Mike Mettler

Analog Gear News
Sublima Audio Research Shelly Tonearm Headshell
Mike Mettler  |  Jun 12, 2025  |  First Published: Jun 12, 2025  |  0 comments

We’re always up for seeing whatever cool accessory ideas emerge from the mind of Sublima Audio Research founder Alessandro “Alex” Cereda, and his latest foray into this realm is called Shelly. Read on to see how S.A.R.’s newest accessory, which is made from 300-year-old Italian olive wood, has been designed to be quite the proper tonearm headshell. . .

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ALBUM RELEASE NEWSNew Wax Wednesday
Ethereal Goth Rockers Strange Boutique Are Back to Restock Our Vinyl Coffers With Their First New LP in 31 Years, Let the Lonely Heart Sing
Mike Mettler  |  Jun 11, 2025  |  First Published: Jun 11, 2025  |  3 comments

Call it a case of, shall we say, “capitol gains.” The capitol spelling there is quite deliberate, for it relates to the Washington, D.C., hometown locale of the notable ethereal goth-rock band Strange Boutique, who are finally back on the scene with their first new album in 31 years, Let the Lonely Heart Sing. The LP was released yesterday, June 10, 2025, in a pair of limited-edition color vinyl options by The Circle Music, a Greek label. Read on to see why you should procure either/both versions of Strange Boutique’s stunning new LP ASAP. . .

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Analog Gear News
Victrola Harmony Bluetooth Turntable System With Shelf Speakers
Mike Mettler  |  Jun 10, 2025  |  First Published: Jun 10, 2025  |  1 comments

When it comes to starting points, Victrola knows how to bring people into the analog realm — and to that end, today, June 10, 2025, the company is announcing the official availability of their Harmony Bluetooth Turntable System with Shelf Speakers. Read on to see how the Harmony system has the right amount of zen to pass along to those just getting into our analog field of interest. . .

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Munich 2025Show Reports
Turntables, Turntables, and More Turntables at Munich 2025, Plus Some Tonearms & Cartridges Too
Mike Mettler,  |  Jun 05, 2025  |  First Published: Jun 05, 2025  |  0 comments

The assignment for High End Munich 2025 was simple, and direct: “Show me turntables. Lots and lots of turntables.” And who better to carry out such a focused task than our go-to, table-loving main product reviewer for AP, the always estimable Ken Micallef. Click the link below to see Ken’s 11½-minute Munich 2025 video diary, which features a wide swath of turntables — plus a few tonearms and cartridges to boot — from the likes of TechDAS, Clearaudio, Klaudio, Kronos, Kuzma, Dual, Muarah, and many, many more. . .

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ALBUM RELEASE NEWSNew Wax Wednesday
Talking Heads Build a Better Box Set With the More Songs About Buildings and Food 4LP Super Deluxe Edition That’s Slated for Consumption on July 25
Mike Mettler  |  Jun 04, 2025  |  First Published: Jun 04, 2025  |  2 comments

Take me to the box set, and drop me in the vinyl. And what we mean by that is to announce Talking Heads’ second studio album, July 1978’s More Songs About Buildings and Food, will be getting the Super Deluxe Edition 4LP treatment from Sire/Rhino on July 25, 2025. Read on to see what rarities and live material are also included in this must-have collection (and how to get those four bonus 45s too). . .

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Analog Gear News
Spartan 15 Mk 2 Phono Preamp by Michael Fidler and Classic Audio
Mike Mettler  |  Jun 03, 2025  |  First Published: Jun 03, 2025  |  2 comments

Michael Fidler is a bonafide classic audio maestro, and he knows how to build phono preamps about as good as anybody can. Read on to see all the features and specs for the latest offering from Michael Fidler and Classic Audio — namely, the Spartan 15 Mk 2 phono preamp, which is said to have evolved the standards set with company’s prior Spartan 15 and Spartan 10 double-stage preamps. . .

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ALBUM RELEASE NEWSNew Wax Wednesday
The B-52’s Span the Rainbow With a Myriad of Color Vinyl Choices for All the Good Stuff That’s in Their 9LP Warner Reprise Years Box Set Coming Out June 20
Mike Mettler  |  May 28, 2025  |  First Published: May 28, 2025  |  10 comments

We duly announce that The B-52’s The Warner Reprise Years 9LP box set is slated for release from Warner Records/Reprise/Rhino on June 20, 2025. All 9LPs in this massive collection, which spans the balance of the pioneering alt-punk band’s kaleidoscopic recording career from 1979 to 1992, have been remastered and repressed on a literal rainbow variety of color vinyl options, so read on to see what those colors are, and how good each LP sounds. . .

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FeaturesNews
Late, Great Music Visionary Herb Belkin’s Amazing Collection, Including Many of His Own Original Rare & Low-Number MFSL Limited-Edition LPs and Box Sets, Is Set for Auction by Thomaston Place Auction Galleries on June 29
Mike Mettler,  |  May 27, 2025  |  First Published: May 27, 2025  |  4 comments

Herb Belkin was one of a kind. A lifetime record executive who was instrumental in taking a onetime field-recording audio company known as Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab (a.k.a. MFSL) to the next, audiophile-grade level in the late 1970s and early 1980s, Belkin (1939-2001) also amassed quite the robust collection of vinyl, CDs, LDs, and other music-related memorabilia over the course of his rich life. A good amount of Belkin’s personal archive from the MFSL universe (and beyond!) is coming up for auction at 11 a.m. EDT on June 29, 2025, through Thomaston Place Auction Galleries on Day 3 of their Summer Splendor auction series. Read Mike Mettler and Mark Smotroff’s combo report to see what rare items from Belkin’s vinyl collection are going up for this auction — and also find out what gear he listened to all of it on back in the day. . .

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ALBUM RELEASE NEWSNew Wax Wednesday
Oscar Peterson Trio’s 1964 Jazz Masterwork, We Get Requests, Kicks Off Burmester’s Pure Sound Master Recordings Series With a Truly Special Limited-Edition 12in Lacquer Release
Mike Mettler  |  May 21, 2025  |  First Published: May 21, 2025  |  18 comments

We all have our own pet requests for classic albums we’d love to see reissued in the purest, and most honest, analog capacity as possible — and sometimes, those requests are heeded. To that end, the noted German manufacturer Burmester have just announced their new Pure Sound Master Recordings Series that kicks off with one of the best LPs to do so with — namely, Oscar Peterson Trio’s 1964 jazz piano masterpiece, We Get Requests. Read on to see all the details about this most excellent limited-edition lacquer. . .

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Analog Gear NewsMunich 2025
Wilson Benesch Graviton Ti Tonearm
Mike Mettler  |  May 20, 2025  |  First Published: May 20, 2025  |  0 comments

Presenting another piece of cool gear seen at High End Munich 2025, before we begin sharing all the deep-dive show reports from our fellow editors who were at the big show — namely, the Wilson Benesch Graviton Ti tonearm, which “evolved” (their word) from the version of the arm originally integrated into their flagship GMT One System turntable and seen here on the Dohmann Helix One Mk3 turntable. . .

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