All Things Vinyl, October 5, 2009: Classic Records Royal Ballet and Beethoven Symphonies on Clarity Vinyl.

by Oliver Amnuayphol

Not a lot of vinyl news this week, but still some golden nuggets to report on: Classic Records just announced two fabulous new vinyl releases, the first of which being the highly sought after The Royal Ballet Gala Performances. Recorded in 1957 at Kingsway Hall, Royal Ballet features Ernest Ansermet conducting the Royal Opera House Orchestra in one their finest performances ever recorded. Many classical-luvin' audiophiles consider this to be one of Decca's finest recordings, and now Classic Records has reissued Ballet on their wondrous 200 gram, QUIEX-SVP Clarity vinyl formulation--and on 9 45-rpm discs no less. Sure, there's a non-45 rpm version of this album available as well, but if you love this music and treasure superb-sounding classical music from the golden age of LP recordings, you'll delight at all the musical and sonic riches this 9-disc set has to offer. Look for this set to be available October 16th at around $120.

Also coming soon from Classic Records is the complete cycle of Beethoven Symphonies with Josef Krips conducting the London Symphony Orchestra. That's right--all nine glorious Beethoven symphonies in one set! Originally issued in 1959 by Everest Records, the Krips Beethoven cycle is one in a series of Everest gems originally recorded onto 35mm master tape; Bert Whyte was at the helm of the original sessions and did a fine job of capturing all of Walthamstow Assembly Hall's rich reverberant decay, sense of scale and natural tonal balance. Rest assured Classic is coaxing as much sonic goodness as possible from this one: the set will comprise 10 200-gram Quiex-SVP Clarity vinyl LPs with mastering at Bernie Grundman. Look for the set to be available around Oct. 20th, $249 MSRP. 

All Things Vinyl, August 20, 2009: SoundSmith Strain Gauge Cartridge; Garrard 301 Video.

by Oliver Amnuayphol

MM or MC? If you read the previous ATV post, you'll know when it comes to phono cartridges, you usually have a choice between two flavors: moving magnet or moving coil. Sure, once in a while there are variations on the theme, such as Joe Grado's or the the Soundsmith's moving iron carts; but in terms of technology, there's nothing new. There is however one decidely oldschool cartridge type that's new again: the strain gauge cartridge. More kudos to the folks at the Soundsmith for re-introducing this fab technology, and since Soundsmith proprietor Mr. Ledermann can explain how it works much better than I can, I'll let him do the talking:

And speaking of old school tech, many of you long-time analoggerheads might remember that venerable British turntable brand, Garrard and their legendary tables, the 301 and 401. Check out this YouTube video of one sweet vintage-inspired, valves-n-vinyl system featuring the 301:

All Things Vinyl, August 7, 2009: Phono Cartridge Wear and Retipping.

by Oliver Amnuayphol

Here's a bit of trivia: What do red roses, Maxim's Hot 100, and phono cartridges all have in common? They're all beautiful creatures, and they all possess a finite lifespan. Sad, I know! So if you weren't aware of that last bit about cartridges, I'm sorry to be the one to have to break it to you: your cart's suspension and stylus will eventually wear out because of normal, everyday use. Unfortunately, it's tough to say exactly when this will happen; variables like stylus/record cleanliness, proper cartridge set up/alignment, and durability of your cartridge's various bits will all be critical in determining its lifespan (estimates typically range anywhere from 1000-5000+ hours). Of course, this is assuming you haven't done anything clumsy to your precious cartridge, like break off the stylus/cantilever assemby while being scratchmaster DJ at your local college house party (if this sounds like you, chances are you're already familiar with worn out cartridges) . Either way, after a certain point your precious pickup head will no longer be fit for use. So, what can you do if/when this happens?

If you're using a moving magnet cartridge, often the answer is quite simple: since most moving magnet  carts have detachable stylus assemblies, get a replacement one and swap the old with the new. Easy Peasy! In fact, for a good chunk of MM carts out there, you can upgrade the stylus to a better performing assembly when replacement time comes. But what if you own a moving coil cartridge? Since the stylus/suspension assembly on MCs is permanently fixed, there are only three options once it's worn: Throw away the cartridge; get a measely sum for it as a trade in towards a much more expensive cartridge; or get it re-tipped. That's right folks: there's actually a way to get your stylus and/or suspension replaced by someone, somewhere who specializes in this sort of microscopic thing. And it can cost as little as $150. Brilliant! And since most of us work for a living and can't afford to keep upgrading our pick up heads every few years, getting your moving coil re-tipped would seem the more cost effective option--especially in light of what some cartridges can cost, with or without trade in value.

