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Album ReviewsFeatures
In Memory of Soul-Funk Pop Innovator Sly Stone, Whose Connective, Harmonious, Everyday People Vibes Continue to Unite Us All on Vinyl
Mike Mettler,  |  Jun 17, 2025

Last week was indeed a tough one for those of us who listen to a lot of music on vinyl that initially made literal waves in the latter half of the 20th Century. Just two days prior to Beach Boys architect Brian Wilson’s passing at age 82 on June 11, 2025, funk/soul pop pioneer Sly Stone also passed away at age 82 on June 9, 2025. In the following in-depth analysis, AP editor Mike Mettler and our chief album reviewer Mark Smotroff combine forces to give us their collective overview of Sly’s best moments on vinyl. . .

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Munich 2025Show Reports
Chord Electronics Ultima Phonostage Phono Preamp, Bauer Audio dps 3 Turntable
Julie Mullins  |  Jun 17, 2025

In Part 6 of her High End Munich 2025 show report, Julie Mullins gives us the lowdown on the new Chord Electronics Ultima Phonostage phono preamp, which was seen amplifying the signal from a Bauer Audio dps 3 turntable fitted with an Ortofon MC Cadenza cartridge. . .

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Album ReviewsFeatures
Remembering Brian Wilson: A Life of Groundbreaking Influence and Music Magic, Best Appreciated on Vinyl
Mark Smotroff  |  Jun 13, 2025

Mark Smotroff takes us through the many on-vinyl highs of the rich recorded life of Brian Wilson, the visionary pop composer who passed away at age 82 on June 11, 2025. Read on to see which Beach Boys records and Brian Wilson solo LPs are worth surfing through again and again on vinyl. . .

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Munich 2025Show Reports
Unitra Tell Us Why They’ve Gone All in on Direct-Drive Turntables
Julie Mullins  |  Jun 12, 2025

In Part 5 of her Munich 2025 show report, Julie Mullins gets a firsthand explanation for why Polish manufacturer Unitra wholly embrace direct-drive turntables, and sees/hears one of their latest tables in action to illustrate the point. . .

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Analog Gear News
Sublima Audio Research Shelly Tonearm Headshell
Mike Mettler  |  Jun 12, 2025

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

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

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
Pro-Ject X Series Turntables, Cartridges, Tonearms, Travel Sets, and Special Edition Turntables
Julie Mullins  |  Jun 06, 2025

Here in Part 4 of her Munich 2025 show report, Julie Mullins is all about Pro-Ject and the wide array of products they had on display in Halle 3, including new X Series turntables, tonearms, cartridges, travel sets, and special-edition turntables galore. . .

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Album ReviewsShort Cuts
Short Cuts, Vol. 28, New Wave Edition: Catching Up on Cool New LPs From ’80s Icons The Vapors and Peter Holsapple of The dB’s, Plus a Key Of-Era LP Reissue From Violent Femmes
Mark Smotroff  |  Jun 06, 2025

Several iconic, pop-rockin’, punk-adjacent artists from the late 1970s and early 1980s new-wave era have new albums out now — and there are also a number of encouraging audiophile-oriented reissues as well. For this somewhat thematic Short Cuts installment, Mark Smotroff zeros in on a mixture of both by exploring a pair of fun new releases from The Vapors and Peter Holsapple, plus an AAA reissue of a Violent Femmes album we suspect many of us overlooked at the time of its original 1984 release. . .

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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

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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