Your turntable phono cartridge is an incredibly sensitive bit of kit capable of turning even very small vibrations into an electrical signal that inevitably ends up processed as sound. Any resonance, vibrations, or mechanical noise that is processed by the cartridge will muddy the sound of your records, and in louder, more extreme circumstance, feedback can occur. Needless to say, … Read More
Full Force Hi-Fi Cork Vinyl Slipmat Review
A cork slip mat is one of the most affordable, yet effective upgrades you can make to your turntable setup. Cork has many benefits including reduced static, better isolation from motor/belt sound, and (best of all) a tighter, more focused playback sound. In my experience, the bass frequency performance, in particular, is reinforced by the addition of a good quality … Read More
Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Review
Pro-Ject Audio Systems have rightfully gained a reputation in the market for manufacturing elegant turntables. Their approach is refreshingly simple, with bells and whistles removed in favour of high-quality components delivering the best possible performance at each price-point. I’ve tested the Pro-Ject Essential II before and was impressed with the performance given the relatively low price. Naturally, when the opportunity … Read More
Cyber Clean Vinyl Phono Care Review
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
GrooveWasher SC1 Stylus Cleaning Kit Review
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
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
Removing Record Static with the Milty Zerostat
For vinyl collectors, statically charged records are a persistent thorn in the side. When a vinyl record becomes statically charged, it acts like a magnet for any dust lurking near its vicinity, making it near-impossible to keep the record clean. The problem is most acute in dry climates when the humidity is low; this is because the surface moisture on … Read More
Project Essential II Review
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
Holiday Gift Ideas for Vinyl Record Lovers
Updated for 2018 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 … Read More
Upgrades You Should Make to Your Project Essential II Turntable
As regular readers of this blog will know, I’m a huge fan of Projects Essential II for its low-cost, minimalistic approach that gets all the basics right. They don’t have any fancy features, but they sound great and won’t ruin your precious vinyl records. For $300 (£209) you can’t go wrong on a budget. One of the great things about project turntables is … Read More
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