A clean, well looked after vinyl record is a joy to behold, and in my opinion, the best way to experience your favorite music as the artist intended. Dirty records, on the other hand, will quickly have you reaching for the mute button. If you’ve just started your vinyl hobby—or you’ve recently rekindled the old record flame—the chances are you’ve come across … Read More
Do You Need a Mono Cartridge to Play Mono Records?
Tech Talk12 Comments
Up until the late 1950s, commercial music was mixed in mono. Even then, it took some time for stereo to take off, and it wasn’t until the late 1960s that stereo went mainstream. In the early days of stereo, many engineers took the opportunity to experiment and play with the format. It’s not uncommon for the stereo version of a … Read More
How to Clean Vinyl Records by Hand
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In an ideal world, we’d all be able to clean vinyl records with a fancy, purpose-built device, such as a vinyl vacuum system or an ultrasonic cleaning setup. Unfortunately, however, many of these advanced cleaning methods are either cost-prohibitive or impractical for the average vinyl record collector. Consequently, many of us must settle for good old fashioned hand cleaning. I … Read More
Ken Nordine – Colors: Liner Notes According to Black Circle Radio Vol 3
Mitch Anderson
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Welcome to Liner Notes – Volume Three. In each installment, BCR founder and host, Mitch Anderson brings you an “album of the month” as chosen by the man himself. You can expect an eclectic range of music, along with an honest write-up of each featured record. We hope you’ll discover something new as we endeavor to take you on a musical … Read More
Albums for Winter – Five Fire-Side Records for the Season
Just a couple of months ago, as the leaves turned a fiery golden red, we began a series exploring the effect seasons have on our musical palette. We listed our top cozy albums for fall/autumn, and then asked you, the readers, to share your personal favorites. With winter now upon us, and Christmas just a few days away, it’s time … Read More
Mastering Vinyl: Alchemy’s Barry Grint on What Makes a Great Record, and the Importance of Quality Control
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When it comes to producing and releasing a vinyl record, much of the final outcome hangs on the mastering process. During this final polishing stage, a great mix can either be sent to the stratosphere or drowned in a ditch (figuratively speaking). Any mastering engineer worth one’s salt will take a great deal of care in ensuring the hard work … Read More
How to Clean Vinyl Records
Record Maintenance12 Comments
To fully enjoy vinyl, you must keep your records clean. Dirty records don’t just sound bad, they’re also bad for your turntable, as the increased stress on your stylus will significantly shorten its life. This, in turn, will also lead to increased record wear. You can read more about complete record care in our previous post, but for today, we’re going to focus … Read More
Soft Machine – Seven: Liner Notes According to Black Circle Radio Vol 2
Mitch Anderson
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Welcome to Liner Notes – Volume Two. Each month BCR founder and host, Mitch Anderson brings you an “album of the month” as chosen by the man himself. You can expect an eclectic range of music, along with an honest write-up of each featured record. We hope you’ll discover something new as we endeavor to take you on a musical … Read More
Pro-Ject VC-S2 ALU Vacuum Record Cleaning Machine Review
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Sound Matters test Pro-Jects new and improved flagship vacuum-powered record cleaning machine: Keeping your vinyl records clean is essential if you want them to sound great for a lifetime and beyond. For this reason, vinyl record cleaning remains one of the most-read topics on Sound Matters. For those on a tight budget, you can achieve great results cleaning records by … Read More
Gift Ideas for Vinyl Record Enthusiasts – 2019
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It’s that time of year again; the temperature is dropping, the nights are drawing in, and that nagging question of what to buy friends and family for the big day is becoming more significant with each passing week. If you’re buying for the vinyl record enthusiast, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve got suggestions to suit all budgets when … Read More