Slick Producer Wants to Meet Stoner: Make Beautiful Music?

Say what you will about the slick, commercial Nashville sound that’s evolved from the fine “countrypolitan” one developed by Chet Atkins and crew at RCA Studio B back in the ‘60’s, at least they still have great studios, skilled engineers and teams of tasty lick players in Music City, all of which are on display here.

Slick Willie, produced by Buddy Cannon and Kenny Chesney is just as much fun as Booker T Tin Pan Alley Willie or self-produced Willie. The voice and presence are too big to be overwhelmed by the occasional overproduction and some odd A&R misfires.

Primary Category: 
Category: 
Artist: 
Willie Nelson
Album: 
Moment of Forever
Cred Label: 
Lost Highway B0010453-01 1.5 180g LPs
Cred Prod: 
Buddy Cannon and Kenny Chesney
Cred Eng: 
Tony Castle
Cred Mix: 
Justin Niebank
Cred Mast: 
Andrew Mendelson (lacquer cut by "WG/NRP"

Say what you will about the slick, commercial Nashville sound that’s evolved from the fine “countrypolitan” one developed by Chet Atkins and crew at RCA Studio B back in the ‘60’s, at least they still have great studios, skilled engineers and teams of tasty lick players in Music City, all of which are on display here.

Pawnshop Double Elpee Still Sounds Amazing

Recorded in 1976, this audiophile classic sounds as astonishingly natural today as it did back then, only much better now given the improvements in modern analog playback gear.



The big question remains though, which is do you really want to hear Scandinavians playing second hand Trad jazz in a revitalized analog age where the great modern jazz artists are once again available on superb sounding reissues, many at 45rpm?

Primary Category: 
Category: 
Artist: 
Various Artists
Album: 
Jazz At The Pawnshop
Cred Label: 
Prophone Prop7778-9 2 180g LPs
Cred Prod: 
Jacob Boëthius
Cred Eng: 
Gert Palmcrantz
Cred Mix: 
Gert Palmcrantz
Cred Mast: 
Wilfried Zahn

Recorded in 1976, this audiophile classic sounds as astonishingly natural today as it did back then, only much better now given the improvements in modern analog playback gear.

Dexter's Second Blue Note Outing Gets Double 45 Treatment From Analogue Productions

Dexter Calling , recorded May, 9th, 1961, just a few days after Gordon’s Blue Note debut session, opens with “Soul Sister,” a “chicken and biscuits” track the tenor saxophonist wrote for the West Coast edition of “The Connection,” which Freddie Redd had scored for the East Coast original. The tune’s slow, bluesy, Southern-tinged melody, played in ¾ waltz-time sounds like something Floridian Cannonball Adderley might have penned though Gordon grew up in Los Angeles, son of a prominent physician who tended to the likes of Duke Ellington and Lionel Hampton.

Primary Category: 
Category: 
Artist: 
Dexter Gordon
Album: 
Dexter Calling
Cred Label: 
Blue Note/Analogue Productions ST-84083 2 45rpm 180g LPs
Cred Prod: 
Alfred Lion
Cred Eng: 
Rudy Van Gelder
Cred Mix: 
Rudy Van Gelder
Cred Mast: 
Kevin Gray and Steve Hoffman at AcousTech

Dexter Calling , recorded May, 9th, 1961, just a few days after Gordon’s Blue Note debut session, opens with “Soul Sister,” a “chicken and biscuits” track the tenor saxophonist wrote for the West Coast edition of “The Connection,” which Freddie Redd had scored for the East Coast original. The tune’s slow, bluesy, Southern-tinged melody, played in ¾ waltz-time sounds like something Floridian Cannonball Adderley might have penned though Gordon grew up in Los Angeles, son of a prominent physician who tended to the likes of Duke Ellington and Lionel Hampton.

Dusty T-Bone Walker Relic Makes For Curious Pure Pleasure Reissue

Another Pure Pleasure mono reissue more important for the music than for “audiophile sound,” which these 1950 and 1951 mono sessions surely are not.



Never mind because the tracks do sound fine for the vintage and for some reason recordings of this era sound even harder and more glazed over converted to CD than do more modern ones.

Primary Category: 
Category: 
Artist: 
T-Bone Walker
Album: 
T-Bone Walker Sings The Blues
Cred Label: 
Imperial/Pure Pleasure LP 9098 180g mono LP
Cred Prod: 
N/A
Cred Eng: 
N/A
Cred Mix: 
N/A
Cred Mast: 
Steve Hoffman and Kevin Gray at AcousTech

Another Pure Pleasure mono reissue more important for the music than for “audiophile sound,” which these 1950 and 1951 mono sessions surely are not.

Don't Buy This Reissue!

John Cale's guitar-fueled, angry yet nostalgic first Island release from 1974 is easily his finest solo effort in my book. It's certainly his most consistently well written and performed record.

Primary Category: 
Category: 
Artist: 
John Cale
Album: 
Fear
Cred Label: 
Island/Vinyl Lovers 900105
Cred Prod: 
John Cale
Cred Eng: 
John Wood
Cred Mix: 
John Wood
Cred Mast: 
N/A

John Cale's guitar-fueled, angry yet nostalgic first Island release from 1974 is easily his finest solo effort in my book. It's certainly his most consistently well written and performed record.

Soundsmith SMMC1 moving-iron phono cartridge Associated Equipment

COMMENTS
jgossman's picture

I've wanted to try a SS cartridge for a while but right now the audio budget is on the back burner.  I currently used and love my Grado wood body Reference Platinum and am excited to one day move up to the Sonata.  