So, is re-tipping worth it? Does the cart come back to you good as new? Or better? Or heaven forbid, worse? Beats me. While I've almost exclusively used MCs for the past 15 or so years, I've always taken immaculate care them, cleaning the stylus after every record side. And since I have a few carts in rotation, the cartridges I have now are still in pristine condition: the oldest member of the pickup head family is nearly ten years old, a lovely Ortofon Jubilee--the best cartridge I own. But after years of fairly heavy use, its stylus isn't quite what it used to be, and I'll be darned if I'm going to throw it out or buy an even more mucho expensivo cart anytime soon. Therefore it's time for my first Official Moving Coil Cartridge Re-Tip.

After hearing about their stellar services for years, I promptly contacted The Soundsmith who, in addition to offering their own cartridges and other sundries, are reputed to offer one of the finest re-tipping services around. Prices for re-tipping usually range from $150 to $450, and the offer a nice variety of stylus and cantilever options. I spoke at length with owner Peter Ledermann, the lone re-tipping technician at the Soundsmith, about my cartridge, needs, and sonic preferences. He was very patient, thorough, and answered all of my questions in detail, helping me to settle on the top of the line, $450 "re-tip only" service that retains my cartridge's super-wicked, high quality boron cantilever but adds a new Optimized Contour Nude Contact Line stylus. Feedback has been very positive on this option, and the stylus profile is reportedly a huge performance improvement over the Jubilee's stock Shibata design. I'll be issuing a full review and verdict once I get my cartridge back, but it may be a while: though I sent in my cart about four weeks ago, due to high demand for the service (and the fact that Ledermann is the sole re-tipper), approximate time frame for a proper re-tip is 10-12 weeks. See you on the other side!

All Things Vinyl, July 16, 2009: New VPI Scout and Mini Super-Feet Upgrade.

by Oliver Amnuayphol

  If you're already familiar with Harry Weisfeld's VPI line of turntables, you'll know they've been very well received by both analog-luvin' enthusiasts and the audiophile press at large thanks to their ingenious mix of performance, value, and user-friendliness. What's more, Weisfeld is never one to rest on his laurels; he's always revising and improving his existing designs while making upgrades that are backwards compatible with older, retired 'tables (as is the case with the Super Platter I wrote about a few moons ago). Well now there's a new addition to the VPI family, the Aries Scout II. Though the original Scout is still available, version II includes two key upgrades over the original Scout--an all new, 1 and 7/8" thick, 20 lb. machined 6061 aluminum platter and a redesigned, damped and tapered JMW 9T tonearm. Perhaps best of all though is the price: the Scout II weighs in at only $300 more than the original, or only $2100 for all this licorice pizza-spinning goodness. Available now.

Attention existing Scout owners: Wanna know how to noticeably improve the performance of your 'table? If so then I've got a doozie of an upgrade for you: VPI's Mini Super-Feet ($300). Intended to provide better stability and vibration control for Scout and Aries series plinths, the Super-Feet weigh nearly a pound each and are made of a Delrin and stainless steel composite. The feet feature threaded connecting rods supported by a damping mechanism and are easily screwed to the plinth in place of your existing, cone-style feet. Three small, captured bearings on the feet bottoms serve as the contact points for your stand or shelf to further control vibrations.

Indeed, a few seconds into an LP side was all it took to know these Super-Feet definitely work as advertised: they eliminated the last vestiges of rumble I experienced at higher volumes, and heavy footfalls were no longer an issue. And lest you think better vibration control was the only trick the VPI feet had up their sleeves, think again: My Scout now had deeper, more articulate bass; a more solid, focused, and stable sound; and a broader, more expansive soundstage. It's not hard to fathom why such a thing should be so; getting rid of those pesky vibrational forces constantly impinging upon your LP spinner means more consistent motor/platter rotation and better contact between your stylus and the LP's groove walls. To say I'm impressed by these wonder feet is putting it mildly: if you wanna get the best sound your Scout has to offer, pick up a set set of the Mini Super-Feet right away.

