Album Reviews

Volto! Aims to Tear Your Woofer Cones From Their Surrounds

Michael Fremer  |  Aug 4, 2014

Incitare
Volto!
 
Fantasy FAN 34704-1 2 180g LPs
Produced by: Volto!
Engineered by: Joe Barresi
Mixed by: Joe Barresi
Mastered by: Bob Ludwig at Gateway Mastering, Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman Mastering
 
MUSIC
SOUND
The late Rick Griffin's mischievous rodent cover art isn't the only retro aspect of this prog-rock/jazz fusion recording debut by a group that's been together for more than a decade. (Griffin is best known for his Grateful Dead work including the Aoxomoxoa cover).

The trio of Tool drummer Danny Carey, guitarist John Ziegler and bassist Lance Morrison augmented by keyboardist Jeff Babko recorded this "high T" album at The Loft, Carey's home studio live to analog tape using a limited (to 95) edition Studer A827 Gold Edition 2 inch 24 track analog tape recorder.

Primary Category: 
Album Reviews
Category: 
Album Reviews
Artist: 
Volto!
Album: 
Incitare
Cred Label: 
Fantasy FAN 34704-1 2 180g LPs
Cred Prod: 
Volto!
Cred Eng: 
Joe Barresi
Cred Mix: 
Joe Barresi
Cred Mast: 
Bob Ludwig at Gateway Mastering, Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman Mastering
Michael Fremer
The late Rick Griffin's mischievous rodent cover art isn't the only retro aspect of this prog-rock/jazz fusion recording debut by a group that's been together for more than a decade. (Griffin is best known for his Grateful Dead work including the Aoxomoxoa cover).

Album Reviews

Chasing the Dragon : A Man and His Microphones

Michael Fremer  |  Aug 4, 2014

Chasing the Dragon
Various Artists
 
Valentine VAL007 LP
Produced by: Mike Valentine
Engineered by: Mike Valentine
Mixed by: Mike Valentine
Mastered by: John Webber at Air Studio, London
 
MUSIC
SOUND
Recording engineer Mike Valentine produced and recorded an old-fashioned audiophile demo disc using 50 year old Neumann tube microphones and a high resolution Nagra digital recorder all connected together with ZenSati cables from Denmark. One track was recorded using a 1/2" Studer analog deck running at 30 IPS.

The Globe trotting Valentine recorded in Venice, Italy, Izmir, Turkey, London, England and elsewhere in venues that varied from outdoors in a graveyard, to concert halls and other disparate sized spaces.

Primary Category: 
Album Reviews
Category: 
Album Reviews
Artist: 
Various Artists
Album: 
Chasing the Dragon
Cred Label: 
Valentine VAL007 LP
Cred Prod: 
Mike Valentine
Cred Eng: 
Mike Valentine
Cred Mix: 
Mike Valentine
Cred Mast: 
John Webber at Air Studio, London
Michael Fremer
Recording engineer Mike Valentine produced and recorded an old-fashioned audiophile demo disc using 50 year old Neumann tube microphones and a high resolution Nagra digital recorder all connected together with ZenSati cables from Denmark. One track was recorded using a 1/2" Studer analog deck running at 30 IPS.

Phono Preamp Reviews

The DSA Phono II MM/MC Phono Preamplifier

Michael Fremer  |  Jul 31, 2014

I reviewed Dynamic Sound Associate's $12,000 solid-state phono preamp in Stereophile's "Analog Corner" October, 2013. It was a "Class A" product all the way other than a few "burps".

Phono Preamp Reviews

Reite Audio PS-1 MC Phono Preamplifier and PSU-1 Power Supply

Michael Fremer  |  Jul 30, 2014

Reite Audio is a relatively new company created by electronics designer Bob Reite and musician Ed Sheftel. Sheftel first imported to America and distributed the Welsh-made Tom Evans Audio Design line of electronics. One of its products, The Groove phono preamp had, at the turn of the century, what could fairly be described as a “cult following”.

News

Ernst Benz R.I.P.

Michael Fremer  |  Jul 29, 2014

Ernst Benz founder of moving coil cartridge manufacturer Benz Micro passed away on July 5th, 2014 in his Neuhausen-am-Rheinfall, Switzerland home at age 82, surrounded by his family.

Turntable Reviews

The Audio Technica AT-LP120-USB Turntable Shames the Plastic Competition

Michael Fremer  |  Jul 22, 2014

Off the audiophile pedestal and into the “real world” we go, with a review of Audio Technica’s easy to set up $250 AT-LP120-USB turntable.

News

Mats Unmasked!

Michael Fremer  |  Jul 21, 2014

Thanks to all who downloaded and listened to the same track played using 8 different mats. That's a great deal of heavy lifting, hopefully made somewhat lighter by Mike Valentine's excellent Decca tree recording of a nimble performance of Vivaldi's "Concerto For 2 Mandolins". I hope you downloaded and enjoyed the "gift" track too.

News

"Redbook" 16 bit/44.1K Version of Vivaldi Track Added to Mat Test

Michael Fremer  |  Jul 18, 2014

Analogplanet.com readers requested we post the "rebook" version of the Vivaldi Mandolin piece so there's a reference at the same sampling and bit rate as the "needle drops".

Playback Accessory Reviews

The Big Brush Off! Three Dry Record Brushes Compared

Michael Fremer  |  Jul 17, 2014

This is hardly a scientific comparison, but I spent a few days comparing, in order of price, the Audioquest carbon fiber brush ($24.99), the AcousTech The Big Record Brush ($36.95) ($52.95 with grounding wire) and the Levin Design ($335 appx.).

Album Reviews

Cécile McLorin Salvant Sings Old Songs New

Michael Fremer  |  Jul 16, 2014

WomenChild
Cécile McLorin Salvant
 
Mack Avenue 1072LP 2 180g LPs
Produced by: Al Pryor
Engineered by: Todd Whitelock
Mixed by: Todd Whitelock
Mastered by: Mark Wilder at Battery Studios (lacquers cut by Kevin Gray at AcousTech
 
MUSIC
SOUND
Eschewing both retro and modern musical gestures, the remarkable young jazz singer Cécile McLorin Salvant manages here to make new and fresh an album of mostly very old songs.

Miami born to a French mother and Haitian father and first involved in classical music including joining at eight years of age the Miami Chorale Society, the twenty five year old French-speaking McLorin Salvant chose to get her secondary education in France where she studied law in addition to musically focusing first on classical and baroque vocals plus jazz at the Darius Milhaud Conservatory.

Primary Category: 
Album Reviews
Category: 
Album Reviews
Artist: 
Cécile McLorin Salvant
Album: 
WomenChild
Cred Label: 
Mack Avenue 1072LP 2 180g LPs
Cred Prod: 
Al Pryor
Cred Eng: 
Todd Whitelock
Cred Mix: 
Todd Whitelock
Cred Mast: 
Mark Wilder at Battery Studios (lacquers cut by Kevin Gray at AcousTech
Michael Fremer
Eschewing both retro and modern musical gestures, the remarkable young jazz singer Cécile McLorin Salvant manages here to make new and fresh an album of mostly very old songs.

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