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Malachi Lui  |  Mar 18, 2019  |  23 comments
On April 13, Record Store Day is back for its 12th year with over 500 releases only available at independent record stores. This year’s list is arguably the best one since I’ve been attending RSD starting in 2014 (at age 8!), with fewer picture disc and colored vinyl re-hashings of common material and seemingly more unique items. Here are some highlights from the list:

Michael Fremer  |  Mar 02, 2019  |  21 comments
An AnalogPlanet reader let us know about a new source for Per Madsen's "Rackit" record storage units (Per retired). Portland Oregon based woodworker Ryan Tinsel manufactures the record storage racks in his "one-man shop".

Michael Fremer  |  Feb 26, 2019  |  12 comments
Talk Talk's Mark Hollis (center in photo) has died at age 64 after a "short illness". Readers unfamiliar with the group's astonishing later albums and who lump the group in with late '70s synth bands might not understand why this is news but those who know Hollis's later Talk Talk albums Spirit of Eden and Laughing Stock surely do. Hollis later released a self-titled solo album recorded with two microphones that ends with two minutes of tape hiss.

Michael Fremer  |  Feb 24, 2019  |  7 comments
22 February, 2019: Louisville, Colorado—Boulder Amplifiers announces the immediate release and shipment of its reference level phono preamplifier, the 2108, which is a substantially updated and "re-visited" version of the 2008 that shook up the phono preamplifier market with its versatility, high performance, and high cost.

Malachi Lui  |  Feb 21, 2019  |  2 comments
English-French avant pop band Stereolab recently announced an extensive reissue series of seven of their albums, starting with 1993’s Transient Random Noise-Bursts With Announcements and its 1994 follow-up Mars Audiac Quintet via Duophonic Ultra High Frequency Disks and Warp Records. Similar to last year’s reissues of Stereolab’s Switched On compilations, the albums are digitally remastered from the original ½” analog tapes by Bo Kondren at Calyx Mastering and supervised by Stereolab’s Tim Gane. These first two reissues will come out on May 2. Emperor Tomato Ketchup, Dots & Loops, and Cobra & Phases Group Play Voltage In The Milky Night will be reissued in August while Sound-Dust and Margerine Eclipse arrive in November. Each album comes with a bonus disc of alternate takes, demos, and unreleased mixes.

Michael Fremer  |  Feb 01, 2019  |  5 comments
At next week's Florida Audio Expo in Tampa, Florida (Thursday-Sunday, February 8-10th), AnalogPlanet editor Michael Fremer will spin records and play 96/24 files from vinyl in the VAC/The Audio Company/Von Schweikert Audio Kilgore Suite located on the second floor of the Embassy Suites by Hilton at Tampa Airport Westshore located five minutes from the airport.

Michael Fremer  |  Jan 08, 2019  |  12 comments
Here's the first in a series of videos Ben Williams produced and edited over the weekend's festivities last November 30th through December 2nd as the L.A. & Orange County Audio Society celebrated its 25th anniversary and presented its Founder's Award to AnalogPlanet editor Michael Fremer.

Michael Fremer  |  Dec 09, 2018  |  8 comments
Last year when AnalogPlanet visited Furnace Record Pressing in Alexandria Virginia it was an enormous, mostly empty building. The vinyl pressing plant infrastructure installation had just begun.

Michael Fremer  |  Dec 05, 2018  |  21 comments
At the L.A. and Orange County Audiophile Society's annual GALA last Sunday, AnalogPlanet editor Michael Fremer was given the society's prestigious Founder's Award. It was also the Society's 25th anniversary so many of the past Founders award winners were on hand including Tim DeParavicini, EveAnna Manley and Richard Vandersteen, among others along with more than 200 of the society's 2600 members.

Michael Fremer  |  Dec 04, 2018  |  12 comments
Nabisco recently announced a turntable that plays Oreo cookies. Pop any Oreo cookie onto the platter and it will play a tune. Take a bit out of it and it plays a different tune. Apparently it's been on the market for a few weeks and the company is sold out for now. It sells for $19.99. Sweet deal hopefully back in stock for Christmas.
Michael Fremer  |  Dec 02, 2018  |  2 comments
In 1987 Wilson Audio Specialties launched the WATT (Wilson Audio Tiny Tot), its first loudspeaker. This Wednesday evening December 5th, the entire line of "retired" WATT speakers will be on display and played at a special Audio Salon event hosted by Wilson's Peter McGrath. The event also celebrates the introduction of the new SashaDAW (David. A. Wilson) loudspeaker that produced among the best sound at the recent Warsaw Audio Video Show.

Michael Fremer  |  Nov 28, 2018  |  59 comments
During last fall's "Blues Masters at the Crossroads" concert weekend at Chad Kassem's Blue Heaven studios, attendees were invited to tour Quality Record Pressings where workers were busy assembling the just-released Electric Ladyland box set containing a Bernie Grundman all-analog remastering from the original analog tapes of the double LP set, a double LP of early takes, a double LP of Jimi Hendrix Experience Live at the Hollywood Bowl, a Blu-ray disc containing a 96/24 high resolution version of the original double LP, a 5.1 channel Eddie Kramer mix at 96/24 resolution and an expanded documentary including interviews with the late Chas Chandler, Mitch Mitchell and Noel Redding and in-the-studio footage. There's also a full-sized 46 page booklet in the box. I'm working my way through the box for a review.

Michael Fremer  |  Nov 26, 2018  |  8 comments
North American SME importer Bluebird Music recently announced "significant" across the board price reductions on all SME products, effective November 23, 2018.

Michael Fremer  |  Nov 26, 2018  |  2 comments
The Blue Note Review subscription box set series returns with "customer feedback" based improved Volume Two. You'll like both what's in the box and what the label has done to improve its overall quality. Plus it will be easier to obtain than was the first set, limited to 1500 copies. Volume Two will be a 2000 set edition.

Michael Fremer  |  Nov 23, 2018  |  9 comments
Winner of the 2003 Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Album, this sublime collaboration with Cuban guitar great Manuel Galbán was issued on vinyl for a blink of the eye and was quickly out of print. Now it's again available on vinyl.

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