All Things Vinyl, July 2, 2009: More Analog Luvin' the YouTube Way.

by Oliver Amnuayphol

Praise be the video gods at YouTube, who allow us plebes to upload nearly any kind of personal video for all the world to see--including vids of some seriously heavy-duty hi-fi and analog rigs. There's almost nothing I love more than staring at the platters of supremely lustworthy vinyl spinners going 'round and 'round--except maybe sharing them with all you analoggerheads out there. So without further delay, I officially bring you the next installment of Analog Luvin'  the YouTube Way.

Up first is some video of the Clearaudio Statement turntable I wrote about previously. You may recall the Statement being one of the most expensive 'tables in the world; check out how the person handling the records and table appropriately takes the utmost care in prepping the vinyl and the 'table for a most ritualistic playback experience:

Now that magnetically isolated turntable bearing/platter assemblies are all the rage, it's easy to forget the turntable that started it all, the JC Verdier La Platine Verdier. Universally praised as a revolutionary design, the Platine Verdier uses opposing magnets to mechanically decouple the platter from every other part of the turntable, thereby drastically reducing friction, resonance-induced distortions and sympathetic vibrations for nearly perfect rotational operation. Indeed, this YouTube video shows how the platter's rotational stability is so perfect that, were it not for reflecting light and digital video pixelization artifacts, one would be hard-pressed to know whether the platter is stopped or spinning:

If you're a hi-fi and vinyl nut, chances are you've probably heard of Simon Yorke and his beautiful transcription-quality turntables. If not, perhaps all you need to know is that the Library of Congress, home to the world's largest archival recorded sound and music library, commissioned no less than five transcription-quality turntables from Mr. Yorke for archiving some of their most precious and delicate records. Here is the man himself talking about why he loves analog, God bless him:

All Things Vinyl, June 18, 2009: Linn Sondek SE LP12 Upgrades.

by Oliver Amnuayphol

"Just like a fine wine" is how I'd describe the Linn Sondek LP12: it really does get better with age. Seems like just yesterday Linn Products Ltd. introduced the first round of SE upgrades for the venerable LP12, consisting of the stunning titanium Ekos SE tonearm and the beautifully machined-from-solid aluminum Keel subchassis. Now Ivor Tiefenbrun and company have unleashed two new LP12 SE  products, the Urika and Radikal. The Urika is an all new MC phono stage featuring dual-mono, balanced circuitry for either RCA or transformer-coupled XLR outputs; an all new Trampolin baseboard was designed to place the Urika directly inside the Sondek's plinth for the shortest, most direct signal path possible.

Urika phono stage

Perhaps most importantly, the Urika can only be powered by the Radikal--which may indeed be Linn's most, ahem, "radical" design evolution ever for the LP12, as it features a DC motor in addition to its motor control and power supply circuitry. Long noted for being staunch advocates of AC powered motors, the Radikal's brushed DC motor is further isolated in a low vibration/low resonance housing and uses Klimax DS-sourced on-board speed management for smooth, stable, noise-free operation.

Radikal power supply and motor control unit

All this cutting-edge tech doesn't come cheap however: The Urika will set you back about 2250 GBP (about $3700 us) and the Radikal either 2500 GBP (about $4000) or a much dearer 4500 GBP ($7400) if you spring for the machined from solid aluminum Klimax chassis. But hey, at least you can save some scrilla when you buy 'em both at once: The combo purchase will set you back either 4200 GBP ($6900, standard Radikal chassis) or 6200 GBP ($10,200, Klimax Radikal chassis). Both products available now.

All Things Vinyl, May 27, 2009: New Vinyl from Schema and Philips

by Oliver Amnuayphol

The vinyls just keep coming folks: Lately there's been a ton of great new releases to get your mitts on, spanning all different genres, from new music to old. I've been a big fan of new-groove jazz for years, and  Schema Records have always been at the forefront of the movement. Their new releases are mighty fine indeed, combining musically compelling, party-friendly grooves with great sound. Just listen to Gerardo Frisina's new EPs, Introduces Emily Jones and Samba Skindim to hear what it's all about. Schema also reissues some pretty mean classic era, European label jazz for re-release to vinyl; check out the smokin' album Companionship from Sahib Shihab, or Benny Bailey's Mirrors for something a little more chillaxin'. Since Schema is a European label, there aren't too many places to get a hold of these hot platters; be sure to check out Dusty Groove Records though for your fix.

