Welcome back to Part 2 of our AXPONA: First Impressions series. Today, we take a look at some of the way-cool Clearaudio gear that was on display in the Quintessence Audio Ltd. vestibule area at the foot of the main escalators. . .

It seems like only yesterday we were at AXPONA 2025 — well, actually, it was exactly yesterday, April 13, 2025, that we spent our last day at AXPONA, and what a deeply fulfilling show it was overall. To commence our recap of the show, the first installment of our AXPONA 2025 first impressions post features gear seen and heard from Grimm Audio and Revox. . .

If there’s one product category we want to see in droves at AXPONA, it’s gotta be turntables. Luckily, we got an early look at a cool new table before heading off to the airport today — and since we promised to post a few new gear previews before we touch ground at the big show, here’s a look at SME’s forthcoming Model 8 turntable, thanks to Monarch Systems Ltd. . . .

We’re a day away from wheels-up to AXPONA, but as I noted in yesterday’s show primer, I wanted to share a few cool new gear previews before heading off to the big event. Here’s one of them — namely, the second-gen Vinnie Rossi Brama preamp. . .

As we get ready to head off to AXPONA in just a day’s time, we wanted to post a macro-level primer that sets the broader table for what we expect to see and hear at the show before we dial deeper into analog-centric minutiae in our firsthand show reports, so read on for all the fine AXPONA FAQ. . .

Before we turn our posting attention to covering AXPONA the rest of this week, we wanted to do a short preview/review ahead of Record Store Day, which is taking place this Saturday, April 12, 2025. Read Mark Smotroff’s review of three key RSD multi-disc LP sets from Resonance Records featuring legendary jazz musicians Charles Mingus, Kenny Dorham, and Freddie Hubbard. . .

Manhattan’s All Blues played host to Zev Feldman’s traveling Record Store Day (RSD) cavalcade this past Wednesday, April 2, 2025. Joined by jazz journalist, Jazz and Coffee’s Syd Schwartz, Feldman gave the backstories and played selections from his upcoming RSD 2025 releases. These six RSD releases followed Feldman’s typical Jazz Detective approach, mining tapes from radio stations, performance venues, and collector’s vaults, pressed to virgin vinyl. The accompanying video, shot by our resident jazz expert Ken Micallef, gives you a deeper taste of what the night looked and sounded like. . .

Worth the wait! We’re happy to report that Venus and Mars — Paul McCartney and Wings’ May 1975 arena-rocking, No. 1-charting, platinum-selling smash-hit album — has just received the official Abbey Road Studios half-speed-mastered deluxe treatment in celebration of its 50th Anniversary this year, having been officially released as a 180g single LP by MPL/Capitol/UMe on March 21, 2025. Read Mark Smotroff’s review to see why you need to get your copy of Venus and Mars ASAP. . .

The Dr. Feickert Analogue Volare 25 25th Anniversary Limited Edition turntable — a.k.a. the Volare 25 — was designed and manufactured in Germany by Dr. Christian Feickert and crew. It builds upon the company’s original Volare model with a significant tonearm upgrade, a new low-friction bearing, a second motor, and more. Read Ken Micallef’s review to see how the Volare 25 stacks up. . .

I thought I was safe this time, but I should have known better.