LATEST ADDITIONS

DS Audio has just announced the U.S. availability of the company’s TB-100 tube phono equalizer — and the first Stateside showing of the EQ production model will be at this weekend’s upcoming Florida International Audio Expo (a.k.a. FLAX) in Tampa, Florida, which is being held from February 21-23, 2025. Read on to see all the specs and features of the TB-100, and also find out what other amazing high-end gear it will be paired with for its FLAX demo debut. . .

The name Sun Ra and the term “free jazz” can conjure up all manner of strange musical imagery, especially amongst those unfamiliar with his music. Alternate identifiers such as “free improvisation” and the more umbrella-like “modern jazz” might ease those anxieties, but the reality is, a lot of Ra’s spirited music is not as random and difficult as some might think. Read Mark Smotroff’s Short Cuts combo review that focuses on five new and recent 180g Sun Ra-centric vinyl releases that we hope will intrigue listeners to explore this fascinating artist’s music with fresh ears and open minds. . .

Make way for the mighty Clipper! In this case, we’re referring to JICO’s Clipper moving magnet (MM) cartridge, which is purported to be the world’s first dual-fitting model, and it features a tapered S-cantilever that is said to be inspired by the designs of Audio Empire and Swing record needles. Read on to see all the specs and features of the noted Japanese cartridge and vinyl accessory brand’s new Clipper MM cart. . .

If it’s post-Super Bowl Monday, then it must be time for a good cleaning. (Work with me here.) Regardless of how you watched (or avoided!) the spectacle that was Super Bowl LIX, it’s always a good idea to begin with a clean slate the day afterward — especially if you choose to spin some cherished LPs, old and/or new, to shake off that final-game grit and get the post-NFL season underway (as we’re doing right now, in fact). To that end, we turn our eye to the Degritter Mark II ultrasonic record cleaning machine to help with our prospective cleaning. Read on to see all the cool features and specs of the Mark II RCM. . .