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Quality Record Pressings Expands to Ten Presses by Year's End, More When Demand Warrants (Corrected Story)
Michael Fremer  |  Oct 20, 2012  |  7 comments
I'm in Salina, Kansas this weekend M.C.-ing the Blue Heaven Studios' Masters 15th Annual Blues Masters at the Crossroads concerts.
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Quality Record Pressings Sheds 20 Grams
Michael Fremer  |  Oct 09, 2020  |  22 comments
In case you’re still wondering if the vinyl resurgence is a “bubble” or a temporary uptick, you’d best disabuse yourself of that thought. Despite the Apollo/Transco fire and other roadblocks like the record distribution debacle that had last year’s “Making Vinyl Hollywood” attendees in a near panic, record sales (and turntable sales) continue to soar—and best of all, a new, young and sophisticated clientele insists upon quality even as demand for novelty colored and splattered vinyl also grows. We welcome them all (even picture disc buyers).

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R.I.P. Armando ("A.J.") Conti (Updated 10/13 10:22 PM)
Michael Fremer  |  Oct 13, 2016  |  12 comments
I am so sorry to report the passing of Basis Audio's Armando ("A.J.") Conti, one of the audio industry's nicest, most interesting and talented turntable and tone arm designers.

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R.I.P. (Record In Peace) Legendary Recording Engineer Al Schmitt
Michael Fremer  |  May 04, 2021  |  12 comments
Legendary recording engineer, producer, mixer and all around great person Al Schmitt died last week at 91. He was still working at the end of his life. The multiple Grammy winner engineered albums for Bob Dylan, The Jefferson Airplane, Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles, Diana Krall, Sam Cooke, and on and on in an illustrious career that began as a child in his uncle Harry's New York City recording studio where he did odd jobs including cable cleaning.

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R.I.P. Legendary Mastering Engineer Stan Ricker
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.
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R.I.P. Steely Dan Co-Founder Walter Becker
Michael Fremer  |  Sep 03, 2017  |  13 comments
Steely Dan co-founder, guitarist and Donald Fagen's song writing partner Walter Becker died Sunday at age 67. No cause of death has been given. Becker and Fagen met in 1967 while students at Bard College. Becker had missed July concerts because of illness but was expected to "recover from a procedure" and re-join the tour. His doctor had advised him to stay home during that time.

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Radiohead Announces November 5th Release of Kid A Mnesia   In Multiple Formats
Michael Fremer  |  Sep 07, 2021  |  19 comments
The 21st anniversary of Radiohead's 2000 releases Kid A and Amnesiac will see the release of a multiple format triple-album featuring 1/2 speed re-masters of both Nigel Godrich produced albums and a third album of "never-before-heard "If You Say the Word" and a previously unreleased studio recording of "Follow Me Around".

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Radiohead's Thom Yorke To Release Atoms For Peace Side Project on Double LP and Double LP "Deluxe" Editions
Michael Fremer  |  Jan 30, 2013  |  1 comments
Atoms For Peace is a Thom Yorke side project collaboration with producer Nigel Godrich, Red Hot Chili Pepper bassist Flea, drummer Joey Waronker (son of former WB Records exec Lenny), and Brazilian percussionist Moro Rofosco.
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Rainbo Records Shutters After Pressing Records For 80 Years (Corrected 11/15/19)
Michael Fremer  |  Oct 25, 2019  |  21 comments
Rainbo Records' President Steve Sheldon announced the other day that after pressing records for 80 years the company would close and liquidate its assets—and not because of a business slowdown. Quite the opposite as everyone knows.

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Ray Sings, Basie Swings on 140g 2LP Collection from Tangerine Records on September 23
Mike Mettler  |  Jul 27, 2022  |  2 comments

To slightly modify a line from “Let the Good Times Roll” . . . hey y’all, tell everybody Ray Charles is back on wax — and this time, he's got the Count Basie Orchestra with him. To wit: Tangerine Records will re-release the October 2006 album Ray Sings, Basie Swings on September 23, 2022, in a 140g 2LP collection pressed by IRP.

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Read "The Long Play" by Colette LaBouff Published in The Morning News
Michael Fremer  |  Nov 20, 2014  |  30 comments
A reader forwarded a link to a story by Colette LaBouff published in The Morning News, "a magazine of essays, art, humor and culture" that I'm 100% certain you will enjoy reading. The publisher has generously granted us permission to provide the link.

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Reader Complains About Rainbo Pressing
Michael Fremer  |  May 05, 2011  |  0 comments
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Reader Takes Record Cleaning to the Extremes In YouTube Video
Michael Fremer  |  Dec 01, 2012  |  20 comments
Reader Tony Crocker emailed me with the URL for his YouTube record cleaning video. Crocker bases it in part on the one written for The Tracking Angle by Michael Wayne some years ago that you can access on this site.
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Recent Cable Test Bogus? Can't We All Get Along?
Michael Fremer  |  Feb 07, 2014  |  22 comments
Was the recent cable test result wherein approximately 80% of the participants heard a difference and described it consistent with my original observations due to a variable other than the cables (leaving aside that we did note the junction box variable as a possible cause)?

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Record Store Day 2020 “RSD Drops” Finally Approaching!
Malachi Lui  |  Aug 20, 2020  |  12 comments
After two COVID-19-induced delays, Record Store Day 2020 is finally (sort of) happening. Instead of the usual huge event, in an attempt to “socially distance” RSD, the releases will drop on three Saturdays over as many months. These “RSD Drops” occur August 29, September 26, and October 24, and in my opinion might fail the social distancing test. In particular, the August 29 drop has huge releases with diverse audiences; I predict that this first drop will be rather busy, leaving the latter two far emptier. I’ll be lining up early at Music Millennium on August 29 (last year’s event at Everyday Music was unsuccessful) for a large set of releases. Here are this year’s most noteworthy RSD items:

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