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Late Breaking News from CES New Reference Recordings LPs coming!
January 5, 2005
Reference Recordings is preparing to issue its first LPs in many a year. Paul Stubblebine is currently completing a facility that will be used for mastering the LPs, which, tentatively, will be pressed in Germany. First off the presses will be several of Reference's analog recordings that were never issued on LP. Shorter compositions may also be issued in 45rpm format.

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AnalogLove is dedicated to the history and preservation of the disappearing analog formats. Please send an email to music@AnalogLove to share the latest analog news and views.

This is the place where all Analog Lovers can come to discover what is new. Be it LP Vinyl, Reel to Reel, Cassette or any of the other analog formats.

What's New? Most of the really cool new stuff is not on the Home Page, please click this link. New content is listed by date. Also check out the links on the left side as they are updated as needed.

Kevin Gray/Steve Hoffman remastering of Warner Bros./Reprise catalog for Rhino vinyl! "Spurred on by a vinyl lover high up in the Warner Bros./Reprise records administration, I can now reveal that Kevin and I have been remastering for Rhino 180 gram vinyl the cream of the WB/Reprise back catalog for release. Mastered at AcousTech and pressed on virgin vinyl at RTI, Camarillo, these albums will feature the original artwork, track listings and (most importantly to me) are all being cut in true analog from the original Warner Bros./Reprise stereo master mixes, some untouched for 35 years."

Email reviews and letters to music@AnalogLove Your reviews of your favorite analog recordings with your by-line. Please share your discoveries! Interesting guest articles about any Analog related subject are also welcome.

Year	Format	Description
1877	Phonograph cylinder	Mechanical analog; "hill-and-dale" grooves, vertical stylus motion.
1895	Gramophone record	Mechanical analog; lateral grooves, horizontal stylus motion.
1930s	Wire recording	Analog; magnetization; no "bias".
1947	Reel To Reel, Magnetic Tape	Analog; magnetization; "bias" dramatically increases linearity/fidelity.
1948	Vinyl Record	Analog, with pre-emphasis and other equalization techniques (LP, RIAA). Lateral grooves, horizontal stylus motion.
1957	Stereophonic Vinyl Record	Analog, with pre-emphasis and other equalization techniques. Combination lateral/vertical stylus motion with each channel encoded 45 degrees to the vertical.
1962	4-Track Cartridge	Analog, ¼ inch wide tape, 3 ¾ inches/sec, endless loop cartridge.
1963	Compact Cassette	Analog, with bias, pre-emphasis, 1/8 inch wide tape, 17/8 inches/sec. 1970: introduced Dolby noise reduction.
1965	8-Track Cartridge	Analog, ¼ inch wide tape, 3 ¾ inches/sec, endless loop cartridge.
1968	Quadraphonic Reel To Reel	Analog ¼ inch wide tape, 7 ½ inches/sec, 4 Channel Stereo.
1970	Quadraphonic 8-Track (Q8)	Analog, ¼ inch wide tape, 3 ¾ inches/sec, 4 Channel Stereo, endless loop cartridge.
1971	Quadraphonic Vinyl Record (CD-4) (SQ Matrix) (QS Matrix)	Analog, used a special shaped stylus to extract the rear channel information which was encoded in the ultra-sonic range, required a decoder to translate the rear channel information back to the normal hearing range.
1976	Elcaset	Analog, 1/4 inch wide tape, 3 ¾ inches/sec, with FeCr tapes claimed to give the performance of 7 ½ Reel to Reel with the convenience of cassette.
1978	Laserdisc	The first commercial optical disc storage medium. Analog Video with Analog Mono, Analog Stereo and Analog Dolby Surround. In 1983 44.1 PCM Digital audio was added in addition to the Analog audio and later Dolby Digital (AC-3) took over the right channel of the Analog audio tracks, leaving only Mono for the analog soundtrack.

The introduction of SACD and DVD-Audio while a vast improvement over CD still has not caught up with to the high resolution of the Vinyl LP, although the PURE DSD SACDs from Telarc's classical division often come very close.

Famous Analog Quotes

"This Stereo recording was made on an Ampex – Model 300 with specially designed electronic circuits and utilizing two improved 4-channel Sigma mixers with extended range. New positive microphone techniques were used with emphasis on clarity, brilliance and quality of recording consistent with maximum definition and minimum distortion, realizing the ultimate in signal to noise ratio.

Engineering techniques designed to maintain maximum level and dynamic range with minimum print-through result in a recording of unusual quality and character. Note that this tape recording is an exact duplicate of the original Stereo Master Tape with a dynamic frequency range of 16-25,000 cycles. This is readily readable on any oscilloscope.

While it is true that the extreme ends of the sound spectrum in this recording may be beyond the range of average human hearing, it is the opinion of the manufacturer that if these sounds were omitted a certain warmth of tone as well as an element of personal emotional experience that is felt and sensed rather than heard, would be lost.

It is for this as well as other reasons that we have gone to these extreme electronic lengths to produce this fine Total Frequency range recording."

1961, Audio Fidelity 4 Track 7 ½ IPS pre-recorded Stereo Reel to Reel tapes

"Stereo tape … unquestionably the finest method of reproducing music in the home. In addition to the living excitement of stereo in high fidelity sound, stereo tape never wears out, never scratches, never warps. It provides you with literally endless hours of listening pleasure, giving you tomorrow’s sound today."

Columbia 4 Track 7 ½ IPS pre-recorded Stereo Reel to Reel tapes

Proposed required warning on Digitally recorded and Digitally remastered analog media.

WARNING! At some stage in the production of this recording "Digital Techniques" were used. Those who have an adverse reaction to digitized music may wish to avoid.

Analog offers a high comfort level and the ability to draw one into the music. Not only how music sounds but also how one relates the music and the performers. The best Analog is beautiful, comfortable and very realistic. Full of the emotions of the players and the uncanny presence of their instruments within the original recording space transported into one's room.

Analog formats while pleasing musically and sonically are plagued with varying degrees of non-musical sounds such as tape hiss and surface noise and can be difficult to play. However with the right care and maintenance current Analog formats can last almost indefinitely.