Don’t Let Amazon Echo or Google Home Control Your Music at Home

Marc HenshallCulture & IndustryLeave a Comment

As we progress further into the digital age, more of the devices we use on a day-to-day basis become interconnected. This process is often referred to as the “Internet of Things” or IoT for short. IoT affects a multitude of spaces, including infrastructure, manufacturing, agriculture, and more. But perhaps the most obvious area is home electronics. As time goes on, … Read More

Cyber Clean Vinyl Phono Care Review

Marc HenshallRecord Care, Reviews1 Comment

When it comes to vinyl record cleaning, choosing the right product for you can seem daunting. I’ve covered a wide range of the available options through this website, ranging from the conventional to downright bizarre. By this point, it’s not very often I come across a method that’s new to me, which is ultimately why a product like Cyber Clean … Read More

Upcycled Vinyl Record Storage – How to Guide

Marc HenshallCulture & Industry, Record Storage1 Comment

Record storage solutions is a popular topic across the vinyl community. We’ve covered best practice storage in the past, and we’ve also covered the ubiquitous, and numerous solutions available through IKEA, but what if you’re after something a little more bespoke? The IKEA route is a great affordable way to get started with record storage – I owned their NORNÄS … Read More

Five Classic Album & Beer Pairings

Marc HenshallCulture & Industry1 Comment

I like vinyl records, and I like beer. Therefore, what could be better than appropriately paired frothy beverages with your favorite classic albums on wax. So grab a cold one, pop on your favorite album, and turn up the volume to five classic discs with added buzz. The Smiths – The Queen Is Dead The Smiths are synonymous with Manchester, … Read More

Vinyl’s Imperfections Improve the Listening Experience

Marc HenshallCulture & Industry, Tech Talk3 Comments

It is the prerogative of each generation preceding the next to claim that their generation’s music was better. Or at least that’s how each generation typically feels… We all get there eventually; at first you’re checking out what’s new on the block musically every day, then it’s every week – or even every month. Before you know it, you haven’t … Read More

GrooveWasher SC1 Stylus Cleaning Kit Review

Marc HenshallReviews6 Comments

As the 26th U.S. President, Theodore Roosevelt once said, “Nothing in the world is worth having or worth doing unless it means effort, pain, difficulty… I have never in my life envied a human being who led an easy life. I have envied a great many people who led difficult lives and led them well.” These words will almost certainly … Read More

GrooveWasher G2 Vinyl Record Cleaner Review

Marc HenshallReviews4 Comments

Choosing the right record cleaning system is important but often confounding. After all, the internet is brimming with countless suggestions and methods — many of which are dubious at best. In many cases, there’s almost a pseudoscience to cleaning vinyl records, with some approaches verging on the bizarre (wood glue springs to mind). At Sound Matters, we’ve covered plenty of … Read More

Project Essential II Review

Marc HenshallReviews3 Comments

Hi-FI audio is a notoriously expensive, and often slightly elitist, hobby. Enthusiasts with the spare cash and space will think nothing of spending eye-watering amounts of cash on high-end audio equipment, which can often leave more casual listeners wondering, “are they hearing something I’m not!?” At Sound Matters, it’s our belief that it doesn’t have to cost the earth to … Read More

Top Five Turntable Upgrades

Marc HenshallRecord Care, Tech Talk2 Comments

One of the great advantages of building a hi-fi setup through separate components is the option to perform spot upgrades – almost infinitely – should your budget permit. From your turntable to your speakers, and even the listening environment itself, every last piece of the signal chain is upgradable or modifiable. Before we get started, it’s worth mentioning that the … Read More

Ultrasonic Cleaning for Vinyl Records

Marc HenshallRecord Care9 Comments

We’ve covered plenty of conventional methods for cleaning vinyl records at Sound Matters – from relatively expensive vinyl cleaning machines to humble but effective manual cleaning solutions. But there’s one method we haven’t yet touched on that’s rapidly gaining popularity in the vinyl community, and that’s ultrasonic cleaning. What is Ultrasonic Cleaning? In a nutshell, Ultrasonic cleaning is a process … Read More