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Album Reviews
Nick Lowe Waxes Melancholic at 45 (RPM)—He's Considerably Older, Of Course
Michael Fremer  |  Jul 02, 2012  |  3 comments
NIck Lowe has aged more than gracefully—he's never been better melodically and especially lyrically. On his latest release, issued by Yep Roc on a "wide groove 45rpm" record, Lowe waxes both melancholic and bemused about a break up.
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Sweepstakes
VPI Traveler Turntable and Dynavector 20x2H Cartridge Combo From Music Direct Sweepstakes
Jon Iverson  |  Jul 01, 2012  |  First Published: Dec 31, 1969  |  733 comments
Register to win a VPI Traveler Turntable and Dynavector 20x2H Cartridge Combo From Music Direct (MSRP $2,150) we are giving away.

Analog Planet and Music Direct are proud to offer you a chance to win the brand-new turntable from VPI, The Traveler. This turntable is dedicated to the memory of VPI co-founder Sheila Weisfeld, and it’s an amazing American-made work-of-art. Combine this turntable with the great high-output moving-coil Dynavector 20x2H phono cartridge and you are in for such a treat. We dare to say that no digital front end can compete. But hey, we’re analog lovers!

[This sweepstakes is now closed.]

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Set-Up Tips
How to Use a USB Digital Microscope to set 92 Degree Stylus Rake Angle (SRA)
Michael Fremer  |  Jun 29, 2012  |  First Published: Dec 31, 1969  |  33 comments
The stylus rake angle is the angle the stylus’s “contact patch” makes to the record surface. If you have a relatively inexpensive cartridge with a spherical stylus you don’t have to worry about SRA because the contact area remains the same regardless of arm height. On the other hand, elliptical styli along with the more severe “line contact,” Shibata, Geiger, Ortofon and other long, narrow contact patch “cutting edge” (poor metaphor!) stylus profiles require careful SRA setting to perform as designed.

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Ask Mikey
Out With the Old in With the New?
Michael Fremer  |  Jun 29, 2012  |  First Published: Dec 31, 1969  |  3 comments
Dear Michael,

I grew up in the golden age of high-fi and began my hardware journey with a Fisher X202B amplifier, AR2a speakers, and an Empire 398 turntable followed by the addition of a McIntosh MR-67 tuner. Of course, I've been a subscriber to High Fidelity, Stereo Review, their successors, The Absolute Sound and Stereophile going back to the 60's.

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Album Reviews
Joni Mitchell’s Laurel Canyon Rediscovered
Randy Wells  |  Jun 28, 2012  |  6 comments
Joni Mitchell’s decision to stay in New York City instead of traveling 300 miles north to attend a three-day rock festival in August of 1969 was probably a good idea. If she had actually seen Woodstock for herself, she may not have created such an intense and idealized song by the same name.

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News
Mikey Interviewed at ListenUp in Denver CO May 2012
Michael Fremer  |  Jun 27, 2012  |  First Published: Dec 31, 1969  |  2 comments
I was in Colorado last month doing in-store appearances at audio dealer ListenUp. Events were held at their stores in Denver, Boulder and Colorado Springs.
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News
Stereophile Recommended Components iPad App Now Available for Free Download
Jon Iverson  |  Jun 25, 2012  |  First Published: Dec 31, 1969  |  4 comments
Stereophile is pleased to announce the availability of the free 2012 Recommended Components iPad app.

Available Now
The app is available right now for free download to your iPad in the iTunes store. In iTunes, search for "Stereophile Recommended Components" or follow this link to the iTunes store from your web browser.

This app includes all current Recomended Components as listed in the recent issue of Stereophile as well as additional ratings and listings that could not fit in the print version. There are over 700 component rankings in all and the app is compatible with all iPad hardware versions including retina displays.

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Turntable Reviews
The Anvil "Alloy Convertible" Turntable—Motor City Metal Machine Magic!
Michael Fremer  |  Jun 21, 2012  |  First Published: Dec 31, 1969  |  15 comments
The two basic turntable design approaches are low mass that quickly evacuates energy and high mass that sinks and damps energy. Both designs seek to avoid reflecting back into the system the considerable energy produced at the stylus/groove interface.

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Ask Mikey
DMM or Lacquer? Which is Better?
Michael Fremer  |  Jun 20, 2012  |  First Published: Dec 31, 1969  |  6 comments
Dear Mikey: "I was wondering what your opinion of DMM is, I search the analogplanet archives and couldn't see anything one way or another.
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Album Reviews
Talk Talk's 1991 Sonic Spectacular Gets First American Vinyl Issue
Michael Fremer  |  Jun 19, 2012  |  5 comments
Talk Talk's Mark Hollis may have long ago retired from the music business, but his musical legacy prospers and grows. A near cult-like devotion hovers around the group's records as succeeding generations discover his dense, probing, faith-based cogitations. The intensity and strength of his spiritual commitment was matched only by the forcefulness of his later "spirited" rejection.

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