Turntable

Small Dog, Big Bark.

Unlike all the hipsters out there that are discovering vinyl and record players for the first time, I’ve been there and done that. I grew up on vinyl, and spent years working in record stores. As a DJ on the radio, I’ve spent countless hours spinning records and have a massive record collection that stopped growing and converted to high quality digital a decade ago. Yes I stopped buying vinyl and CD’s and started buying hard drives. It doesn’t mean I don’t buy music, it means vinyl and CD’s take up way to much space. Seriously, thousands of records and CD’s take up a lot of room, as does the equipment to play them back.

Then there is the convenience of having tens of thousands of tracks at my disposal in digital format that I can call up and playback from multiple devices in any room in my house. (no I’m not streaming anything through Spotify or a like service.) With all that said, it doesn’t mean I don’t want quality sound, and playback. I don’t have any over compressed MP3’s in my collection, and everything is set up to playback with as much dynamic range as my “went to to many loud rock concerts in my youth, damaged hearing can make out” ears can handle. So I am always on the lookout for decent audio tech that is designed to maximize sound quality from digital music on my computer, phone, tablet, AppleTV etc.

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Jerry Cmehil is the founder of Well Rounded Sound, an audio company that has made it its mission to bring audiophiles the best quality equipment housed within beautiful, eco-friendly designs since 2011. Like most of us Cmehil was frustrated with finding an affordable, good sounding system so he set out to build high quality speakers that deliver a naturally crisp sound in a package around the size of an old school pencil sharpener. The speaker line up is named after compact and feisty small dog breeds, “Yorkie”, “Jack Russel”, “Corgi”, and the larger “Boxer”. Each set of speakers utilizes conical geometry which is paired with full range HD drivers that are housed in a cylindrical enclosure. The housing is finished in premium wood, that is helps play a key role in providing the best sound possible. Even the integrated solid wood stands help to reduce bass energy transfer and are designed to give you a perfect near-field listening angle. Each speaker features a patented cylinder sealed enclosure eliminates distortion from port noise.

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When paired with the WRS C5i amplifier you begin to have a solid foundation on which to build a solid and affordable audio set-up for your home. The C5i is a hybrid speaker and headphone amplifier with a blend of classic and modern features. Audiophiles will love the vacuum tube input stage combined with a solid state amplifier. People like myself, will love the integrated USB DAC, so you can connect it directly to your computer or other digital music device. I personally love the design that brings together retro vibes, modern accents and trending industrial chic in a balanced product that stands out from the crowd.

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Found… “Braun SK 2 / PC3 – SV”

For some time now I have been lusting after Braun stereo components designed by the legendary Dieter Rams. While there are quite a few available on eBay, and through private collectors, it’s pretty rare to find one that has never been used, is still in the original box, and has all the paper work with it. Over the weekend I found a Braun PC 3-SV turntable in that very condition. Yesterday I pulled the trigger and purchased it from VintageEuroDesign on Etsy.

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I made this purchase not because this 1959 turntable is going to produce amazing audio, but because of the condition, and the fact that this is an iconic piece designed by Rams.

Braun SK 2 / PC3 – SV introduced the principle of modular components that dominated the early period of Braun audio design lead by Deiter Rams, Between 1955 – 1970. This fifteen year period can be broken into three distinct phases, with the PC 3-SV phonograph falling in the second. For a really good lesson on the history of the thinking behind the Braun systems, check out Das Programm.

Bartholomäus Traubeck, “Years” A Turntable That Plays Trees.

I dream of getting my hands on a working vintage Braun Stereo designed by Dieter Rams. There is something about the idea of playing vinyl records on an old analog turntable that warms my heart. Something about Rams design for Braun makes my heart skip a beat.

Artist Bartholomäus Traubeck also has a thing for vintage analog stereo gear, but he has taken it a step further by creating a turntable that plays slices of a tree trunk to create sound. The turntable analyses the tree trunks year rings for their strength, thickness and rate of growth as the input source for a generative algorithm. That algorithm outputs piano music.

What a totally cool work of art.

Barky Goes All the Way To 11.

I love music, but I am by no means the true definition of an Audiophile. By that I mean I am not the guy with a 40 thousand dollar stereo, that sits in an acoustically perfect room. My hearing isn’t that good anymore. To many live concerts, too much loud headphone time, and to many years on the ears. Now, I may not be an audiophile, but I do love awesome looking stereo gear, and the “Barky” turntable makes me say “Please Santa, I want this for Christmas.” Frankly I’d take pretty much anything that Joe Scilly has on the Audiowood website, but Barky makes me want to bust out the vinyl and crank it up to 11.