Michael Fremer

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Album Reviews
ORG Polishes Another Decca/London Classic
Michael Fremer  |  Feb 01, 2012  |  comments

The very first London "Blueback" probably engineered by the great K.E. Wilkinson in London's superb sounding Kingsway Hall combines stunning sonics with an accessible, lyrical musical program. Mendelsohn wrote the Overture opus. 21 in 1826 when he was but 17 years old. The remainder was written almost two decades later, commissioned by Prussian King Frederick William IV as accompaniment to an 1843 performance of the play.

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Album Reviews
ORG Polishes Decca/London Sonic Crown Jewel
Michael Fremer  |  Apr 01, 2012  |  comments

Long considered one of the great recordings of the early stereo era, España was originally issued in the UK on the British Decca label (SXL 2020) and on American subsidiary London (CS6006).

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Album Reviews
ORG Reinvents Heavy Weather
Michael Fremer  |  Jun 13, 2012  |  comments
Jazz Fusion may have turned out to be a dead end genre exiled to The Weather Channel's 24 hour forecast, but at its inception arguably with the group Weather Report, the sun shone brightly on its possibilities. How ironic that the jazz offshoot took off with Weather Report and dead-ended on TWC!

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News
ORG To Reissue "Royal Gala Ballet" As Quadruple 45rpm Set
Michael Fremer  |  Oct 15, 2012  |  comments
Originally issued as LDS6065 on RCA Soria, this legendary DECCA UK Kingsway Hall recording is easily one of the finest orchestral recordings of the golden age or any age. (Note: image is of an original pressing)
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News
ORG to Release Jeff Buckley's "Grace" on 180g Double 45rpm Set
Michael Fremer  |  Sep 04, 2013  |  comments
ORG announced today an upcoming series of double 45rpm 180g releases from the Sony/BMG catalog.
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Turntable Reviews
Origin Live Resolution Mk3 Turntable and Illustrious Mk3C Tone Arm Still Captivates
Michael Fremer  |  Aug 05, 2013  |  comments
U.K. based Origin Live has been building its iconoclastic line of turntables and tone arms for decades now and though its American visibility remains relatively low, it has managed to attract a small but enthusiastic and growing consumer fan base .

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Album Reviews
Originators of the first "Rock Opera" Get Some Deserved Attention
Michael Fremer  |  Nov 01, 2007  |  comments

Chronically undervalued and unappreciated in America, The Pretty Things, like The Kinks, The Rolling Stones and so many other British Invasion bands began life as a blues based rock outfit, churning out short, raunchy, Bo Diddley-influenced numbers as this American debut demonstrates, and later veering off into uncharted musical waters. In the case of The Pretty Things, even their name is Bo Diddley derived. Unlike some Brit bands, these guys were anything but pretty in the beginning. They got prettier as time passed.

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Cartridge Reviews
Ortofon 2M Blue Versus Audio Technica AT-VM95ML
Michael Fremer  |  Mar 06, 2020  |  First Published: Mar 06, 2020  |  comments
More than a few emails have arrived over the last few weeks touting the sonic excellence of Audio-Technica's $169 AT-VM95ML moving magnet cartridge. The $236 Ortofon 2M Blue equipped Fluance RT85 was here for review so why not procure a VM95ML and do a direct comparison?

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News
Ortofon Announces 2M Mono Special Edition "Beatles Tribute" Cartridge
Michael Fremer  |  Jun 17, 2014  |  First Published: Jun 17, 2014  |  comments
June 17th, 2014—Ortofon today announced the development of the 2M Mono SE cartridge intended as a "tribute" to the upcoming Beatles mono box set.

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Munich 2019
Ortofon Announces New "Flagship" MC Anna Diamond Cartridge
Michael Fremer  |  May 06, 2019  |  First Published: May 06, 2019  |  comments
In advance of Munich High End 2019 Ortofon announced a new "flagship" moving coil cartridge the Anna Diamond that features a diamond cantilever and a Replicant100 stylus. Based on the specs, what's "under the hood" appears to be similar to that of the limited edition, now sold out MC Century.

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