Are you a connoisseur of swingin' 60s French Chanteuse pop music? Me too--and apparently so is the record label Philips, who's reissued a pair of said genre's finest albums on 180-gram, virgin vinyl: France Gall's Poupee de Cire Poupee de Son, and Brigitte Bardot's B.B. Just having the chance to hear a remastered version of Gall's famous "Laisse Tomber Les Filles" makes Poupee worth the 30 bucks, and the Bardot is a pop gem-loaded classic, full of catchy hooks and nimble melodies. You can find these and other fine albums at Soundstage Direct. Oh--while you're there, be sure to check out their outlet section, too: lots of great cover-damaged, discounted and discontinued vinyl titles in genres of every stripe, all at great prices.

All Things Vinyl, May 6, 2009: Vinyl LP Records at Best Buy; Teac Esoteric E-03 Phono Pre; Mosaic Records Thelonius Monk Set.

by Oliver Amnuayphol

The vinyl resurgence keeps on a truckin' my friends: Best Buy recently announced they're a few steps closer to stocking 8 square feet of retail space with vinyl LPs in all of their stores (over 1000!). Considering the fact that Best Buy currently devotes anywhere from 16-20 square feet of floor space to music, 8 square feet is a considerable chunk of real estate indeed. Prompted by a continual 20% decrease in CD sales year over year and an 89% increase(!) in vinyl sales over last year, Best Buy believes the move will prove profitable due to their large scale purchasing power (resulting in slightly healthier margins) and ever-increasing sales on licorice pizzas. Only the shadow knows if Best Buy will go ahead with vinyl, so email the big dogs at Best Buy to make this a reality, and vote with your pocketbooks!

We've written before about the importance of a quality phono stage for your vinyls: If you're wanting to coax maximum sonic goodness from your LP playback chain, a good phono pre is an absolute must. Now there's another premium phono stage to consider: the Teac Esoteric E-03 (circa $5500, available now). Long known for their state of the art CD/SACD spinners, Esoteric's gone all out with the E-03: discrete, identical dual mono signal paths; dual R core transformers; and selectable cartridge impedance for two inputs. If you've got a top-flight LP rig, you owe it to yourself to check out the Esoteric E-03. 

Looks like Mosaic Records is once again diggin' on the vinyls: Mosaic has just released The Complete Thelonious Monk at the It Club as a 4 lp set on high quality, 180-gram pressings ($100). Consisting of six live sets recorded over two nights and featuring long time tenor sax sideman Charlie Rouse, Mosaic has gone back to the original It Club three-track master tapes and properly mixed them down stereo analog masters for a spectacular sounding release. The Complete IT Club is available now, but act fast if you're interested: only 5000 total copies will be pressed, and once they're gone, they're gone for good.

All Things Vinyl, April 7, 2009: Zu Audio/Denon DL-103

by Oliver Amnuayphol

This week I wanna tell all you analog addicts out there about a very special range of products: The Zu Audio modded Denon DL-103 and 103r cartridges. Most vinylheads out there are already familiar with the legendary 103 range of cartridges; but just in case, a little background for ya: Way back during the Kennedy administration, Denon and the Japan Broadcasting Corporation wanted to produce a durable, wide-bandwidth, fuss-free, set-up friendly moving coil pick-up suitable for broadcast use. This collaboration gave us the Denon DL-103, a square-sided, plastic-bodied, low-output (0.3 mV) MC featuring a spherical stylus tip and a high-ish source impedance of 40 ohms. The Denon became an instant success with both industry professionals and consumers alike due to its reliability, ease of set up and unfailingly musical tone. In fact, the Denon has been so successful that the 103 and its variants (such as the 103 "r" with its larger diameter coil windings and lower 16 ohm impedance) have remained in continuous production for 45+ years--darn near HALF A CENTURY! What's more, all this analog goodness can be yours for a measly $229--a mere pittance for the amount of musical kicks on tap, and much less kwan than a lot of newer n' prettier (and quite likely not more musical) carts out there.

