Garrardissimo!

A new Garrard’s improving project from The Netherlands...

Superb!!!

Munchen High End 2020 cancelled!

Breaking news! Beloved MOC has been cancelled... sad news, indeed!

Musings - Clean Sound

Erik Satie - Inities by Branka Parlić (Schopper's Triston Master Recordings)

Impressive recording, indeed.

It's pure poem for yours truly reading the technical liner notes: full analog recording rig to die for, the 120% certainty no digital gears whatsoever was used in making this double record-set.

As Jürg recently said:

“Branka Parlic during the recording at the Suburban vintage Studio in Winterthur we also had a Studer C37 at the Location but the low end was not even close as the Telefunken M10a V86/87 or the Studer A81 or B62 had... so we used the M10a recording for the LP release and, soon, I will offer this recording as official Tape release after the Corona Disaster... read a review here https://www.allaboutjazz.com/inities-2017-branka-parlic-triston-master-recordings?width=375.”

So, stay tuned!

The Serbian artist was masterfully recorded in Winthertur at Suburban Sound Recording Studio by Manuel Egger and the 180 grams vinyl was pressed as widegrooves for best dynamics palette.

The tube Telefunken M10A is - as Jürg Schopper explained to me - extremely fast, modern sounding... and its low end is deep and rich.

This Satie's discs are marvelous, indeed... musicianship is of highest level, BUT sound wise these discs are of stellar, seldom appreciated quality: the piano left-hand notes aren't commonly heard in commercial, multi-miked productions...

The inner cover notes shows an extract from Erik Satie's self-biography, a famous list of daily activities: let's not forget M. Satie was an esteemed exponent of Dadaism... the list weirdness sure provoking is in Dada's purest vein.

I invite everyone into piano music and aiming for a 100% analog recording and disc, to try to get a copy of this beauty straight from Schopper AG... many have been sold, yet pretty sure some copies are still available on a first-come-first served basis.

Contact Jürg at info@schopper.ch, while supplies last.

... and enjoy!  

P.S. - an humble suggestion: when you'll get your disc-set, please begin playing from side 4 - i.e. the later composed Satie's pieces... superb!

Visiting Jürg Schopper at Schopper AG (Switzerland)

Last week I travelled to Switzerland... among other amenities, I visited Jürg at his head-office which also is a man-cave, an archive, a workshop and a listening room.. no, it's much more: it's Ali Baba's cave!

Herr Schopper is a true passionate, skilled, knowledgeable professional and a fantastic host.

His firm was founded in 1920 by his grand-father and he proudly showed the Thorens gramophone drawing still portrayed on discs shopping-bag... righteously proud of this heritage.

His dad continued the tradition, now in Jürg's good hands.

We had a meeting for the pleasure of it... as I was a bit early, I enjoyed the Swiss countryside taking a nice walk not far from the small, tidy industrial estate where Schopper AG operates.

When I arrived at the place, I was in awe: several Telefunken's and Studer's studio tape recorders, all turned ON, all in use, not for poser/display reasons... as Jürg owns one of the most impressive collections of master-tapes on the Planet!

He restores them, dubs to digital archival quality and most of all, enjoys this format and isn't shy of sharing and spreading the merits of his best pieces!

He searched with firm-hand on the shelves, all perfectly catalogued by recording date, a live-recording of Atahualpa Yupanki, an incredible South American guitarist/singer, a pancake which he placed on a monumental Telefunken M10...

I remained speechless for several seconds... the playback system was all Swiss made, in-house: full tubes chain throughout and coaxial speakers made at Schopper.

WOW!

The classical guitar sound was unbelievable: crisp as a live instrument in the room!

A truly impressive experience... as the musician voice.

Awesome.

Other tapes, all master tapes, were shared with yours truly... and was such a pleasure!

Every time I meet these special people I cannot but thinking Music is the most powerful of passions!

... and one of greatest humans bonding glues as it makes the playground for special people gathering.

Thanks to Jürg for his time, support, empathy, generous hosting and kindness.

He rocks!

Studer C37 - the kid is back home!

It was a mono C37, 16 months ago... a duckling, also if a sexy one.

It was an empty console for sixteen long months...

... but now, the kid is back home as a swan: a stereo Studer C37 with NOS butterfly heads, fresh Siemens tubes, a new pinch-roller, new caps... fully refurbished, 60+ years old and doesn't show it!





There are too many people I've to say thank you, friends old and new, who supported yours truly with their skill, empathy and friendship on this epic - YES! epic - restoration project.

Thanks to: AK, JS, WS, LC and AL... they all know who they are.

Worth the stress, expense and effort.

Happy.

Living Music

Yes, I know: purists would wish to see my Stellavox SP7 spinning its reels... but: please forgive me.. the Sound Devices 722 at 24bit/192Khz with Neumann USM69 is just such a convenient combo...

... and I enjoy recording immensely.