Time to head back to the 60s…

What a better way than some major psychedelic rock from Moby Grape? Their Wow/Grape Jam record was a two record set, released April 3, 1968. I was too young for this one on the first go, but in the early 70s when I started hanging out with a lot of the older dudes in high school that were really into Moby Grape, Iron Butterfly and Zappa, it made a big impression.

Yeah, it’s a little rambling, but that was the jam back then. Much as I love Moby Grape, I’d suggest streaming this one on your favorite streaming service to vet it first – if you aren’t familiar.

Leave a comment out on our Facebook page and let us know what you think!

Record of the Day is brought to you by Bergmann Audio, and Supreme Acoustic Systems.

The table featured here is the Modi, with their Thor linear tracking arm.
Cartridge is a modified LYRA Helikon SL, modified by Ana Mighty Sound
Phono Pre is the award winning XP-17 from Pass Labs
Cables by Cardas Audio
All on top of the Pagode Master Reference MKII, courtesy of MoFi Distribution

To those of you who knew who Virgil Abloh (the Creative Director at fashion house Louis Vuitton) was, he had a major effect on fashion, style, and the cross pollination of artistic disciplines. In that sense, he was a force to be reckoned with. Unfortunately, he succumbed to cancer at the way too early age of 41, back in 2021.

McIntosh just announced their one of one collab honoring his personal style, an MA8950 integrated amplifier painted orange to honor Abloh, who used McIntosh gear in many of his fashion shows and creative studio.

In typical McIntosh fashion, this isn’t just an off the shelf amplifier painted orange (because that’s what it is) and according to them “They are the only amplifier brand that could make a bold orange amplifier feel intentional, not accidental.”

I don’t know what they are smoking at McIntosh, but Dartzeel, Vitus, and Sugden have all been making some pretty cool orange amplifiers for some time now. Not to mention the incredibly cool cats at Metaxas and Sins. Now that’s some disruptive shit.

Don’t forget, KEF and Focal have also made orange speakers (super awesome, owned em both) and REL makes a gorgeous line of subwoofers in bright orange (yellow, green, and blue as well) too. Come on.

Of course it’s a one of one, and of course, you can’t have it. So much for all that blending of art and culture and inviting you to be part of it. Just like the McIntosh town house used to be. Cool kids club and you can’t be part of it.

I miss the old Mac. But hey maybe it’s time for a collab of my own. I submit the MC Jeff D McIntosh amp. hahahah. Who’s with me?

Jeff once asked me why I leave music playing in a room when I’m not even there. My answer goes back to something I read years ago that stuck with me.

In the 1970s, Christopher Bird and Peter Tompkins published The Secret Life of Plants. The book described studies suggesting that plants respond to music. Even earlier, in 1962, Dr. T.C. Singh found that balsam plants exposed to classical music grew 20% faster and had a 72% increase in biomass. Later, Dorothy Retallack discovered that plants thrived on jazz and classical but wilted when exposed to rock.

Are plants really “music savvy”? Probably not in the way we think. More likely, they respond to vibrations that influence growth—especially when paired with sunlight streaming through a south-facing window.

That got me wondering: if plants react to music, how does classical music affect people? For us, it can calm the body, sharpen the mind, and help regulate emotions. The exact effect depends on the tempo, harmony, and our own personal taste.

When stress builds and the world feels overwhelming, I’ve found that Mozart or Vivaldi brings me back to center. Rock, on the other hand, amplifies emotions—it can fire you up, fuel your anger, or give you the motivation to push forward.

Both have their place. Rock energizes. Classical soothes. And maybe that’s the real reason I let classical music play in an empty room—it’s not just good for plants, it’s good for me too.

-Pamela Dorgay

Bet you didn’t know I was a total closet prog-head. It started with Yes, and Emerson, Lake & Palmer many years ago. Guilty as charged.

