Michell’s TecnoDec Reference turntable fits right into the sweet spot of new, high-performance ‘tables available in the $2,000-to-$3,000 SRP range. Read on to see why our ace reviewer Ken Micallef thinks the TecnoDec is one of the best turntables he’s reviewed in the past decade. . .
Craft Recordings just served up the next pair of 180g 1LP offerings in their ongoing R.E.M. reissue series — namely, 180g 1LP editions of May 2001’s classic-sounding Reveal and March 2008’s power-pop punk slammer, Accelerate.
Read Mark Smotroff’s combo review of Reveal and Accelerate to see if either or both LPs are worthy additions to your vinyl collection. . .
In a sign of the times, one of our favorite turntable companies, Pro-Ject, has just introduced their first Wi-Fi-capable ’table, the T2 W — a ’table that also meets the build-quality standards of one of its T Line predecessors: the no-plastic, zero-resonance T1. Read on to find out all the features and specs for the T2 W, as well as see Pro-Ject’s explanation for why the integrity of this turntable’s analog output remains true. . .
Has it really been 75 years since Columbia Records released what’s generally agreed to as being the first commercially available 12-inch long-playing record — or LP — in June 1948? Indeed it has — and a new 192-page hardcover book, titled In the Groove: The Vinyl Record and Turntable Revolution, is set to be published October 17. In the Groove covers our favorite format’s history from the first LP needle drop to the ongoing vinyl resurgence of today — and it also includes a chapter penned by a noted AnalogPlanet contributor to boot. Read on to find out more about , and how to pre-order your own copy today. . .
With so many pressing plants being fairly maxed out these days in terms of their production capacity, it’s been nice to see how Detroit’s Third Man Pressing has stepped up to the plate to deliver respectable, audiophile-grade vinyl pressings at fairly reasonable SRPs. Read Mark Smotroff’s combo review of three new Verve by Request 180g 1LP reissues from jazz greats Archie Shepp, Yusef Lateef, and The Ahmad Jamal Trio — all of which have been recently pressed at Third Man — to see if they make the grade. . .
The Dark Side LP eclipse has finally lifted. In other words, Pink Floyd’s truly seminal March 1973 album The Dark Side of the Moon is finally getting a standalone 50th anniversary 180g 1LP release on October 13. Read on to glean all the pertinent individual Dark Side vinyl details as we have them. . .
Praise be to the almighty press! In this case, we’re referring to the all-important process of vinyl pressing, the end-of-creative-cycle production procedure that’s become even more in demand of late and somewhat difficult to schedule in a timely fashion for many an artist as the vinyl revival continues. To that end, Onyx Record Press has just opened its doors in the Los Angeles area, with an impetus to help independent artists get their music onto vinyl at affordable rates and reasonable wait times. Read on to find out about the Onyx team’s pressing plans, and what specific machines they’ll be utilizing to do so. . .
We’ve always loved the level of craftsmanship that goes into the making of all the various turntables and tonearms that emerge from the mind and hands of Helmut Brinkmann and how well they consistently perform on the bench and in listening tests, but we’ve never given proper due to the German company’s best-selling Taurus turntable — until right now, that is. Read on to see how the Brinkmann Taurus ’table and its optional RöNt Mk III vacuum tube power supply go together like (insert your own perfect analog-oriented analogy here). . .
For the very first time, Rhino has released the entirely of Talking Heads’ soundtrack to their seminal September 1984 concert film, Stop Making Sense, in a remastered 2LP set. In this all-new combo-style tag-team review, Mike Mettler and Mark Smotroff tell us exactly why this new 40th anniversary 2LP SMS set is the best-sounding edition of SMS to date. . .
For those of you who have a penchant for listening to visceral, tall-in-the-saddle sonic tales recounting the finer points of dental floss farming, mindless video drones, and poncho-wearing lotharios, then we have an important release announcement for you. Namely, Frank Zappa’s seminal September 1973 LP Over-Nite Sensation is getting a proper 50th anniversary deluxe reissue treatment via a pair of vinyl options — a 180g 45rpm 2LP set, and a limited-edition splatter-vinyl 180g 3LP edition — both via Zappa Records/UMe on November 3. Read on to see all the mennil-toss flykune-approved ONS 50 pressing stats and sugar-plum tracks accordingly. . .