Author: Ashley

I founded Audio Appraisal a few years ago and continue to regularly update it with fresh content. An avid vinyl collector and coffee addict, I can often be found at a workbench tinkering with a faulty electronic device, tweaking a turntable to extract the last bit of detail from those tiny grooves in the plastic stuff, or relaxing in front of the hi-fi with a good album. A musician, occasional producer and sound engineer, other hobbies include software programming, web development, long walks and occasional DIY.

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Musical Fidelity M2scd CD player Review

The Musical Fidelity M2sCD partners high-quality CD mechanics with one of the best CD servo systems on the market, adds a fine DAC and well-designed power supply and wraps the lot in a smart, solid enclosure.

Musical Fidelity M2si Integrated Amplifier Review

The M2si is a fine demonstration of what a reformed brand can produce from the get-go.

Will An Audio-Technica AT-LP60 / AT-LP60X Turntable Damage Your Records?

The Audio-Technica AT-LP60 is without doubt one of the best-selling budget turntables to date, and the newly released AT-LP60X is sure to follow. But will either turntable cause undue damage to your records?

Repairing an Audio-Technica AT-LP60 With a Failed Motor

A couple of years ago I tested a GPO Stylo which was at the time one of the cheapest turntables available on the market. It was suggested that I repeat the test with an Audio-Technica AT-Lp60, arguably one of the best-selling budget turntables.

Yamaha HS-8 8″ Active Studio Monitor Speakers Reviewed

If you can accommodate them, you’ll achieve excellent mixes which translate well to consumer devices and pro audio alike.

Yamaha DSR 112/115/215/118W Active PA Loudspeakers Reviewed

Public address loudspeakers have remained aesthetically similar for decades and truth be told they’ve never been especially lightweight or portable. technological advancements, primarily in class D amplification, have at least reduced the racks of auxiliary equipment needed to run a speaker set to virtually zero.

Thorens TD-150, Rebuild & Modification Part Four

A tale of two turntables continues. In part 4 we’ll wrap up the series with some final observations, build notes and listening tests.

Technics SL-1200G Review & Comparison With SL-1200GR

Like the SP10 in the late ‘60s, the SL-1200G has raised the bar and set new performance standards that should redefine expectations for what high-end vinyl playback should be. The SL-1200G is a masterpiece. You owe it to yourself to hear one.

Fyne Audio F301 Bookshelf Speakers Reviewed

when old Tannoy talent regroup and launch a new name and fresh ranges designed from the ground up, there is certainly reason to get excited. If this is what the company can produce on a budget, I look forward to auditioning their more upmarket models.

Building the AAP12, Thorens TD-150 Modification Part Three

Herein we continue the tale of two turntables with the build of the AAP12, a turntable based on a Thorens TD-150 but with extensive modifications.

Thorens TD-150 Rebuild Part Two, Project Maple

Maple Td 150 Top View With Record Arm Across

a stock Thorens TD-150 transformed but with its original charm intact.

Thorens TD-150, Rebuild & Modification Part One

It’s been a while since I owned a suspended belt drive turntable. I decided to build two decks; one based on a stock TD-150 MK2 in a Maple plinth and the other, using the inner workings of the TD-150 (sub-chassis, bearing, platter and motor) but with a new top plate and extensive modification and in a Cherry plinth.

DIY Plinth Dimensions For Linn LP12 / Thorens / Ariston and other suspended turntables

With a great deal of research and a bit of trial and error I have managed to assemble a list of dimensions that work to build a Linn plinth. They are published here in the hope that they will help future DIYers.

Pro-Ject CD Box S2 Review

If Pro-ject can tweak the software and include a better remote handset in the box (a must at this price), this would be a serious contender and is very much worth an audition.

Audio-Technica AT-VM95 Detailed Review & Measurements

Succeeding the AT95 was a tough ask, but Audio-Technica have risen to the challenge. May the ‘green king’ rest in peace, the successor has arrived to steal the throne.

Technics SL-1200GR / SL-1210GR Turntable Review

When Technics commercialised the direct drive turntable in the ‘70s, they became known as class-leading products among the best available at any price. These new Technics turntable set new technical standards which will pave the way for future evolution of vinyl and the equipment we use to play it.