I'm interested in your comment that the Grado's sound polite in your system.  I've found mine to sound really wonderful and in no way "polite", although very tube dependant, more so than the line stage in my preamp.  I've found a really good match to EH 12ax7's.  It's a just the facts ma'am sound, although very smooth and big and involving.  Analog.

I wonder given thier mechanical similarities if the Grado could be improved by swaping out the loading caps at the input of my preamp.  Would you recommend measuring the cable capacitance from tip to tail of my leads first.

Kent T's picture

This cartridge is on my list of cartridges I wish to hear while I am alive and have sound hearing. I am a lover of Moving Iron due to that lovely midrange. Appreciate your review here.

andrewsinn's picture

Peter Ledermann’s journey in the audio industry is impressive, especially his dedication to mentoring future engineers at Soundsmith while continuing to innovate in audio technology. His approach to blending education with hands-on work truly stands out. For those looking for a top-notch online casino experience, I suggest checking out National Casino. It's a great platform offering a wide variety of games, excellent bonuses for Canadian players, and a seamless gaming experience!

Pages

Soundsmith SMMC1 moving-iron phono cartridge Specifications

COMMENTS
jgossman's picture

I've wanted to try a SS cartridge for a while but right now the audio budget is on the back burner.  I currently used and love my Grado wood body Reference Platinum and am excited to one day move up to the Sonata.  

I'm interested in your comment that the Grado's sound polite in your system.  I've found mine to sound really wonderful and in no way "polite", although very tube dependant, more so than the line stage in my preamp.  I've found a really good match to EH 12ax7's.  It's a just the facts ma'am sound, although very smooth and big and involving.  Analog.

I wonder given thier mechanical similarities if the Grado could be improved by swaping out the loading caps at the input of my preamp.  Would you recommend measuring the cable capacitance from tip to tail of my leads first.

Kent T's picture

This cartridge is on my list of cartridges I wish to hear while I am alive and have sound hearing. I am a lover of Moving Iron due to that lovely midrange. Appreciate your review here.

andrewsinn's picture

Peter Ledermann’s journey in the audio industry is impressive, especially his dedication to mentoring future engineers at Soundsmith while continuing to innovate in audio technology. His approach to blending education with hands-on work truly stands out. For those looking for a top-notch online casino experience, I suggest checking out National Casino. It's a great platform offering a wide variety of games, excellent bonuses for Canadian players, and a seamless gaming experience!

Pages

Soundsmith SMMC1 moving-iron phono cartridge Page 3

COMMENTS
jgossman's picture

I've wanted to try a SS cartridge for a while but right now the audio budget is on the back burner.  I currently used and love my Grado wood body Reference Platinum and am excited to one day move up to the Sonata.  

I'm interested in your comment that the Grado's sound polite in your system.  I've found mine to sound really wonderful and in no way "polite", although very tube dependant, more so than the line stage in my preamp.  I've found a really good match to EH 12ax7's.  It's a just the facts ma'am sound, although very smooth and big and involving.  Analog.

I wonder given thier mechanical similarities if the Grado could be improved by swaping out the loading caps at the input of my preamp.  Would you recommend measuring the cable capacitance from tip to tail of my leads first.

Kent T's picture

This cartridge is on my list of cartridges I wish to hear while I am alive and have sound hearing. I am a lover of Moving Iron due to that lovely midrange. Appreciate your review here.

andrewsinn's picture

Peter Ledermann’s journey in the audio industry is impressive, especially his dedication to mentoring future engineers at Soundsmith while continuing to innovate in audio technology. His approach to blending education with hands-on work truly stands out. For those looking for a top-notch online casino experience, I suggest checking out National Casino. It's a great platform offering a wide variety of games, excellent bonuses for Canadian players, and a seamless gaming experience!

Pages

Soundsmith SMMC1 moving-iron phono cartridge Page 2

COMMENTS
jgossman's picture

I've wanted to try a SS cartridge for a while but right now the audio budget is on the back burner.  I currently used and love my Grado wood body Reference Platinum and am excited to one day move up to the Sonata.  

I'm interested in your comment that the Grado's sound polite in your system.  I've found mine to sound really wonderful and in no way "polite", although very tube dependant, more so than the line stage in my preamp.  I've found a really good match to EH 12ax7's.  It's a just the facts ma'am sound, although very smooth and big and involving.  Analog.

I wonder given thier mechanical similarities if the Grado could be improved by swaping out the loading caps at the input of my preamp.  Would you recommend measuring the cable capacitance from tip to tail of my leads first.

Kent T's picture

This cartridge is on my list of cartridges I wish to hear while I am alive and have sound hearing. I am a lover of Moving Iron due to that lovely midrange. Appreciate your review here.

andrewsinn's picture

Peter Ledermann’s journey in the audio industry is impressive, especially his dedication to mentoring future engineers at Soundsmith while continuing to innovate in audio technology. His approach to blending education with hands-on work truly stands out. For those looking for a top-notch online casino experience, I suggest checking out National Casino. It's a great platform offering a wide variety of games, excellent bonuses for Canadian players, and a seamless gaming experience!

Pages

Soundsmith SMMC1 moving-iron phono cartridge

The audio industry may have lost a legend and a prolific innovator in Henry Kloss a few years back, but it still has another affable, creative eccentric in Peter Ledermann. In the mid-1970s, Ledermann was director of engineering at Bozak, where, with Rudy Bozak, he helped develop a miniature bookshelf speaker and a miniature powered subwoofer. Before that, Ledermann was a design engineer at RAM Audio Systems, working with Richard Majestic on the designs of everything from high-power, minimal-feedback power amplifiers and preamplifiers to phono cartridge systems. He was also an award-winning senior research engineer at IBM, and the primary inventor of 11 IBM patents.

Pages

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