Turntable Reviews

How Low Can You Go? Pro-Ject's $299 Essential Turntable

Michael Fremer  |  Aug 30, 2012

Pro-Ject's $299 Essential costs 25% less than the recently reviewed Carbon. So what don'tyou get for your minus $100?

Record Buying Tips

Best Mono "Pet Sounds"?

Michael Fremer  |  Aug 28, 2012

The stereo mix of Pet Sounds issued on SACD by Mobile Fidelity and on vinyl by Capitol a few years ago is interesting and was well done, but Brian mixed it and intended it to be listened to in mono, which is how it was originally released back in 1966.

Set-Up Tips

What Does Stylus Wear Look Like?

Michael Fremer  |  Aug 28, 2012

When it seemed as if my Lyra Titan had at least 1000 hours on it I figured it was time for a re-tip. I took a USB digital microscope image and posted it on this site. I thought it showed some wear but before sending it back to Lyra, I sent it to my friend Wally who produced much better and more definitive images using an optical set-up.

Letters to the Editor

Reader Says "You're Nuts" (or an approximation thereof)

Michael Fremer  |  Aug 27, 2012

Dear Michael:

You wrote the following on your website:

"I’ve never gotten an email or letter along the lines of 'Dear Mikey: I took the plunge and bought a turntable. What a waste of money. Records sound terrible. You’re nuts.'"

Well, here's your first. Or a close approximation.

Album Reviews

Dr. and Mrs. Willke Make Complete Sense on LP 2 (revised after a good night's sleep!)

Michael Fremer  |  Aug 26, 2012

How To Teach Children The Wonder of Sex
Dr. and Mrs. J.C. Willke
 
Hiltz Publishing 2 LPs
Produced by: Dr. and Mrs. J.C. Willke
Engineered by: Chaim Schwartzbaum
Mixed by: Cain
Mastered by: Abel
 
MUSIC
SOUND
Mrs. Willke does not perform the first version of "#9" on the second album of the two LP set How To Teach Children The Wonder of Sex. However, both she and Dr. Willke make a lot of sense on the second album of this two LP set.

Yes, LP 1 is prudish and "bat-shit crazy" but LP 2 makes complete sense. It's difficult to argue with what the two say here and some of it might surprise you as it did me, given the wackiness on LP 1.

It begins with "We live in the most breast-happy country in the world" and "there's a message to children..propaganda that breasts are for fun!"

Primary Category: 
Album Reviews
Category: 
Album Reviews
Artist: 
Dr. and Mrs. J.C. Willke
Album: 
How To Teach Children The Wonder of Sex
Cred Label: 
Hiltz Publishing 2 LPs
Cred Prod: 
Dr. and Mrs. J.C. Willke
Cred Eng: 
Chaim Schwartzbaum
Cred Mix: 
Cain
Cred Mast: 
Abel
Michael Fremer
Mrs. Willke does not perform the first version of "#9" on the second album of the two LP set How To Teach Children The Wonder of Sex. However, both she and Dr. Willke make a lot of sense on the second album of this two LP set.

Album Reviews

"Perhaps You Can Help Us Raise Socially Retarded Teenagers So They Will Marry Happy"

Michael Fremer  |  Aug 25, 2012

How To Teach Children The Wonder of Sex
Dr. And Mrs. J.C. Willke
 
Hiltz Publishing 2 LPs
Produced by: Dr. and Mrs. J.C. Willke
Engineered by: Chaim Schwartzbaum
Mixed by: Cain
Mastered by: Abel
 
MUSIC
SOUND
Dr. and Mrs' J.C. Willke's double LP set "How to Teach Children The Wonder of Sex" is taken from a videotape of a lecture given by the couple to the faculty and staff of the University of Kentucky Medical Center back in 1966.

Based on the contents, I am certain that by the end of the decade Dr. and Mrs. Willke felt they'd failed in their mission, which they finally divulge at the end of side two of record one of their lecture where Dr. Willke concluded by saying "Perhaps you can help us raise socially retarded teenagers so they will marry happy."

I am not making that up.

Primary Category: 
Album Reviews
Category: 
Album Reviews
Artist: 
Dr. And Mrs. J.C. Willke
Album: 
How To Teach Children The Wonder of Sex
Cred Label: 
Hiltz Publishing 2 LPs
Cred Prod: 
Dr. and Mrs. J.C. Willke
Cred Eng: 
Chaim Schwartzbaum
Cred Mix: 
Cain
Cred Mast: 
Abel
Michael Fremer
Dr. and Mrs' J.C. Willke's double LP set "How to Teach Children The Wonder of Sex" is taken from a videotape of a lecture given by the couple to the faculty and staff of the University of Kentucky Medical Center back in 1966.

News

Bat Shit Crazy Congressman's Doctor/Advisor Has a Double Elpee Set!

Michael Fremer  |  Aug 23, 2012

ometimes a large record collection yields up unexpected treasures. Last week Tea Party/GOP Missouri Congressman Todd Akins asserted in a television interview that when it comes to rape, “The female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down.”

Album Reviews

The Beach Boys Deliver a Great Twenty Ninth Album

Michael Fremer  |  Aug 23, 2012

That's Why God Made the Radio
The Beach Boys
 
Capitol 50999463199 1 3 150g LP
Produced by: Brian Wilson
Engineered by: Joe Thomas
Mixed by: Frank Pappalardo
Mastered by: Bob Ludwig at Gateway Mastering (lacquers cut by Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman Mastering)
 
MUSIC
SOUND
Watching the aged PBS fund raising audience creep ever closer to my demographic has been a thirty year creepy creep. First it was fund raising aimed at the WWII big band consuming generation.

Primary Category: 
Album Reviews
Category: 
Album Reviews
Artist: 
The Beach Boys
Album: 
That's Why God Made the Radio
Cred Label: 
Capitol 50999463199 1 3 150g LP
Cred Prod: 
Brian Wilson
Cred Eng: 
Joe Thomas
Cred Mix: 
Frank Pappalardo
Cred Mast: 
Bob Ludwig at Gateway Mastering (lacquers cut by Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman Mastering)
Michael Fremer
Watching the aged PBS fund raising audience creep ever closer to my demographic has been a thirty year creepy creep. First it was fund raising aimed at the WWII big band consuming generation.

News

Turntable Set-Up Seminar Saturday, August 25th at J&R Music World in NYC

Michael Fremer  |  Aug 23, 2012

I will be presenting my "world famous" Turntable Set-up Seminar, this Saturday August 25th at 1PM at J&R Music World, 23 Park Row 10038. It's an hour long presentation complete with visuals.

Set-Up Tips

SRA Clarification From Peter Ledermann

Michael Fremer  |  Aug 23, 2012

I just spoke with Soundsmith's Peter Ledermann. He confirmed that the contact patch is as seen in the above photo. But note that this is with VTF of zero. He made a few observations about this discussion we're having here on Analogplanet.com.

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