Vinyl record enthusiasts and self-described audiophiles Michael Fremer and Joe Harley stopped into Denver this week for ListenUp's Music Matters seminar series. In anticipation of Record Store Day this Saturday, April 19, Music Matters celebrates the best in recorded music with live demos of the glory that is analog music.
Michael Fremer is the editor of the website analogplanet.com and senior contributing editor at Stereophile magazine. He’s hosted two vinyl-related DVDs: "21st Century Vinyl: Michael Fremer's Practical Guide to Turntable Set-up" and "It's a Vinyl World After All."
Joe Harley is the vice president of AudioQuest, manufacturer of hi-fi audio cables. He’s also produced over 100 jazz and blues titles and currently works with Music Matters, a reissue label specializing in Blue Note jazz recordings.
OpenAir host and fellow vinyl junkie Scott Carney spoke with Fremer and Harley during their Colorado visit. Highlights include:
- How to start a great vinyl sound system for under $400
- Best ways to clean and maintain your vinyl for under $100
- Their dismay of hearing digitized music for the first time ("None of the instruments sounded like instruments! Every note was like a piledriver driving me into depression.")
- How listening on vinyl transforms music into an "event" again
- Where they hunt for those rare record finds
- Whether or not audio quality can improve from its current state
Stream the entire interview above.
