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Can I Have My Money Back?
Why WSJ Writer Neil Shah’s Career is Over
Michael Fremer  |  Aug 08, 2017  |  69 comments
Back in 2015 Wall Steet Journal correspondent Neil Shah wrote a curious piece called “The Biggest Music Comeback of 2014: Vinyl Records”. Curious because while the headline heralds that “the biggest music comeback of 2014” was the resurgence of vinyl records, the story itself threw a mud caked wet blanket over the entire experience, one created by Mr. Shah’s cynical and highly selective use of the information he obtained by talking to people in the industry.

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News
Coming Soon! Full Evaluation of Jolida's FOZ XT-R Crosstalk Reducer
Michael Fremer  |  Aug 08, 2017  |  9 comments
Coming up shortly on AnalogPlanet will be a full evaluation of Jim Fosgate's electronic azimuth setting/crosstalk reduction FOZ XT-R!

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Thailand 2017
In A Thai Vinyl Noodle Factory (TPC—Thai Plastic Company)
Michael Fremer  |  Aug 01, 2017  |  6 comments
Did you ever wonder where the vinyl used to press your records originates? Most of the vinyl pellets used by American pressing plants originates in Thailand, manufactured at a TPC plant on the outskirts of Bangkok.

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Thailand 2017
In a Bangkok Street Market
Michael Fremer  |  Jul 28, 2017  |  3 comments
Okay, I'm not Anthony Bourdain but while in Bangkok I figured you might like to experience some of the local color.
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Thailand 2017
At Thai International High End 2017 News of New Audible Illusions Phono Preamplifier
Michael Fremer  |  Jul 28, 2017  |  15 comments
Sometimes you have to travel overseas for news about American audio. While at the Thai show I learned of a new stand-alone phono preamplifier from venerable but until recently inactive Audible Illusions.

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Thailand 2017
Opening Day Coverage of Bangkok's What Hi-Fi? 2017 High End Show
Michael Fremer  |  Jul 28, 2017  |  9 comments
AnalogPlanet.com editor Michael Fremer is at the 2017 What Hi Fi? Bangkok Show taking place Thursday through Sunday July 27th through Sunday July 30th at the sprawling BiTech convention center.

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Thailand 2017
At Thai International High End 2017 VPI Debuts Cliffwood Turntable
Michael Fremer  |  Jul 27, 2017  |  1 comments
At What Hi-Fi?'s International High-End A/V 2017 show in Bangkok, Thailand VPI introduced the new Cliffwood turntable. The new turntable features a vinyl-wrapped plinth, an inverted ceramic ball topped bearing, an aluminum alloy platter and a new gimbaled bearing tone arm.

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Thailand 2017
What Hi-Fi?'s Thai International High-End A/V 2017 Show Begins Today
Michael Fremer  |  Jul 26, 2017  |  1 comments
It's early Thursday morning Bangkok time. Today is day one of the Thai magazine What Hi-Fi?'s big audio show (the magazine is not related to the U.K. magazine of the same name, started around the same time).

Unlike the previous hotel show I attended here, this one takes place in the sprawling Bi-Tec Exhibition Hall well away from downtown Bangkok.

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Tonearm ReviewsTurntable Reviews
The Pear Audio Blue Robin Hood SE Turntable and Coronet 1 Tone Arm (Speed Issue Explained)
Michael Fremer  |  Jul 24, 2017  |  20 comments
Editor's note: AnalogPlanet (and Stereophile) policy is to review products as sent to us unless they are broken and/or clearly defective. In this case the speed was "off" but the 'table was neither "broken" nor "defective" so we chose to review "as sent".

The importer wrote to say the unit was sent with "the wrong pulley" and as stated in the review, we allowed for the possibility that the 'table had been previously used for reviews or for some other purpose. However, without trying to sound too harsh, if you're going to send out a product for review, it's important to check out its functioning before shipping and that would include making sure it's running at the right speed.

As the importer points out, the Kid Thomas previously reviewed ran at the correct speed but clearly this one did not and it was what was sent so there was an obligation to review "as sent" just as there was an obligation to ship a properly functioning review sample! I know this might sound "harsh" but I'm always thinking of the consumer who buys and uses without checking speed accuracy and ends up listening at the wrong speed.

AnalogPlanet readers' thoughts on this are most welcome.

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Album Reviews
Off With the Man Buns and Kick Out the Jams With Run Out Groove's MC5 Compilation!
Michael Fremer  |  Jul 18, 2017  |  6 comments
The new reissue record label Run Out Groove recently launched with a limited to 2668 copy edition of a gloriously noisy, high energy MC5 compilation sourced from the group's Elektra and Atlantic catalogues. The Detroit-based group (The Motor City Five), which made music that was an invigorating amalgam of garage rock, punk rock and blues with a hint of progressive jazz thrown in, released but three full length albums during its less than a decade long run.

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