Kodawari Chronicles: A Touch More on Top

Seasoning. A pinch of salt, a grind of pepper, a dash of umami. Miniscule additions in the grand scheme of any dish. And yet they make all the difference between average and amazing results. Overdo it however and disaster awaits, as single tastes overwhelm any subtlety and depth. Such is the delicate balance act when […]

Kodawari Chronicles: Altec 604 Enclosure

It was a given. My complete lack of impulse control had once again won the day. A more methodical individual might have chosen a different route. But I happily did not. A pair of vintage Altec 604E’s had arrived and I had to listen. I had no enclosure, no stands, no plan. After evicerating the […]

Kodawari (拘り) Chronicles: Altec 604E

Kodawari is a Japanese term without any direct translation to English. I’ve heard it variously referenced as “obsession, fixation, fastidiousness, pickiness about” and more negatively as “complaining or criticizing”. Like many Japanese (or German) terms it accomplishes the magic, frequently absent in English, of condensing a complex state of being into a single concise word. […]

Under Cover

When it comes to protecting your vinyl there are myrid options available at every price point. While I can’t say I’ve tried everything, I’ve gone through quite a few alternatives in the quest for a great inner / outer sleeve combination that works consistently well. Inside the jacket my main choice is MA Recordings microfiber inner […]

Bronze Age

Heavy metal is good for the soul.

Take Your iPhone For A Spin

Tired of pulling out a strobe disc every time you want to check / tweak the speed of your table? Now there’s an app for that. RPM (iPhone / iOS 8.1+)uses your phone’s built-in gyroscope to quickly and accurately measure the rotational speed of your platter. In tests verses platter markings or dedicated strobe packages I’ve found […]

Back to the Future

Sometimes, to move forward, you need to take a few steps back.