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Album Reviews
Chasing the Dragon : A Man and His Microphones
Michael Fremer  |  Aug 04, 2014  |  2 comments
Recording engineer Mike Valentine produced and recorded an old-fashioned audiophile demo disc using 50 year old Neumann tube microphones and a high resolution Nagra digital recorder all connected together with ZenSati cables from Denmark. One track was recorded using a 1/2" Studer analog deck running at 30 IPS.

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Phono Preamp Reviews
The DSA Phono II MM/MC Phono Preamplifier
Michael Fremer  |  Jul 31, 2014  |  13 comments
I reviewed Dynamic Sound Associate's $12,000 solid-state phono preamp in Stereophile's "Analog Corner" October, 2013. It was a "Class A" product all the way other than a few "burps".

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Phono Preamp Reviews
Reite Audio PS-1 MC Phono Preamplifier and PSU-1 Power Supply
Michael Fremer  |  Jul 30, 2014  |  20 comments
Reite Audio is a relatively new company created by electronics designer Bob Reite and musician Ed Sheftel. Sheftel first imported to America and distributed the Welsh-made Tom Evans Audio Design line of electronics. One of its products, The Groove phono preamp had, at the turn of the century, what could fairly be described as a “cult following”.
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News
Ernst Benz R.I.P.
Michael Fremer  |  Jul 29, 2014  |  7 comments
Ernst Benz founder of moving coil cartridge manufacturer Benz Micro passed away on July 5th, 2014 in his Neuhausen-am-Rheinfall, Switzerland home at age 82, surrounded by his family.

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Turntable Reviews
The Audio Technica AT-LP120-USB Turntable Shames the Plastic Competition
Michael Fremer  |  Jul 22, 2014  |  52 comments
Off the audiophile pedestal and into the “real world” we go, with a review of Audio Technica’s easy to set up $250 AT-LP120-USB turntable.

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News
Mats Unmasked!
Michael Fremer  |  Jul 21, 2014  |  43 comments
Thanks to all who downloaded and listened to the same track played using 8 different mats. That's a great deal of heavy lifting, hopefully made somewhat lighter by Mike Valentine's excellent Decca tree recording of a nimble performance of Vivaldi's "Concerto For 2 Mandolins". I hope you downloaded and enjoyed the "gift" track too.

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News
"Redbook" 16 bit/44.1K Version of Vivaldi Track Added to Mat Test
Michael Fremer  |  Jul 18, 2014  |  2 comments
Analogplanet.com readers requested we post the "rebook" version of the Vivaldi Mandolin piece so there's a reference at the same sampling and bit rate as the "needle drops".

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Playback Accessory Reviews
The Big Brush Off! Three Dry Record Brushes Compared
Michael Fremer  |  Jul 17, 2014  |  69 comments
This is hardly a scientific comparison, but I spent a few days comparing, in order of price, the Audioquest carbon fiber brush ($24.99), the AcousTech The Big Record Brush ($36.95) ($52.95 with grounding wire) and the Levin Design ($335 appx.).

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Album Reviews
Cécile McLorin Salvant Sings Old Songs New
Michael Fremer  |  Jul 16, 2014  |  11 comments
Eschewing both retro and modern musical gestures, the remarkable young jazz singer Cécile McLorin Salvant manages here to make new and fresh an album of mostly very old songs.

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News
Your Four Day Getaway With Tony Visconti, Al Schmitt, Elliot Scheiner and Bill Szymczyk!
Michael Fremer  |  Jul 15, 2014  |  3 comments
Sorry, this is not a giveaway contest. However, if you have sufficiently deep pockets ($3499 if you sign up now, $3999 after August 1st) you can spend a four day, extended weekend, Thursday, November 6th through Sunday November 9th, 2014 with four of the greatest producer/engineers of our time (or any time) at the Power Station/New England Studios in Waterford, CT.

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