LATEST ADDITIONS

Michael Fremer  |  Jul 21, 2015  |  21 comments
Even had the purchase by Onkyo of Pioneer Home Electronics not been made public, some kind of connection would have been obvious to anyone opening the boxes of this Onkyo CP-1050 turntable and the recently reviewed Pioneer PL-30-K turntable.

Michael Fremer  |  Jul 16, 2015  |  27 comments
Readers asked for a few more files recorded using the SAT arm.

Michael Fremer  |  Jul 16, 2015  |  14 comments
With nearly 500 votes cast, File "A" received 23% (104 votes). File "B" garnered 54% (240 votes), while 23% of respondents (103) felt the two phono preamplifiers were either "identical" sounding or it was "too close to call."

Michael Fremer  |  Jul 15, 2015  |  14 comments
Legendary mastering and recording engineer Stan Ricker passed away today. That is all I know at this time. As I learn more I will update this news item.
Michael Fremer  |  Jul 11, 2015  |  62 comments
The July, 2015 Stereophile included a review of the $28,000 Swedish Audio Technologies pick up arm. Yes, the price is outrageous but it's difficult to manufacture and doesn't come off an assembly line.

Michael Fremer  |  Jul 07, 2015  |  62 comments
Schiit's $129 phono preamp includes both MM and MC capabilities. U-Turn's $89 phono preamp is MM-only. Analogplanet's reviews of both of these inexpensive, made in the USA phono preamplifiers will soon be posted but in the meantime, here are two files: "File A" and "File B".

Files "A" and "B" were both made using Onkyo's CP-1050 Direct Drive turntable fitted with a Shure M97xE cartridge ( it comes with an Audio Technica AT 3600) with the output digitized using a Lynx HiLo A/D, D/A converter.

Both files were AudioLeak normalized to -.1dB. The music is an approximately one minute excerpt of "My Return" from The Twilight Hour's Stereo Night LP reviewed here a few years ago.

Listen to both and then choose your preference. Or, if you think they sound sufficiently similar or identical, choose "sound the same or too close to call".

File "A"

File "B"

For more on the U-Turn Pluto go here

For more on the Schiit Mani (currently out of stock) go here

U-Turn Pluto Versus Schiit Mani: Which Sounds Better (level matched)?
Michael Fremer  |  Jul 01, 2015  |  7 comments
This minor musical and major sonic gem features the great vibraphonist Gary Burton, Dave Brubeck Quartet drummer Joe Morello (reference only in case you just arrived from outer space) and veteran bassist Joe Benjamin on a jazz session headed by the great Nashville guitarist Hank Garland.

Michael Fremer  |  Jun 29, 2015  |  23 comments
Jerome Sabbagh's The Turn puts his long-running jazz quartet in New York's famed Sear Sound with veteran engineer James Farber at the board. The musicians managed to record to two-track analog tape the more than an hour's worth of music spread over the four sides of this double 180g LP set. That's getting you money's worth from a single studio session.

Michael Fremer  |  Jun 29, 2015  |  10 comments
First released in 2002 on CD and double LP, this collection of familiar Nirvana tunes plus the then previously unreleased "You Know You're Right" is again being reissued with some new production twists.

Michael Fremer  |  Jun 29, 2015  |  4 comments
Wax Stacks is a new company just "Kickstarted" by a Kimber Kable employee.

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