Of course, like any budget cartridge, the Denon has its sonic limitations, namely rolled off frequency extremes, a mild thickness in the bass region, and a minor peak in the mids/lower treble range; most vinylheads--including the folks at Zu--will tell you the 103's shortcomings are mainly due to its lightweight, non-rigid plastic body and the less than ideal manner in which various cartridge bits contact it. Zu addresses these shortcomings by dispensing with the plastic body altogether and encasing the nude cartridge into an absolutely gorgeous, CNC-machined from solid, 6061 grade aluminum body that retains the original's mounting geometry and dimensions. A good portion of the inner works are then sealed with a generous dose of clear epoxy for even better coupling. These mods are then incorporated into a range of increasingly tighter-tolerance 103s and 103rs that are available at ascending price points; I decided to purchase the $499, 1% tolerance Grade 1 Zu DL-103 to see how it compares to my stock Denon DL-103. So: We're now talking $229 for the Denon vs. $499 for the Zu modded cart; can the Zu possibly be more than twice as good?

In a word, yes. In three words: Hay-uhl Freakin' YES! Zu took everything that was good about the DL-103 and made it even gooder, keeping just enough of that rich, full-bodied tonality the Denon's famous for and increasing the overall bass depth, definition and clarity. There's still a slight warmth to the lower mids and bass region for sure, only now it's mated to a more neutral midrange and silky smooth treble. The sound is always compelling, with an altogether more even-handed presentation than the plain-jane Denon. This is a hell of a cart for only five Franklins; and if these were the only tricks this Zu modded pony had over a stock 103, I'd already pick it as my first choice in a sub $5 hundy pick up. But just like the infomercial says, "That's not all this baby can do!" There's also greater extension at the frequency extremes; wider and finer dynamic gradations; out of this world timbre and gads of texture, with a smooth, coherent character from top to bottom. And this ain't just "all sonic go and no musical show" either: the Zu DL-103 consistently pulls more music from more records than any sub-thou cart I've listened to. And Bruddah, Buh-leeve you me when I say I've listened to a big hot mess of 'em.

No doubt, the Grade 1 Zu/Denon DL-103 is a very special cartridge, competing more than favorably with other pickups costing twice its modest asking price. In fact it's so good, I even prefer some things about its presentation to my $1500 Lyra Argo i, a great cartridge in its own right; that the Zu DL-103 costs only a third of the Argo i's already reasonable sum makes it an insanely awesome value (kinda like Aperion speakers, wink wink!) and quite possibly the best value in all of hi fi. So even if you're budgeting for a more expensive cartridge, do yourself a favor and check out the Zu/Denon DL-103 first: its so eminently musical and supremely engaging that listening to records with it is an absolute joy. You may just save yourself a pile of scrilla for some more licorice pizzas and find that this is all the cartridge you'll ever need.

All Things Vinyl, March 11, 2009: Cinenow.tv

by Oliver Amnuayphol

If you wanna get more in depth looks at hi fi and analog gear instead of just static words and pics, be sure to   check out Cinenow.tv for videos of some serious A/V va-va voom. Among other videos, Cinenow's got this great clip of the absolutely lustworthy Naim Superline phono preamp I wrote about in the Sept. 24 installment of "ATV." Great shots of the inner workings of this fine sounding phono pre, and lots of informative technical bits as well; check it out here.

 

When it comes to value, practically nothing beats Pro-ject's lineup of turntables and associated gear, and here's another Cinenow clip of Lawrence Armstrong overviewing Pro-ject's line of 'tables. Check out the great shot of the RPM10 'table towards the end of vid; sure looks mighty purrty! With Pro-ject's latest magnetic bearing, carbon fiber tonearm, heavy acrylic platter and Ground It isolation base, the RPM10 should be quite the contender in its price class.

 

If you're addicted to the vinyls, need info on how to best maintain your record collection and prefer to watch n' learn, check out analog diehard Michael Fremer's new DVD, It's a Vinyl World After All. Feast your eyes on the why's and how to's of record cleaning, care and maintenance, collecting and even manufacturing; a great follow up to his first DVD, 21st Century Vinyl. Both discs are informative, educational and entertaining and highly recommended for vinyl enthusiasts of every stripe.