In this tutorial, you will learn how to convert your vinyl records to digital files using a software package called Vinyl Studio. Vinyl Studio is an all-in-one package that allows you to record your vinyl records, import individual track information, split your recording into individual tracks, and then save them as individual files as a complete album. Vinyl Studio also allows recording vinyl to CD using its “burn CDs” function, which enables you to take your files and create audio CDs without the need for a third-party program. Unlike the popular free software Audacity (also popular for dig ..read more

Best known for their award-winning headphones and microphones, Austrian Audio is breaking into the headphone amplifier market with the new Full Score One. Announced alongside The Composer headphones model later last year, The Full Score one is now available across the UK and EU markets.  Said to be the perfect companion to Austrian Audio’s The Composer reference headphones, the Full Score One hopes to redefine the standards of audio excellence at its price point. A key pillar of the design is what the company calls its “True Transient Technology”, which is said to deliver “breathtak ..read more

The release of Fleetwood Mac’s self-titled album in 1975 saw the band move distinctly away from their British blues roots. The arrival of Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham symbolized more than a change in personnel; it heralded the birth of a sound that would become iconic. (Huge thanks to VMP for supplying the reissue copy of this record). Founded in London by John McVie, Mick Fleetwood, and Peter Green in 1967, Fleetwood Mac started as a blues project.  In England, the band enjoyed relative success, managing to achieve an unlikely number one single in 1968 with the instrumental “Alba ..read more

The MC Pro phono preamp by Michael Fidler (Classic Audio Ltd) promises a whisper-quiet signal-to-noise ratio, alongside hyper-accurate RIAA performance. Having been suitably impressed with Michael’s Spartan 15 moving magnet phono stage, can his first venture into the delicate world of moving coil amplification knock it out of the park once again? As is the case with all Michael Fidler designs, the MC Pro utilizes all-through-hole circuitry; you won’t find any cheap surface mount components here, and each unit is hand-soldered right here in the UK by Michael himself.  Just like the Sparta ..read more

The iFi ZEN Phono lists some impressive specs for a phono preamp sitting in the sub-$200/£200 price bracket. iFi makes the bold statement that “you will fall in love with your LPs all over again,” but with such stiff competition in the market, how does the ZEN phono measure up? Having reviewed many affordable phono preamps here at Sound Matters, the iFi ZEN caught my attention with its many accolades and widespread acclaim across the vinyl community. In this review, I’ll be digging into what makes this phono stage so appealing for the price, and then I’ll be comparing it to the Schiit Mani 2 ..read more

Featuring Bluetooth connectivity, a rosewood veneer MDF plinth, and a sleek carbon fiber tonearm, Audio Technica’s LPW50BT combines stylistic flair with impressive sound. Is this the levelling-up manual turntable you’ve been looking for? Pros Cons Engaging and well-balanced sound. Bluetooth was temperamental to connect (in my experience). Excellent build quality from both a look and feel perspective – a joy to use. Other minimalist designs are more agile in their tracking abilities. Great features and connectivity options. At $499 (or £420) the LPW50BT sits in the mid-range of Au ..read more

Michael Fidler’s company, Classic Audio Ltd made significant waves across the vinyl community back in December 2021 with the release of his Spartan 10 model phono preamp. By favoring all through-hole original circuit technology in place of cheaper surface-mounted exotically-sourced parts, the Spartan 10 was a breath of fresh air in a world where price and production scalability often take precedence. Impressively, the Spartan 10 also remained remarkably affordable at £380, which in phono preamp terms, is quite an achievement for a product that’s handmade in the UK. Not content to rest on his ..read more

I reviewed an earlier incarnation of Soundeck’s unique platter mat a few years ago, and I was so impressed it became one of my go-to platter mats. Having released a new and improved model, is the Soundeck still king? On first glance, a turntable platter mat made from metal sounds like a terrible idea. After all, metal platters are notorious for resonance issues, calling on all manner of materials from rubber to felt (and even acrylic) to control their otherwise bell-like characteristics.  But this isn’t just any old metal; this is Sound Damped Steel.  In a nutshell, the Soundeck pla ..read more

At a time when music lovers shopping for an entry-level turntable have an abundance of choice, is Rega’s Planar 1 still the one to beat? Since its initial release in 2005, Rega’s Planar 1 entry-level option has rightly earned a reputation as the benchmark by which all other affordable audiophile decks are measured. Pros Cons Easy setup Molded phono cable output Confident & precise timing – a highly engaging listen Great detail and dynamics at this price Rega is famously dedicated when it comes to research and product development. Such is their dedication, the company does li ..read more

Pro-Ject has just announced the launch of three new cartridges, two of which are moving coil designs, with the third being the first moving magnet cartridge that can be used in a fully balanced phono setup. In recent years, Pro-Ject has worked closely in partnership with Ortofon to develop its Pick-it range of phono cartridges, achieving very impressive results. New to the range are the Pick it MC3 and MC9 moving coil cartridges and the Pick it PRO Balanced moving magnet model. Both the Pick it MC3 and Pick it MC9 designs utilize lightweight aluminum color-coded housings and cryogenically tre ..read more