Linn Radikal reveals more Soul

Every now and then technology and music combine in time and space to destroy any pre-conceptions one may have as a music lover and hi-fi enthusiast. I had such a moment of epiphany at around 21:06 on Tuesday 12 May in the Audition Suite of Number One Audio Consultants.

The occasion was an evening for vinyl enthusiasts to audition the latest Radikal and Urika upgrades for the Linn Sondek LP12 turntable.

After around 15 years I rediscovered the beauty of that vinyl "sound" 18 months ago following a chance debate about the merits of analogue v digital with a neighbour at a New Year's party.

Digging out my old vinyl collection (which thankfully I'd kept), I invested in a new turntable and have since also bought around 200 new mostly heavy vinyl LP's since New Year '08.

Whilst I'm constantly delighted at the quality of "records" old and new, I am guilty at times of second guessing what I expect to hear. New Diana Krall pressings always superb, Linn Records fantastic, Speakers Corner,  Classic Records etc etc.

At our "Out of this World" event guests sat back with  a glass of fine wine or bottle of beer, water or cup of tea and enjoyed a selection of familiar tracks from familiar artists including Eric Clapton, Bob Marley, Lou Reed, Miles Davis, Holst and Franz Ferdinand amongst many, many others. Everyone was suitable impressed - some gob-smacked.

Then a guest picked out the Beatles' Rubber Soul from the rack, a standard pressing bought at a local record shop quite recently. "In My Life" rang out and my life changed. The clarity of this 1965 recording stopped me in my tracks. The melody, harmony and sheer "music" left me in awe - the Beatles just got better. It's a track I'd heard before on radio, on TV, even on some very competent digital systems, but no reproduction had moved me like this before. Was it my low expectation - a standard (albeit Abbey Road) recording pressed on regular vinyl that made the new listening experience so revelatory? 

Oh well - it's back to the drawing board and back through my whole vinyl collection once again!    

Brian Dobson