Probably best-known in recent years for their best-selling "baby" speaker, the Diamond, Wharfedale is one of the UK's oldest manufacturers of loudspeakers. The company was the subject of a management buyout earlier this year, following a rather unsettled period when it changed hands several times. Now with American distribution as of 1989 by Vector Research (footnote 1), the brand is reinventing itself in the US with two new ranges of loudspeakers, the 507.2 being one of the "audiophile" models. Both drive-units are made in-house; the first generation of Wharfedale loudspeakers to feature this 19mm aluminum-dome tweeter—the 506, 508, and 708—appeared in early 1985.

Ortofon (footnote 1), which turns 100 in 2018, launched the original Windfeld cartridge nearly a decade ago. Named for cartridge designer Per Windfeld—who had just retired at age 75, after 30 years with the company—that top-of-the-line cartridge cost $3400 at the time of its introduction.

Aloys Schmitt: Piano Concertos 1–2; Rondeau brillant, India Gailey: to you through, Brahms: Symphonies 3, 4 and György Kurtág: Kafka-Fragmente.

Enrico Rava, Fred Hersch: The Song Is You, Reinier Baas/Jonas Burgwinkel/Kit Downes: Deadeye, Kirk Knuffke Trio: Gravity Without Airs and Anteloper: Pink Dolphins.

Angel Olsen: Big Time and Bananarama: Masquerade.