Mike Mettler

Michael Fidler and Classic Audio are synonymous with making quality phono preamps — a.k.a. phono stages, depending on your nomenclature preferences — as the company’s respective PRO and Spartan series can readily attest. Fidler’s latest offering, the MM PRO, is ready for system-integration duty regardless of which side of the Pond you reside, so read on to find out if it fits your own phono-stage needs. . .

It’s time for us to show some love to AMG (Analog Manufaktur Germany), who make Großartig (great, that is) turntables and tonearms. The recently upgraded Giro MK II turntable is the focus of our current affection, so read on to see what’s to love about it and its fine spinning capabilities. . .

The more we listen to our vinyl, the more we notice how much our LPs need regular cleaning, regardless of whether they’re new or used copies. Record cleaning devices range widely in terms of performance and options, of course, and we will be reviewing a number of them in the coming months here on AP. In the meantime, one such device that caught our eye recently is one that’s now being offered by noted German manufacturer Rekkord, who are set to serve up the appropriately named RCM recording cleaning machine later in February. Read on to find out more about this well-acronymed RCM. . .

You can have the best gear in the world in your system ready to play all those new and/or vintage LPs in your collection, but if any piece of equipment in the playback chain is not properly stabilized — especially when it comes to fortifying your turntable and/or amplifier(s), for example — then you’re just asking for unnecessary noise-related complications. With that in mind, the E1X Isolation Base from HRS might make for quite the good, stable option. Read on to get all the E1X base details. . .