Michael Fremer's record cleaning process....

Why does recommending the mono "Revolver" have to do with those other Beatles albums? That I do not understand. This is not a competition among Beatles albums is it? In other news, I hope no one ever "bows down" to anything I write! It is simply my opinion and nothing more, nor do I represent it to be anything but...before I wrote a word about this subject I read all about it, never "bowing down" to any of it, but being guided by it and learning from it. The years I read TAS from its inception to when I began writing for it were years in which the magazine imparted an incredible wealth of knowledge and excellent guidance. For one thing it dragged me away from Stereo Review, which had "guided me" towards believing that only measurements counted, which had greatly diminished the sound of my system and with it much of my listening pleasure.

To Slaw: If a reviewer recommends CSN or Who's Next from Classic or whatever, that is their opinion. It is not a "wrongdoing". You are inconsistent.

I try to explain how a reissue sounds compared to an original before saying whether I'd recommend it or not. More recently on analogplanet I provide 96/24 files of originals versus reissues and let readers decide and comment for themselves.

The results are interesting: virtually all of the time everyone agrees on the sonic differences but which they prefer results in a "split decision".

That is why it's most important to describe the sonic differences rather than simply issuing blanket "recommendations". And if you do recommend something you'd better explain why in clear language.

Over the years readers who trust what I write know whether they will like something whether I do or not because of how it's described. Same with gear...

my taste is not really relevant. What is, is that I accurately describe the sound....

I tried to make a difference, no one wants to listen. Good luck to all of you!

I'm becoming tired of trying.

Slaw - yes, you really made a difference. Have you thought about making a difference in some other forum?

MF, I'll own up. The only thing I said about you was that you have done a great job marketing yourself. I see nothing negative or wrong with that as folks need to make a living and do what they love to do. My comments come from many in the industry whom I'm close with and who know you well. Again, not a slam at all and I fully stand by it. I'm glad that you wrote that what you post is your opinion. Folks fail to understand that at times and take whatever they read for fact. Personally, I've read most of your stuff and have since you started. I was getting TAS and Stereohile since they started. I loved learning about components I had never heard of and then finding them. I just got back into vinyl after my ex dropped off a few boxes of my lost records and I went with a Basis TT and Benz cart with a Rhea phono stage. Overtime I put an album on, I'm blown away by how relaxed I become. It's fun sharing with the kids and wife too. I'm glad that you have the audience you do and have been able to parlay your love into a business. Again, nothing wrong with that and if you don't market yourself, you'll never be successful. If I upset you with that statement, I'm sorry, as that wasn't my objective, nor was it my point if you reread what I said.

So Grooves, you are the Michael Fremer who I referenced in my opening post. I am happy I found you. Now, Whart wrote that you did not write the article about that cleaning process I was referring to. If so, can you send me that process? If not, is the process listed on your web-site similar? I don't recall. All I remember is that it did use a cleaning machine (I have the VPI 16(?)) and it did use orbitrac pads. Thanks for your hopeful response.

RWD (Rick)