al-naafiysh

I have a pair, and can confirm you'll need something much more powerful. The UB5s are very low sensitivity speakers (85 dB at 2.83 v/1m), and simply will not sound good (or play sufficiently loud) unless you've got a lot of watts driving them. If you want to explore low-wattage tube amps like that Reisong, get different speakers. You'd need the total opposite of the Uni-fis - speakers that are very high sensitivity. If you're not sure what all that means, sensitivity basically refers to how much the speakers can do with the power you send into them, or how much power they need to play with proper volume and performance. ELAC recommends pairing the UB5s with an amplifier that puts out 40 to 140 wpc (watts per channel) into 4 ohms. (Not sure if this was the 4 or 8 ohm power rating, but according to Amazon that Reisong only offers 6 wpc - not even close.) If you want upgradability, then go for separate components (ideally power amp + preamp + phono stage, if you can afford to), and stick to brands that hold their value on the resell market and/or buy used. There are tons of perfectly good audio components available used for a steep discount because the owner got the upgrade itch. If you buy an integrated amp that has a phono stage built in, that will be convenient if it's 100% perfect and you love it forever, but if you decide you're unsatisfied 8 months down the line, you might want to see what a new phono stage or bigger power amp could do. About tubes - if you want to dabble in tubes at your price range, you'll need to either 1) get high sensitivity speakers (which tend to be more expensive), or 2) get a hybrid tube/solid state amp, or 3) get a separate preamp with a tube and run it into a more powerful solid state power amp. You won't find an all-tube power amp with enough power to make those ELACs sing anywhere near your price range. Despite the low pricetag, the Uni-fi line is designed to be driven with fairly good equipment. They are quite revealing speakers, and are known for highlighting weaknesses in the signal chain. If you give them great sources and amplification, they can sound wonderful. On the other hand, if you see a lot of upgrading in your future, start with the best speakers you can buy, as speakers are the biggest hassle to sell / switch out. If you've done your research and definitely want the ELACs, then get an amp with a lot of power, but if you think the low-watt tube amps are your style, look for high-sensitivity options. Let me know if you have any questions.

My VMP copy arrived fine, just one slightly bent corner, but I don't think it had any bubble wrap at all - the album was just sliding back and forth in their slightly-too-big cardboard mailer. Seems lame for a company that claims to care as much as they do, although it did arrive fine so I can't complain. Was also hoping the jacket would be the thick, embossed style like their Idler Wheel pressing.... no such luck. The purple LPs do look great though.

I just can't get past the cover art... For a band with some of my favorite album covers of all time (dead horse, is survived by), I can't stop thinking this one looks like MS Word art

This change is long overdue. Discogs always seemed antiquated in that you often had to commit to buy something with no idea how much the shipping would cost, leaving you at the mercy of the seller. When you have some sellers charging $12 for international shipping, and some charging $27 to ship the same LP, it was always ridiculous that you had to ‘commit’ before ordering or send them a DM first and risk someone else buying. (Don’t get me started on how bad Discogs sellers are at responding to messages) Regarding paying seller fees immediately, I think that’s the more contemporary way to do it - I know eBay still invoices, but most selling platforms just take it out immediately. The seller fees invoice seems like an unnecessary added step to me, they probably find themselves chasing down too many sellers whose payment methods bounce.

Maybe they'll give everyone a limited 2xLP of Channel Orange instead! Right? Right??

Did this too and just got the shipping confirmation. Big thank you to whoever posted the link!

Got the bsm /200, but starting to want the triple crown clear too...

Surely someone likes this enough to sell me their red splatter...

Ooh fingers crossed Faces is up next!

Yeah it sounds like it's trying to be more epic than it is. Kind of boring and repetitive imo Same. This sounds more like Age of Adz... which is cool, but... I too was hoping for something closer to Carrie & Lowell / Illinois / Seven Swans

clear preorder up now at Turntable Lab for $34.98 https://www.turntablelab.com/products/sufjan-stevens-the-ascension-colored-vinyl-vinyl-2lp

Same here, ordered the one shown in the mockup but the vinyl received looks just like yours. If I really squint at it I can almost imagine I see a blotch of light blue.... but no, I think it's pretty much all that same greenish gold.