If you loved the auspicious debut (arguably their best and most pure effort) of this prog powerhouse consisting of John Wetton, Bill Bruford, Eddie Jobson, and Alan Holdsworth, try and find this disc. Those in the know will remember the FM radio nugget “Dead of Night,” and perhaps you even saw them perform this record back in the late 70s.

This example was produced a few years ago on SHM-SACD and the sound quality is epic, now doing full justice to Wetton’s killer bass lines.

This column is sponsored by dCS, who’s Vivaldi ONE DAC/Streamer/Disc Player is my reference, and Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs, producer of exceptional audiophile vinyl and SACD releases.

Our reference system to evaluate discs features:

XS PRE, and XS 300 monoblocks from Pass Labs
The Auditorium Plus speakers from Clarisys Speakers
A Six Pack/Line array of Carbon Special Black Label subwoofer from REL Subwoofers
Cabling from Cardas Audio
and racks from Quadraspire Racks

Im still on a Joni Mitchell kick, but now that MoFi’s SACD pressing plant is back open after summer maintenance, it’s just the way things are shaking out.

This album, harkening from 1975 and 76, is a continuation of the more dense, jazzy groove that Mitchell started with Hissing of Summer Lawns. Most of this material was written during her breakup with drummer John Guerin, and according to her “very difficult to write.” The songs are personal, the playing incredible, and it really shows off the fretless bass skills of the late Jaco Pastorius.

Definitely not a casual listening hour album. One for a quiet, and blustery day. But highly rewarding and brilliantly captured by the MoFi crew here.

And best of all to this cheesehead, the photos were shot on Lake Mendota in Madison, Wisconsin by the legendary rock photographer Joel Bernstein – though the portrait superimposed on the cover is from Norman Seeff. (notice the stylistic similarities with Van Halen’s Women and Children First?)

This column is sponsored by dCS, who’s Vivaldi ONE DAC/Streamer/Disc Player is my reference, and Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs, producer of exceptional audiophile vinyl and SACD releases.

New Flagship MC cartridge from Hana / Excel Sound

Introducing the Umami Black MC cartridge $11,500

The HANA-Umami Black continues the brand’s legacy of “Brilliant and Gorgeous” sound. Master cartridge designer Masao Okada-san of Excel Sound celebrates over 5 decades of innovation and excellence with his new masterpiece, featuring a diamond cantilever and new “OKD” High-Efficiency Moving Coil Generator. The Umami Black is much more than just an Umami Red with a diamond cantilever.

Unique Umami Black Features

Diamond Cantilever

In a category first for HANA, the Umami Black incorporates a diamond cantilever, the hardest possible material, ideal for signal transfer. 

High-Efficiency “OKD” Moving Coil Generator

Another category first, the Umami Black uses the newly developed “OKD” with the world’s first “Integrated Pole Piece and Rear Yoke” and Inverted U-shaped Front Yoke, optimizing energy transfer from the diamond cantilever.

Inverted U Front Yoke

The U-shaped (bifurcated) inverted front yoke is engineered for both mechanical resonance control and magnetic field alignment, while also providing precise support for the diamond cantilever. 

High-Power Rare Earth Magnet
Unique to the Umami Black, the rare earth neodymium-iron-boron (NdFeB) magnet is used for the high-efficiency generator, delivering superior energy conversion. 

Hybrid Carbon Armature
A 2mm square hybrid Carbon permalloy armature, comprising 78% carbon-infused nickel-iron, is precisely hand-wound with 30-micron, 4N high-purity copper wire on Excel’s proprietary machinery. This ultra-light moving coil has an output of 0.3mV and a 5 ohm impedance.

Special Urushi Enameled Finish

The HANA-Umami Black features an exquisite Urushi lacquer finish, applied through a specialized thermosetting process, bonding to the aluminum body via vapor deposition.


Call the folks at musicalsurroundings.com for more info, and these beauties will be available for purchase after September 22.