Features

Old School:

The Klipsch LaScalas – A Work in Progress

995:

Hagerman’s Cornet 3 Phonostage
By Jerold O’Brien

Journeyman Audiophile:

Atoll Electronique IN100se Integrated Amplifier
By Rob Johnson

TONE Style

Wino:  It’s in the Can

BMW M Mouse

Ikea PS 2014

Ischia Swim Trunks

Radio Shack Digital Infrared Thermometer

Pantone USB Drives

Porsche Design P 8478 Sunglasses

Visible Vinyl

ModMic5

Music

Spin the Black Circle: Reviews of New Pop/Rock and Country Albums
By Bob Gendron, Todd Martens, and Chrissie Dickinson

Jazz & Blues: Craig Taborn, Roscoe Mitchell and More!

By Kevin Whitehead and Jim Macnie

Audiophile Pressings: Sgt. Pepper’s 50th, Pretenders 1st, and Get the Knaack

Gear Previews

Gold Note Donatello MC Cartridge

Coincident Dynamite Speakers

SVS SB-16 Subwoofer

Reviews

COVER STORY: The ARC Foundation Series
By Jeff Dorgay

Conrad Johnson Classic 62 Power Amplifier
By Rob Johnson

McIntosh MP1100 Phonostage
By Jeff Dorgay

Pass Labs XA200.8 Monoblocks
By  Greg Petan

Grand Prix Audio’s Monaco 2.0 Turntable
By Jeff Dorgay

Sonneteer Alabaster Integrated Amplifier
By Rob Johnson

Graham Chartwell LS3/5 Speakers
By Jeff Dorgay

Features

Old School:

VPI HW-19 Mk 3 Turntable
By Jerold O’Brien

995:

Venture Electronics Monk Plus IEM’s
By Kyle Dusing

Journeyman Audiophile:

Rotel A14 Integrated and CD14 CD Player
By Andre Marc

TONE Style

Podium XL from HiFi Racks

The Bubble Sofa by Roche Bobois

Snap Power Light Outlet

Orvis WW1 Wooden Propeller

WireSkin Wine Bottle Carrier

42mm Timex + Red Wing Chronograph

Jackson Pollack Puzzle

Music

Spin the Black Circle: Reviews of New Pop/Rock and Country Albums
By Bob Gendron, Todd Martens, Chrissie Dickinson, Andrea Domanick and Aaron Cohen

Jazz & Blues: Eric Hofbauer Quartet, Steve Slagel, and More!
By Kevin Whitehead and Jim Macnie

Bob Gendron’s Rock Reissues You Shouldn’t Miss

Gear Previews

GamuT Zodiac Speakers

MartinLogan Expression ESL 13A Speakers

Exogal Comet DAC

Reviews

GamuT Di150 Limited Edition Integrated Amplifier
By Jerold O’Brien

SVS SB-2000 Subwoofer
By Jeff Dorgay

Esoteric E-03 Phonostage
By Greg Petan

Franco Serblin Lignea Speakers
By Jeff Dorgay

Plinius Hiato Integrated Amplifier
By Rob Johnson

VPI Prime Turntable
By Jeff Dorgay

Atoll’s HD120 and MA100 Amp and Pre
By Jeff Dorgay

The Big Lebowski has a cult following that just continues to grow and if you had five bucks for every time you tried to ape “the dude,” you could probably go on holiday somewhere pretty nice this year.

Soundtracks are always a hit or miss, often getting stuck between chic and cheesy, but the BL serves up some pretty cool choices – perhaps the most intriguing, the Gipsy Kings rendition of “Hotel California,” the fourth track on a fairly chilled out side two.  This side ends with Townes Van Zandt doing”Dead Flowers.”  Side one is even more eclectic, featuring Captain Beefheart, Bob Dylan and Nina Simone mixed in with a previously unreleased Elvis Costello tune, “My Mood Swings.”

Fans of the movie know what a bizarre romp it is and this record captures the feel perfectly. The sound quality is fair, but this is a record you by for the fun factor.  If it wasn’t a movie soundtrack, it could easily be a cool mix tape from a clever friend.  And isn’t that what it’s all about?

SoundStageDirect has an exclusive on this gem, so click here to add one to your collection…

Volumes are written about this famous album, celebrating the collaboration of Bob Dylan and his backing band, the Hawks, whose members ended up becoming The Band. Not officially released until the summer of 1975, the set was recorded in 1967, the year after Dylan’s motorcycle crash, which marked a pivotal point in his career.

In a 1969 interview, the Bard told Rolling Stone publisher Jann Wenner: “[This is] really the way to do a recording—in a peaceful, relaxed setting—in somebody’s basement. With the windows open…and a dog lying on the floor.” The mellow vibe certainly comes through in the presentation.

Mobile Fidelity’s reissue features much richer timbres and dynamics than the original. But remember Dylan’s comment about being relaxed. While it’s still crackly in parts, (remember it was produced on the Revox A77 tape recorder shown on the album cover) overall quality is very high, particularly given the stripped-down environment in which the record was captured—essentially, Dylan’s basement, concrete walls and all. Where the original is consistently flat, lacking air and decay, the new pressing comes alive.

Sure, various members of the Band, and even Dylan himself, are still not in agreement about what tracks should have been (or not been) included on the Columbia release. Debates aside, it’s a phenomenal time capsule, a stellar collection of songs.

And there’s more Dylan coming from the Chicago-based audiophile imprint. Josh Bizar, Mobile Fidelity’s Director of Sales and Marketing, says, “The Basement Tapes is one of the most important releases in our history and the perfect title to start the Mobile Fidelity Bob Dylan series.” We anxiously anticipate all of them.