Posts Tagged ‘Rega’
Hmmm… I could but I shouldn’t
Posted in neat-O gang, tagged Rega on August 12, 2010| Leave a Comment »
Open your ear hole
Posted in music, tagged Arcade Fire, Atlas Audio Video, Bob Lefsetz, Record Player, Rega, Scheu, Scheu Analog, The National on May 20, 2010| Leave a Comment »
The Arcade Fire have posted a couple clips of their new single(s), “The Suburbs” b/w “Month of May.”
They have a fun virtual turntable to listen to a small sample of each cut.
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A little update on my quest to find a record player turntable DIY kit. Rega does not do (but you can buy their fine turntables at Atlas on Yates Street). Scheu does do kits… I have an email in right now with their Canadian distributor to find what it is, and what it costs.
If my DIY turntable never pans out, then I’ll save my pennies to buy a Rega from Atlas for sure.
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My man Bob Lefsetz was not very kind to my fave band The National.
“3. The National “High Violet”
Sales this week: 50,671
Debut
What kind of crazy fucked up world do we live in where the act with the number three album is unknown to almost everybody in the country?
One in which music has been Balkanized, where we’ve got endless scenes and almost no mainstream.
I’d love to tell you I love this album, but I don’t. I far prefer Broken Bells.
And while I’m at it, I’ll say that Grizzly Bear doesn’t float my boat either.
And my ultimate point is I’m now ignoring everything from Brooklyn. It’s not the new Seattle, certainly not the new San Francisco. The magazines and blogs need something to write about, and when they trumpet substandard stuff it ends up baffling the audience, makes them play video games or watch TV or listen to the same damn classic tunes over and over again.”
Ugh Bob, 50,671 people like love The National. Its not their fault you’ve never heard of them, its not their fault the rest of popular music sucks or didn’t release a record last week. Calm down.
You can’t dive into their 5th LP, listen half assed to a couple cuts and then “get it.”
Like any art, some of it speaks to you and some of it doesn’t. Having been a passionate fan for some time, there is something to the sound that attracts me and keeps me coming back. I read Bob constantly talking about how bands need to do exactly what The National have done… create real fans. They did with me.
I don’t really care that people like or dislike the same bands I do (The National have their share of critics)… but I think my frustration stems from the fact I read this guy’s emails everyday when I roll into the Zone, and all he does is spout off about the need for hard working, authentic bands… one has a small glimmer of success and he hacks on them.
Ok, I’ll stop crying. I generally like Bob’s curmudgeon-y emails even if I disagree with one part of one post.
But fuck Bob, open your ear hole.
Go with yourself.
Build it out of wood
Posted in music, neat-O gang, tagged Analog Apartment, Audiowood, Band of Horses, Ditch Records, Record Players, Rega, Scheu, Scheu Analog, Young House Love on May 19, 2010| 7 Comments »
Yesterday I was hard at work (or uhhh hard at watching Zone Sound tech Russ) fixing my Kenwood amplifier and Hitachi Turntable.
I am happy to report that the Kenwood sounds much better after cleaning the contacts and we eliminated a ton of the scratchy sounds it was having. The record player needs a more substantial make-over. I am thinking a new motor.
For now I have an old Numark of Boitano’s. Same one as Jess! It spins the platter at 33 1/3 so it’ll do.
Got me thinking it might be time to find a more substantial piece for the home.
Coral has a lot of reno ideas for our house, so stealing away the cash at a big expensive player right now might not work. But I have been researching tons and I might be able to MAKE a good machine for a decent cost. I could be a do-it-yourself kit and with my brother CJ’s help, make it look very pretty like this maybe?
The company that makes these beasts is called Audiowood. I think they are woodworkers (like my bro) that buy kits, and then assemble.
I think they look bad ass indeed.
As for the guts of a record player. A couple that look promising are Rega out of the UK and Scheu Analog out of Germany.
I’ll need to do some more research to find the best cost vs. quality and have at it.
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I went to Ditch Records today to buy the new Band of Horses. I know it has gotten terrible reviews, but I don’t care. I still want to have a listen myself.
Sadly they were all sold out of Infinite Arms.
Talking to the guys I asked them what record players they sell and the owner Jeremy (yup same name as me!) said basically used and cheap. That is what people ask for. Zoinks… got me thinking about an article I read yesterday on Analog Apartment. They are interviewing the owner of a record store in some hipster neighbourhood of NYC:
To someone just getting started with vinyl, any words of wisdom?
Get a good turntable. So many of my customers say to me, “Where can I get a cheap record player?” I don’t get that. The whole point of vinyl is superior sound quality, so it defeats the purpose if you buy a crap record player. I know times are tough now, but save your pennies, search online, and get a good turntable and needle. (…) Building a record collection is a wonderful, exciting thing. Have fun.
From what I’ve learned… doing it right and to the best of your ability the first time, always pays off.
If its the home reno’s from Young House Love blog, or building a turntable, I’ll want to do better than I’ve done thus far in my life.
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In other news…
The Veneto Lounge is celebrating one year of not going out of business! Huzzah! On Wednesday, May 26th there will be a party starting at 6PM.
Their award winning tapas will be circulating the room for free, cocktails will be featured and after my show on the Zone, I’ll be selecting and presenting the music.
Birthday cake? You know it!
Go with yourself.
The Morning After 