LATEST ADDITIONS

My feelings about CDs were expressed early and often. Here with VPI's Harry Weisfeld. It’s a nerdy question, but do you remember where you were when you heard your first Compact Disc? For me it was at a Los Angeles Audio Engineering Society convention in 1982.

I’m neither a recording engineer nor an AES member. My invitation was courtesy the head of the sound department at Walt Disney, where I was then supervising the soundtrack to the movie TRON.”

Register to win a Rega RP1 Turntable and the Rega Fono Mini A2D USB Phono Preamplifier from Music Direct (MSRP $620) we are giving away.

Get spinning vinyl in style with the Rega RP-1 turntable and the Rega Fono Mini A2D USB Phonostage. According to Music Direct, "this complete analog package gives you everything you need to play your records and transfer them into your computer."

[This sweepstakes is now closed.]

The all-FET, class-A, B2B-1 phono preamplifier ($1749), made in the US by Liberty Audio, is beautifully built inside and out, and comes in a heavy-duty aluminum chassis with a baked-on crackle finish and a 3/8"-thick, black-anodized faceplate. The overall build quality and physical appearance suggest something that costs more than $3000, which is probably what it would cost were it sold through retailers and not factory direct. It comes with a two-week return policy.

Ortofon cutting system #320 at UMG's Berliner facility in Hanover, Germany.

Recently UMG reissued the Mercury Living Presence Box Set, which consists of 6 LPs. Many websites including elusivedisc.com stated the LPs were pressed in Germany by Optimal. I have pre-order one set at Amazon.com before its release in the US market, the doubt part is the box set I received is pasted with small sticker indicating that it was “Made in Czech Republic”. Another doubt issue, since UMG have a ultimate pressing facility in Hanover, why they pressed this set title at Optimal ?