LATEST ADDITIONS

There are many reasons why you’ll likely want to pick up the new 180g 1LP remaster of John Lee Hooker’s classic 1962 blues benchmark Burnin’, as great music and great sound are just part of the equation. Read on to get Mark Smotroff’s firsthand experiences spinning this scorchin’ blues classic via this all-analog remastered LP from Craft Recordings. . .

The more we listen to our vinyl, the more we notice how much our LPs need regular cleaning, regardless of whether they’re new or used copies. Record cleaning devices range widely in terms of performance and options, of course, and we will be reviewing a number of them in the coming months here on AP. In the meantime, one such device that caught our eye recently is one that’s now being offered by noted German manufacturer Rekkord, who are set to serve up the appropriately named RCM recording cleaning machine later in February. Read on to find out more about this well-acronymed RCM. . .

“It’s nice to talk analog. You’re speaking my language.” That’s Janis Ian, iconoclast singer/songwriter who’s made a lifetime-slash-career out of breaking barriers and forging new paths when it comes to making music that is equal parts folk, country, rock, and all points in between. And she’s very much speaking our language too, of course. Read on to see what Ian and AP editor Mike Mettler discussed when they got on the phone recently to delve into the making of Light, the importance of evaluating test pressings, and how she applies analog-oriented principles to catalog reissues regardless of the format. . .

You can have the best gear in the world in your system ready to play all those new and/or vintage LPs in your collection, but if any piece of equipment in the playback chain is not properly stabilized — especially when it comes to fortifying your turntable and/or amplifier(s), for example — then you’re just asking for unnecessary noise-related complications. With that in mind, the E1X Isolation Base from HRS might make for quite the good, stable option. Read on to get all the E1X base details. . .