LATEST ADDITIONS

<a href="http://forum.stereophile.com/forum">Forum</a&gt; member, dbowker, gave me the heads-up on this special Record Store Day LP. With <i>This LP Crashes Hard Drives</i>, ten of my favorite hard-core crate-digging specialist labels came together to release one hell of a deluxe, limited-edition, gatefold masterpiece&#151just one of the many reasons to raise our voices and rejoice for Record Store Day. The awesome package includes a CD sampler, zines, catalogs, stickers, and posters from all participating labels.

New York City's Matador Records rewards hardcore music lovers and promotes the growth of the music industry with their intelligent "<a href="http://www.buyearlygetnow.com/">Buy Early Get Now</a>" plan. With BEGN, fans can pre-order upcoming albums through participating trustworthy retailers across the nation. In addition to the actual album, BEGN packages include exclusive bonuses such as MP3s, posters, band merchandise, and, a free, legal stream of the entire album weeks before the official release date. I like it.

If you ever find yourself in an audiophile-type argument and need proof that, in the 21st century, manufacturing high-performance audio gear to sell for a reasonable retail price is becoming an impossibility, point to Vincent T.A.C.'s TubeLine SV-236MK integrated amplifier, designed in Germany and built in China.

At Salon Son & Image, I had my ears opened to <a href="http://blog.stereophile.com/ssi2009/the_nordost_difference/">the differences cables can make</a> when Nordost's Bruno de Lorimier demonstrated several of the company's interconnects, from the popular Blue Heaven ($230/1m pair) to the hallowed Valhalla ($5000/1m pair). I wrote:

Remember <a href="http://blog.stereophile.com/stephenmejias/my_bat-lightning_heart/">that crush I had</a> on Bat For Lashes' Natasha Khan?

So, just when I start getting used to <a href="http://blog.stereophile.com/stephenmejias/my_new_rega_p3-24/">my white P3-24</a>, Rega goes and introduces three new high-gloss finishes: Orange, Blue, and Pink. Can you believe it? I feel kinda ripped-off. Had I known, I might've gone with Orange. I might've gone with Blue. I might've gone with Orange <i>and</i> blue. (Let's go Mets.) Hell, I'm in touch with my feminine side and secure in my masculinity; I might've gone with pink.

After <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/solidpreamps/1207bo">Fred Kaplan reviewed</A> Boulder Amplifiers' 810 line preamplifier and 860 power amplifier for the December 2007 <I>Stereophile</I>, John Atkinson requested that I listen to the 860 in my own system for a while. Never having reviewed <I>any</I> Boulder kit, I was curious.