. For one thing, "Deacon Blues" takes up an... Read More

It's a mystery why Woody Shaw’s Blackstone Legacy is not a better-known album. Maybe it’s due to the timing. It was recorded in 1970 and released in ’71 (a commercial low point for jazz) on two LPs (it was hard enough to sell one), and Shaw himself was not a big name. This was his debut as a leader, though the young trumpeter—just 26 years old—had appeared on 20 albums as a sideman, to Larry Young, Hank Mobley, McCoy Tyner, Eric Dolphy, Andrew Hill, Chick Corea,... Read More

First, the new "Red" and Blue" editions: these were previewed at an event a few weeks ago at the Dolby Theater in New York subject to an NDA attendees had to sign but I was at "Making Vinyl" in The Netherlands and couldn't attend. Now the press release is public so here's what's coming. There are newly remixed (stereo and Dolby Atmos) and expanded versions of the "Red" (1962-1966) and "Blue" (1967-1970) hits... Read More

Vertere founder and chief designer Touraj Moghaddam recently introduced two new cartridges that he says represent "significant improvements" over their predecessors, which will still be available and are priced below the two new ones.The $6499 XtraX MC (pictured at the top) explained in the press release bullets:The body is precision CNC machined from solid aluminium alloy and hard anodised.Threaded body to accept the supplied stainless steel thumb screws... Read More

The three new Pick it models are the MC3, the MC9 and the Pick it Pro Balanced—a unique "True Balanced" MM design. Parts are sourced in Japan with the cartridges built in Europe. The MC9 uses a Pro-Ject specific "Special Elliptical" stylus and a cryogenically treated cantilever plus a "Telar 57 pure iron square cross coil around which is wound 6N linear crystal copper wire. Output is .35mV, with 1.8g optimal tracking. The body is black... Read More

The Warsaw Audio Show, this year October 27-29th, is an outstanding annual event drawing large crowds of audio/video and music fans. It's an especially family-friendly affair producing throngs of people all three days—sometimes too many people, which makes it difficult to get into some of the rooms. That's the problem all show organizers would be happy to have.150 exhibitors will be demonstrating audio and video gear in 160 rooms located at two hotels and... Read More

Following a decade's worth of Asylum albums almost all of which were produced and engineered by the great Bones Howe, and none of which were originally commercially successful but they sure did sound good, and over time the audiences caught up with what he was doing, Tom Waits self-produced his Island debut Swordfishtrombones. Waits traded in his bar fly hipster small jazz combo recorded live in the studio thing for a far more experimental, heavily produced and... Read More