Mike Mettler

News
RIAA Confirms LPs Outsold CDs in 2022
Mike Mettler  |  Mar 09, 2023  |  First Published: Mar 09, 2023  |  28 comments

In an official report released today, March 9, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) confirmed what many of us already knew — namely, that LPs outsold CDs in 2022. The RIAA further clarified this is the first time that milestone has occurred since 1987. Read on to get all the official numbers and stats to see exactly how well our favorite format performed last year. . .

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Analog Gear News
Audio Intelligent Vinyl Solutions Adds Two New Solutions to Record Cleaning Product Line
Mike Mettler  |  Mar 08, 2023  |  First Published: Mar 08, 2023  |  6 comments

Audio Intelligent Vinyl Solutions (a.k.a. AIVS) has been making reputable record cleaning products for going on 20 years now, and they’ve just added a pair of key offerings to the product line — namely, Ultra-Low Foaming Formula No. 27 and Enzymatic Concentrate for ultrasonic record cleaning machines. Read on to see if these two new solutions might be the exact right solutions you need to clean your own LPs accordingly. . .

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News
Rush to Commemorate the 40th Anniversary of Signals With Multiple Editions, Including a Super Deluxe Box Set With 180g 1LP and Four 7-Inch Singles and a Separate 180g 1LP Picture Disc, on April 28
Mike Mettler  |  Mar 06, 2023  |  First Published: Mar 06, 2023  |  13 comments

The countdown is on! Rush will celebrate the 40th anniversary of their ninth studio album Signals with a smattering of special releases, including a Super Deluxe box set with 180g 1LP black vinyl and four 7-inch singles, along with a separate 180g 1LP picture disc, on April 28. Read on to find out what each version entails, and how you can channel your own Signals obtainment desires accordingly. . .

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Analog Gear News
Hana Umami Blue Moving-Coil Cartridge
Mike Mettler  |  Mar 01, 2023  |  First Published: Mar 01, 2023  |  5 comments

Hana is helping to kick off the month of March in the exact right way by announcing their new Umami Blue cartridge, which follows in the fine moving-coil footsteps (so to speak) of their vaunted Umami cartridge series. Read on to see just what the new Umami Blue MC cartridge can do for you and your turntable. . .

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Analog Gear News
Audio-Technica Limited-Edition AT-LP2022 Turntable
Mike Mettler  |  Feb 28, 2023  |  First Published: Feb 28, 2023  |  12 comments

Audio-Technica has been duly celebrating their 60th anniversary for the balance of the past year, and we would be remiss if we let another week go by without highlighting one of the fine limited-edition products they’ve introduced in celebration of that milestone — namely, the AT-LP2022 belt-drive turntable that sports quite the striking transparent clear-acrylic chassis. Read on to see what else the AT-LP2022 has to offer. . .

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Analog Gear News
MM PRO Phono Preamp by Michael Fidler and Classic Audio
Mike Mettler  |  Feb 22, 2023  |  First Published: Feb 22, 2023  |  3 comments

Michael Fidler and Classic Audio are synonymous with making quality phono preamps — a.k.a. phono stages, depending on your nomenclature preferences — as the company’s respective PRO and Spartan series can readily attest. Fidler’s latest offering, the MM PRO, is ready for system-integration duty regardless of which side of the Pond you reside, so read on to find out if it fits your own phono-stage needs. . .

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News
Bob Marley’s Limited Edition 12LP Vinyl Series, Fully Pressed at Tuff Gong International in Kingston, Jamaica, Is Set for March 24
Mike Mettler  |  Feb 15, 2023  |  First Published: Feb 15, 2023  |  21 comments

The Legend continues. The Marley Family, Tuff Gong, and UMe are set to commemorate the late, great Bob Marley’s 78th birthday with 12 limited-edition Bob Marley LPs, each of them numbered and pressed exclusively at Tuff Gong International headquarters in Kingston, Jamaica, and set for release on March 24. Read on to find out all the core titles involved, as well as the related pressing stats for each album that’s been culled from the masterful Marley canon. . .

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Analog Gear News
AMG Giro MK II Turntable With 9W2 Tonearm
Mike Mettler  |  Feb 14, 2023  |  First Published: Feb 14, 2023  |  3 comments

It’s time for us to show some love to AMG (Analog Manufaktur Germany), who make Großartig (great, that is) turntables and tonearms. The recently upgraded Giro MK II turntable is the focus of our current affection, so read on to see what’s to love about it and its fine spinning capabilities. . .

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Album Reviews
Steely Dan’s All-Analog Countdown to Ecstasy 200g 45rpm 2LP Set Establishes the Gold Standard for All Upcoming Releases in This Stellar UHQR Analogue Productions Series
Mike Mettler  |  Feb 08, 2023  |  35 comments

Can we call it Countdown to Excellence? To wit: Does Countdown to Ecstasy, the second entry in Analogue Productions' comprehensive all-analog 200g 2LP Steely Dan UHQR series, up the ante on the standard they’ve already set with last fall’s inaugural release, Can’t Buy A Thrill? Read Mike Mettler’s in-depth, 2,500-word review to find out. . .

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Analog Gear News
Rekkord’s RCM Record Cleaning Machine Is Slated for Late-February Availability
Mike Mettler  |  Feb 07, 2023  |  First Published: Feb 07, 2023  |  24 comments

The more we listen to our vinyl, the more we notice how much our LPs need regular cleaning, regardless of whether they’re new or used copies. Record cleaning devices range widely in terms of performance and options, of course, and we will be reviewing a number of them in the coming months here on AP. In the meantime, one such device that caught our eye recently is one that’s now being offered by noted German manufacturer Rekkord, who are set to serve up the appropriately named RCM recording cleaning machine later in February. Read on to find out more about this well-acronymed RCM. . .

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