Anyone know what happened to this? Link is down and I haven't heard any news of a repress anywhere else.

Looks like Rough Trade (UK) is still selling it. https://www.roughtrade.com/gb/sufjan-stevens/the-ascension/lp-plus-x2

on the topic of the In Colour pressings, while the thread is nicely bumped— Other than the occasional pops and clicks from the crappy colored vinyl, are people happy with the sound of their deluxe editions? Was thinking of getting the regular edition but the reviews for that seem even worse, which makes sense for a 42 minute, bass-heavy album packed onto a single LP

Anyone know how common the mispresses of Live at Biko are that have Lana Del Rey on the D side? The discogs comments make it seem like the majority of the first press was messed up. https://www.discogs.com/Mark-Kozelek-Live-At-Biko/master/810403 Trying to decide if it's safe to buy a sealed copy or if I should get one somebody's already played through (as hilarious as that "split release" would be)

They said the Little Demon 7" would be replaced with a 7" of "a new, unreleased Frank Ocean song." So the orders themselves weren't cancelled, everyone will just be getting a different single from what I understand

I don't understand why they couldn't have used the existing In My Room artwork shown on streaming services, rather than the generic sleeve with hole. (There is a barcode printed on the back, it's not totally standard issue.) Seems like a missed opportunity if all the little graphics at the bottom of the single artwork do correspond to different songs. The remix is near identical with the addition of a Benny Revival verse (I guess he's a rapper) at the end of the song. It's fine, nothing to call home about

No.... Check eBay, copies with in-hand photos have been selling for weeks now. As far as I know, nobody has the unreleased, formerly Little Demon track yet.

Wish we could get a repress of that Ocean & Montana EP he did with Buddy, it seems to almost not exist.

Still haven't received Dear April or Cayendo, but I got In My Room, which really doesn't sound that good. I don't expect that much for a 7", but it sounds lower quality than a spotify stream. (It's also slightly warped and I swear the tempo is a tiny bit off) Super disappointing for the price, I hope the others are better. Honestly though, I never thought Blonde (official) sounded all that great, my copy always seemed a bit compressed.

The Idler Wheel reissue has stayed with just VMP, and that had the same "Exclusive Pressing" categorization. I would be surprised if When The Pawn got additional variants or a widespread release, she must have some strange loyalty or obligation to VMP According to the very helpful VMP twitter:

Always frustrated me that they go to such great lengths to obtain master tapes, source period-correct equipment, and recreate all the original packaging, then make only 150 copies. $300 for a perfectly replicated, essentially new-original copy of a Riverside Bill Evans is not that ludicrous, when you consider an actual original in VG condition can fetch that much. But the records are so limited that they end up selling out and going for $700+ resale, which most certainly is. I know they want to make a desirable limited edition and are concerned about not wearing out stampers, but 150? Come on

Huh, looks like the US status was changed on April 24, after the package was accepted. As of April 10 they were still delivering to the US. "Items which have already been accepted will be dispatched by remaining flights in order. Considering our present transportation performance, for example, it is estimated that up to four months or so will be needed for dispatching EMS. If you want items to be returned, please contact the post office where you mailed them." Up to four months, ouch. https://www.post.japanpost.jp/int/information/2020/0423_03_en.html Here is the current list of suspended countries if anyone needs. https://www.post.japanpost.jp/int/information/2020/0423_01_01_en.pdf

I'd caution everyone in the US to avoid buying international for a little while—still waiting on a few things shipped in early March from Europe (no tracking), and an EMS package that hasn't moved from Japan in weeks . Hoping it all gets here eventually. Definitely sympathetic to all the postal workers, system must be so backed up right now. I just wish Discogs would stop taunting me with emails to review sellers who's stuff I haven't gotten yet!