You can have the best gear in the world in your system ready to play all those new and/or vintage LPs in your collection, but if any piece of equipment in the playback chain is not properly stabilized — especially when it comes to fortifying your turntable and/or amplifier(s), for example — then you’re just asking for unnecessary noise-related complications. With that in mind, the E1X Isolation Base from HRS might make for quite the good, stable option. Read on to get all the E1X base details. . .

Vincent Audio knows from phono preamps, and the company’s PHO-701 MM/MC hybrid two-chassis model now emerges in the wake of its vaunted PHO-700 predecessor. How does it stack up? Read on to get all the PHO-701 spec details. . .

AP editor Mike Mettler asked ace reviewer Ken Micallef to come up with a list of his Top 10 jazz releases on vinyl for 2022, and Ken happily complied, and compiled accordingly. Read his list of new and historical jazz LPs of note from the past listening year right here. . .

Is there a more storied, historic company name when it comes to the history of the turntable than that of Victrola? Well, the company that’s been manufacturing audio gear since 1906 is still going strong, having recently announced at CES 2023 that their next-gen turntable, the Stream Onyx VPT-2000-BLK-ATE, will be coming our way in mid-to-late February. Read on to find out about the Stream Onyx’s feature set, pricing, and connectivity options accordingly. . .

In the annals of jazz history, one artist who often gets overlooked was one of the early architects of the saxophone sound, dating back to the 1920s when he was arranging for Fletcher Henderson. His name is Benny Carter, and his stellar 1958 album simply titled Jazz Giant has just seen a 180g 1LP reissue from Craft Recordings, via an all-analog remaster by Bernie Grundman. Read Mark Smotroff’s review to see if this Jazz Giant is a must-have addition to your jazz vinyl listening experience. . .

About the prize:

On June 17, Rhino will reissue Money For Nothing, the first Dire Straits greatest hits collection (featuring songs from the band's first five albums), which was originally released in October 1988. Newly remastered by Bob Ludwig, Money For Nothing will be made available in digital and double vinyl formats in early 2023.

All you have to do to enter is leave a comment about your favorite record shop on this post (feel free to tell us the name of your favorite record store/vinyl shop, where it is located, and why you love shopping for vinyl there!). Click on the picture above for details on how to enter.

[This Sweepstakes is now closed.]

As a matter of fact, it’s all dark. Well, let me clarify that — Pink Floyd’s seminal March 1973 The Dark Side of the Moon album is getting a much-anticipated, and quite appropriately lavish, 50th anniversary super deluxe box set release via Pink Floyd Records/Columbia on March 24. A nice pair of 180g LPs and two replica 7-inch singles are included in the box set alongside 2CDs, 2BDs, 1DVD, a 160-page hardback with rare photos, a 76-page music book, and other related paraphernalia. Find out all the vinyl-related Dark Side box set stats and specs — and which one of the two LPs will be released separately and concurrently with the box set — by reading on. . .

Some turntables can be true objects of art. Regardless of any turntable’s looks, bells, and whistles, at the end of the day, it all comes down to solid and experienced engineering. This is where Acoustic Signature’s Maximus NEO turntable comes into the picture. Read Ken Micallef’s review to find out how something that looks this classy actually performs as a top-notch turntable. . .

Reviewing a new Brian Eno album is never an easy thing. Inevitably, those of us who have been following him from his earliest days in Roxy Music and nascent solo career have our deeply established favorites from different periods of his work. The fact is, Eno has quite a legacy behind him, so it’s nice to know his latest album, FOREVERANDEVERNOMORE, fits into this continuum — and it’s presented on 180g recycled vinyl to boot. Read on to get Mark Smotroff’s take on how it all sounds, and how this song cycle stacks up with the arc of his life’s work. . .