Veteran audio fidelity and music journalist Michael Fremer has just released his second DVD focused on preserving and maximizing the enjoyment of analog audio from trusty vinyl records.
Long outspoken against the tonal shortcomings of most of today’s digital music systems and formats, Fremer has evangelized a return to vinyl records to all of the truly golden-eared readers of his Stereophile Magazine column and on his music-focused Web site.
The latest DVD, called “It’s A Vinyl World After All,” ($29.95 suggested retail) goes deep into the background of vinyl recording technology, giving viewers a tour of two of the world’s top pressing plants coupled with a lengthy how-to discussion in getting the most out of a vinyl record collection.
First, Fremer travels to famous Pallas pressing plant in Diepolz, Germany, to see how lacquers are plated and records are pressed at Europe’s premiere record plant. From there it’s on to Record Technology Incorporated (RTI) to let viewers compare how America’s best record manufacturer does it.
Other segments of the more than three-hour-long disc feature a mastering session with Kevin Gray and Steve Hoffman at AcousTech Mastering, the world’s only mastering room located within a pressing plant.
For the meat of the disc, Fremer takes viewers back to his listening room where he offers tips and instructions on record storage, record handling, record maintenance, cleaning and collecting, to help minimize or eliminate the surface noise that has been known to make some digiphiles buggy.
An additional PDF file on a DVD-ROM section of the disc contains detailed instructions on record care, cleaning and collecting.
Fremer said the disc should be carried by any A/V specialist, big-box retailer or record store (remember those?) selling turntables, Victrolas, Close-N-Plays or other analog accessories and vinyl LPs. Not only can the disc be useful in sparking interest and potential sales in those sometimes high-end products of the past and future, it can deliver up to 50 points of margin on the sale of disc.
For those who can’t get enough Fremer in their diet, Michael also offers the first DVD on the subject “21st Century Vinyl: Michael Fremer’s Practical Guide to Turntable Set-up.”
For information on carrying the disc, contact MVD Entertainment Group, H-840 North Circle Dr., 422 Business Center, Oaks, PA 19456, (610) 650-8200.
