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Analog Gear NewsFeaturesSet-Up Accessory Reviews
Reliable’s UberLight Frame Is Uber Eye-Opening
Mike Mettler  |  Mar 20, 2025  |  5 comments

How many times do we just “make do” in the moment when it comes to handling some of the finer points and little details as we’re tweaking our LP playback systems? More often than not, we default to using flashlights or other inferior light sources whenever we’re calibrating and/or tweaking our turntables. Canadian manufacturer Reliable has a much, much smarter LED task-light solution for doing all that — namely, their new UberLight Frame, which was specifically designed with the audiophile in mind. Read on to see how the UberLight Frame has helped us shine a brighter light upon our detail-oriented table-adjustment proclivities. . .

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Interviews
Remembering Jesse Colin Young, a Gifted Singer & Songwriter Who Taught Us All How to Get Together and Overcome Darkness, Darkness
Mike Mettler  |  Mar 18, 2025  |  2 comments

Singer, songwriter, and folk-centric multi-instrumentalist Jesse Colin Young passed away at age 83 at his home in Aiken, South Carolina, on March 16, 2025. Young’s artistic legacy remains quite vibrant and most especially fruitful on vinyl, whether it be from The Youngbloods era on Sundazed’s 2010 reissue of 1967’s Earth Music and Impex’s 2023 180g LP reissue of 1969’s Elephant Mountain, or Young’s 2019 2LP solo album Dreamers. In this mega-expanded interview, Young and AP editor Mike Mettler discuss how The Youngbloods’ perennial favorite “Get Together” beat the odds to become an indelible hit, why he felt “Darkness, Darkness” is among his best-loved — and most covered — songs, and why his 2019 studio album Dreamers absolutely had to appear on 2LPs, and not just one. . .

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Analog Gear News
Ortofon’s MC 90X Cartridge: A Classic Cart Gets Revisited & Reimagined
Mike Mettler  |  Mar 17, 2025  |  3 comments

All hail the return of a classic cart! Or, as Ortofon puts it, “A classic, reimagined.” We’re talking about Ortofon’s MC 90X cartridge, which builds upon the legacy of the Danish company’s rightfully acclaimed MC A90 moving-coil cartridge that was released 17(ish) years ago in conjunction with the company’s 90th anniversary. Read on to see all the specs and features of the limited-edition MC 90X cart. . .

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Show Reports
Florida International Audio Expo 2025 Show Report, Part 8: Soulines, Electrocompaniet, and Triangle Embody a Marriage of Sound & Style
Julie Mullins  |  Mar 15, 2025  |  1 comments

Hello and welcome to Part 8 of Julie Mullins’ Florida International Audio Expo 2025 show report, the final installment in this series. Here, Julie checks out a Soulines turntable, Electrocompaniet phono preamp, Triangle speakers, and more. . .

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AAA VinylAlbum ReviewsShort Cuts
Short Cuts, Vol. 22, Beaucoup Blues Edition: Four Great 180g 1LP AAA Blues Reissues From John Lee Hooker, Lightnin’ Hopkins, Mississippi John Hurt & Lonnie Johnson With Elmer Snowden
Mark Smotroff  |  Mar 14, 2025  |  2 comments

Original blues vinyl pressings are cousins to jazz and soul LPs in terms of scarcity and availability in super-clean condition, just a few of the reasons why they are often super-expensive propositions in the collector’s marketplace. That all makes these four truly outstanding Acoustic Sounds-pedigreed reissues from Verve/UMe and Craft Recordings’ Bluesville series all the more important — in effect, bringing a quartet of classic LP rarities back into more widespread availability in a high-quality manner. Read Mark Smotroff’s Short Cuts combo review to see which of these four 180g 1LP AAA releases from John Lee Hooker, Lightnin’ Hopkins, Mississippi John Hurt, and Lonnie Johnson With Elmer Snowden belong in your collection. . .

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Show Reports
Florida International Audio Expo 2025 Show Report, Part 7: VPI, VAC & Acora Acoustics All Play Nice Together
Julie Mullins  |  Mar 12, 2025  |  1 comments

Welcome to Part 7 of Julie Mullins’ Florida International Audio Expo 2025 show report. This time, Julie enters the Palm Room to check out the VPI Avenger Statement turntable, VAC Statement Phono preamp, Acora Acoustics’ VRC stone speakers, and more. . .

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Show Reports
Florida International Audio Expo 2025 Show Report, Part 6: Bergmann Galder & Odin Gold Edition Turntable, Air Tight MC Cartridge, Western Electric Phono Preamp, YG Acoustics Speakers
Julie Mullins  |  Mar 11, 2025  |  1 comments

Here we are with Part 6 of Julie Mullins’ Florida International Audio Expo 2025 show report! For this installment, Julie heads into the Brandon 2 Room to experience a Bergmann Galder & Odin Gold Edition turntable, Air Tight Opus-1 MC cartridge, Western Electric 116C phono preamp, YG Acoustics XV 3 Signature speakers, and more. . .

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FeaturesRecord Stores
Record Store Report: Tunnel Records, San Francisco’s Shining Star of an Indie Store (Times Three)
Mark Smotroff  |  Mar 07, 2025  |  3 comments

It is always refreshing to share a truly good story about a person with a vision achieving bonafide success in the music business — especially when it comes to selling records. Surfing the wave of the resurgent interest in all things vintage vinyl, San Francisco’s Tunnel Records. Read Mark Smotroff’s interview with shop founder Ben Wintroub to see just how he’s made not one but three great Tunnel Records SF locales thrive. . .

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Show Reports
Florida International Audio Expo 2025 Show Report, Part 5: J.Sikora’s Initial MAX Turntable Is a Vision in White
Julie Mullins  |  Mar 06, 2025  |  2 comments

Hello and welcome to Part 5 of Julie Mullins’ Florida International Audio Expo 2025 show report! This time around, Julie checks out J.Sikora’s amazing Initial MAX Special Edition turntable, in addition to a J.Sikora KV12TVA 12in tonearm, Ortofon AS-309R 12in tonearm, Aidas Tru-stone Gold Web cartridge, Doshi Audio Evolution phono preamp, and more. . .

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Show Reports
Florida International Audio Expo 2025 Show Report, Part 4: United Home Audio & MBL Collectively Demo a Powerhouse Open-Reel Deck & Speaker Combo
Julie Mullins  |  Mar 04, 2025  |  1 comments

Welcome to Part 4 of Julie Mullins’ Florida International Audio Expo 2025 show report! Here, Julie goes to the Brandon 5 Room to experience a system comprised of United Home Audio’s Ultima Apollo open-reel tape deck, MBL 101 E MKII loudspeakers, a pair of MBL 9011 mono power amps, and more. . .

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