We have so many vibrant discussions about our turntables, personal listening systems, and the music we listen to that we here at AP decided it was time to see and hear about them in much more detail. Read on to see how you can get your turntable and personal listening system featured in a new section on AP called Table Toppers. . .
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.
Let's just say I went into the TechDAS Air Force Zero's recent debut at The Audio Salon in Santa Monica with a great deal of skepticism. A big, lumbering turntable featuring an enormous and massive multi-layer platter system seemed like a prescription for over-damped, ill focused sound. What we heard those two evenings was anything but! By the way, what you see towards the bottom of the platter is not a reflection. That is the lower part of the platter!
Technics will be showing at IFA 2017 (Berlin, Sept.1-6) a brand new edition of its legendary SP-10d direct drive turntable. The new SP-10R shown in the above picture is slated to debut in the summer of 2018.
Sarasota Florida area readers take note: Encore Home Entertainment Systems hosts a March 24th Technics SL-1200GAE turntable preview event from 7PM-9PM.
Lyra Cartridge CEO Stig Bjorge collects some vintage audio gear. The Technics SL-15, introduced in 1981, is among his favorites. Recently, he found one for sale in America and he asked me if I'd pick it up for him in Princeton, New Jersey, which happens to be the home of The Princeton Record Exchange.
The 78 Project releases on January 28th, 2014, the Volume 1 Soundtrack album to the acclaimed web series that chronicles recordings made using a 1930's vintage Presto direct-to-acetate disc recorder similar to the one Alan Lomax used for his field recordings made between 1933 and 1942.
The annual WFMU Record Fair comes to the Brooklyn Expo Center this Friday through Sunday featuring 28,000 square feet of records, 45s, CDs (?), books, collectibles and the usual gang of idiots plus live bands and broadcasts. This is always a great show just like they used to make them except that with the Internet prices are more uniform (though there are still bargains from vendors who don't know certain "stuff").
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.
Some music news transcends formats and this is one that does. The Band's "Rock of Ages" double LP set recently reissued by Mobile Fidelity to great sonic effect has been given a complete "make over" for a new release coming September 17th.
The Beach Boys sailed into quite a creatively fruitful period in 1972, and a new 180g 5LP+1EP box set dubbed Sail On Sailor - 1972 — slated to be released on November 18 via Capitol/UMe — captures the gist of their labors during such a key transitional year in the band’s history. In addition to the linchpin bookend releases Carl And The Passions – “So Tough” and Holland, this 105-track collection also includes 80 unreleased outtakes, live recordings, demos, alternate versions, alternate mixes, instrumentals, and a cappella tracks. Read on, reader to find out everything that lies within this historical Beach Boys collection. . .