LATEST ADDITIONS

News
Faces Box Set "You Can Make Me Dance, Sing or Anything" Cut From Analog Tapes
Michael Fremer  |  Jul 22, 2015  |  22 comments
"To deliver superior audiophile quality, each album was cut from the original analog master tapes directly to lacquers and pressed on 180-gram heavyweight vinyl."
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News
IMPEX to Issue on 180g Vinyl "Famous Blue Raincoat" From Jennifer Warnes' Analog Mix Tapes
Michael Fremer  |  Jul 21, 2015  |  24 comments
IMPEX Records recently announced the forthcoming reissue of Jennifer Warnes' classic album Famous Blue Raincoat cut by Bernie Grundman from using Warnes' own personal analog mix master tapes.

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Turntable Reviews
Onkyo's CP-1050 Direct Drive Turntable Offers Extraordinary Speed Stability, Attractive "Retro" Looks
Michael Fremer  |  Jul 21, 2015  |  21 comments
Even had the purchase by Onkyo of Pioneer Home Electronics not been made public, some kind of connection would have been obvious to anyone opening the boxes of this Onkyo CP-1050 turntable and the recently reviewed Pioneer PL-30-K turntable.

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AAA Vinyl
You Asked For It, But This Weekend Only!
Michael Fremer  |  Jul 16, 2015  |  27 comments
Readers asked for a few more files recorded using the SAT arm.

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Phono Preamp Reviews
U-Turn Pluto Versus Schiit Mani: The Votes Are In!
Michael Fremer  |  Jul 16, 2015  |  14 comments
With nearly 500 votes cast, File "A" received 23% (104 votes). File "B" garnered 54% (240 votes), while 23% of respondents (103) felt the two phono preamplifiers were either "identical" sounding or it was "too close to call."

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News
R.I.P. Legendary Mastering Engineer Stan Ricker
Michael Fremer  |  Jul 15, 2015  |  14 comments
Legendary mastering and recording engineer Stan Ricker passed away today. That is all I know at this time. As I learn more I will update this news item.
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Features
How Does That $28,000 SAT Pick Up Arm Sound?
Michael Fremer  |  Jul 11, 2015  |  62 comments
The July, 2015 Stereophile included a review of the $28,000 Swedish Audio Technologies pick up arm. Yes, the price is outrageous but it's difficult to manufacture and doesn't come off an assembly line.

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Vote
U-Turn Pluto Versus Schiit Mani: Which Sounds Better (level matched)?
Michael Fremer  |  Jul 07, 2015  |  62 comments
Schiit's $129 phono preamp includes both MM and MC capabilities. U-Turn's $89 phono preamp is MM-only. Analogplanet's reviews of both of these inexpensive, made in the USA phono preamplifiers will soon be posted but in the meantime, here are two files: "File A" and "File B".

Files "A" and "B" were both made using Onkyo's CP-1050 Direct Drive turntable fitted with a Shure M97xE cartridge ( it comes with an Audio Technica AT 3600) with the output digitized using a Lynx HiLo A/D, D/A converter.

Both files were AudioLeak normalized to -.1dB. The music is an approximately one minute excerpt of "My Return" from The Twilight Hour's Stereo Night LP reviewed here a few years ago.

Listen to both and then choose your preference. Or, if you think they sound sufficiently similar or identical, choose "sound the same or too close to call".

File "A"

File "B"

For more on the U-Turn Pluto go here

For more on the Schiit Mani (currently out of stock) go here

U-Turn Pluto Versus Schiit Mani: Which Sounds Better (level matched)?
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AAA VinylAlbum Reviews
Hank Garland's Bid for Solo Stardom Reissued by Speakers Corner
Michael Fremer  |  Jul 01, 2015  |  7 comments
This minor musical and major sonic gem features the great vibraphonist Gary Burton, Dave Brubeck Quartet drummer Joe Morello (reference only in case you just arrived from outer space) and veteran bassist Joe Benjamin on a jazz session headed by the great Nashville guitarist Hank Garland.

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Album Reviews
The Turn On Vinyl Worth Its Weight in Kickstarter Gold
Michael Fremer  |  Jun 29, 2015  |  23 comments
Jerome Sabbagh's The Turn puts his long-running jazz quartet in New York's famed Sear Sound with veteran engineer James Farber at the board. The musicians managed to record to two-track analog tape the more than an hour's worth of music spread over the four sides of this double 180g LP set. That's getting you money's worth from a single studio session.

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