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Album ReviewsShort Cuts
Review Explosion, Short Cuts Edition, Vol. 13: A Trio of Record Store Day 2024 LP Releases From Brother Jack McDuff, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, and Art Tatum
Mark Smotroff  |  Apr 18, 2024  |  3 comments

It’s not often you get new titles from three legendary artists of yesteryear like gospel icon Sister Rosetta Tharpe, piano virtuoso Art Tatum, and soul-jazz organ pioneer Brother Jack McDuff all released on the same day. But this year, all three of them are being celebrated on Record Store Day 2024 — this year’s first installment of which happens to fall on this upcoming Saturday, April 20 — with newly unearthed, previously unreleased, multidisc live concert recordings on 180g black vinyl. Read Mark Smotroff’s review of all three of these releases to see which one, or ones, belong on your “must have” RSD 2024 shopping list. . .

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AXPONA 2024
AXPONA Video Report: New Turntables From Audio Note, TriangleArt, MoFi, SME, Garrard, and More!
Mike Mettler,  |  Apr 17, 2024  |  1 comments

Our in-depth AXPONA coverage continues! In today’s installment, AP’s chief product reviewer Ken Micallef shares video footage of as many turntables that he could get on camera, including cool new offerings from the likes of Audio Note, TriangleArt, EMT, MoFi, Garrard, and many, many more. . .

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AXPONA 2024
Seen & Heard at AXPONA: Luxman PD-191A Turntable, Acoustic Sounds Atlantic 75 Vinyl Listening Session
Mike Mettler  |  Apr 16, 2024  |  7 comments

Now that we’ve all pretty much returned to our respective home listening labs after having an exhilarating four-day AXPONA experience at the Schaumburg Convention Center just outside of Chicago last week, we’re ready to do some deeper-dive show coverage here on AP, starting with this Luxman PD-191A turntable and Acoustic Sounds Atlantic 75 listening session combo. . .

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AXPONA 2024News
AXPONA, Day 1: A Brief Photo Essay
Mike Mettler  |  Apr 12, 2024  |  2 comments

AXPONA Day 1 is officially in the books! We’ll have our first full in-depth report up in a day or so, so stay tuned. In the meantime, here are more than a few in-the-room photos to whet your analog whistle, including cool new gear from Luxman, Thorens, Vertere, SAT, and Manley. . .

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AXPONA 2024News
We Are AXPONA Bound!
Mike Mettler  |  Apr 10, 2024  |  2 comments

We are officially on our way to AXPONA, and we’ll be bringing you a number of firsthand reports during and/or after the course of the big show, so stay tuned!

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Analog Gear NewsAXPONA 2024
AXPONA Preview: Aidas Mammoth Gold Limited Edition Cartridge
Mike Mettler  |  Apr 09, 2024  |  14 comments

One day closer to AXPONA means we still have time for at least one more product preview, and today’s subject is the noted Lithuanian company Aidas and their Mammoth Gold Tusk Limited Edition cartridge — a.k.a., the Tusk. Read on to see more about this fine-looking and truly limited edition cart. . .

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Analog Gear NewsAXPONA 2024
AXPONA Preview: J.Sikora Standard Max 15th Anniversary Turntable
Mike Mettler  |  Apr 08, 2024  |  2 comments

With AXPONA now only just a few days away, we’re continuing onward with our new-gear preview series, right up until we arrive at the show itself. Today, we zero in on some exciting news from the Poland-based company J.Sikora, who have announced the unveiling of the 15th Anniversary Edition of their Standard Max turntable as a “worldwide premiere” at AXPONA. Read on to see what to expect from this limited-edition anniversary table. . .

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Album Reviews
RSD Preview Review: Nat King Cole’s Intimate, 1953 Small Club Gig, Live at the Blue Note Chicago, Makes Its Vinyl Debut on April 20 Via 180g 2LP Set Pressed at RTI
Mark Smotroff  |  Apr 05, 2024  |  3 comments

The first question we asked ourselves when contemplating the newly unearthed 1953 concert recording of Nat King Cole duly dubbed Live at the Blue Note Chicago — which is earmarked for release on the next upcoming Record Store Day, April 20 — is why would audiophile-leaning vinyl enthusiasts and jazz fans alike want it in their collections? The combination of great performances, of-era sound quality, and pricing topped our requirements list, and, fortunately, Live at the Blue Note Chicago has enough of all three to satisfy our listening/collecting needs — but what about yours? Read Mark Smotroff’s review to see if Nat King Cole’s Live at the Blue Note Chicago belongs on your RSD must-have list. . .

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Analog Gear NewsAXPONA 2024
AXPONA Preview: Belleson Brilliance Phono Preamp
Mike Mettler  |  Apr 04, 2024  |  9 comments

Continuing with our AXPONA gear preview, we next turn our inquiring eyes and ears toward the Belleson Brilliance phono preamp, a product the company had been developing for a number of years. Read on to see what the Greer, South Carolina-based company known for their high-performance voltage regulators have finally brought to fruition with the Brilliance . . .

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Analog Gear NewsAXPONA 2024
AXPONA Preview: Analog Audio Design TP-1000 Reel-to-Reel Tape Player
Mike Mettler  |  Apr 03, 2024  |  7 comments

With AXPONA a little over a week away, we wanted to get an early jump on looking at some of the cool new products we expect to be checking out firsthand at the show. First up, we’re already quite intrigued by French manufacturer Analog Audio Design’s TP-1000 reel-to-reel player, which is finally making its stateside debut after being introduced in Munich last year. Read on to see all the cool features and specs of the TP-1000. . .

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