Thorens New Reference Collection Double LP at Vinyl Sound Buffalo, NY USA

The Thorens New Reference Collection is an audiophile double LP from Thorens (Lahr, Germany) in partnership with in-akustik, available at Vinyl Sound in Buffalo, NY, USA. Curated to celebrate the Thorens New Reference turntable and to span 60 years of recorded music history from 1960 to the present day, this two-record compilation is pressed on 180-gram audiophile Virgin Vinyl and cut using Direct Metal Mastering (DMM) at 45 RPM, the combination that minimizes surface noise, pre-echo, and high-frequency distortion while maximizing dynamic range and spatial imaging. The tracklist spans soul, jazz, and pop from artists including Eva Cassidy, Beverly Glenn-Copeland, Gene Ammons, and Mario Biondi, with rare-on-vinyl tracks hand-selected to demonstrate what a reference-level analog front end is capable of revealing from a well-recorded groove.

Why 45 RPM, DMM, and 180-Gram Virgin Vinyl?

Every pressing decision in the New Reference Collection is made to maximize the acoustic information retrievable by a high-resolution turntable system. Playing at 45 RPM rather than 33 1/3 RPM increases the linear groove velocity by approximately 35%, meaning more physical groove modulation per unit of time for the same recorded signal level. This directly reduces the proportional contribution of surface noise and groove geometry limitations to the audible signal, lowering the noise floor and increasing dynamic headroom. Direct Metal Mastering cuts the master groove directly into a copper disc rather than the lacquer used in conventional cutting, eliminating the intermediate lacquer step, which can add pre-echo and degrade high-frequency response. The 180-gram Virgin Vinyl formulation, which uses first-use PVC without recycled material, produces a denser, more homogeneous disc with a lower background noise floor and greater structural integrity than standard-weight pressings.

60 Years of Carefully Selected Listening Test Material

The tracklist for the New Reference Collection was curated by Thorens as a demonstration and listening tool as much as a musical experience. The selections span diverse acoustic environments, from intimate solo jazz piano to full rhythm-section soul, testing a reference system's ability to resolve spatial cues, dynamic contrasts, timbre accuracy, and inner groove performance at 45 RPM. Particularly notable is the inclusion of Inger Marie Gundersen's "Let It Be Me," a performance rarely available on vinyl, and Beverly Glenn-Copeland's "La Vita," a minimal, highly atmospheric recording that rewards systems capable of conveying the finest low-level ambient detail.

Complete Tracklist

• Side A: Youn Sun Nah - She Moves On / Vanessa Fernandez - Trampled Under Foot / Vital Tech Tones - VTT / Bettye LaVette - I Hold No Grudge
• Side B: Mario Biondi and The High Five Quintet - This Is What You Are / Elvis Presley - Fever / Inger Marie Gundersen - Let It Be Me
• Side C: Eva Cassidy - Autumn Leaves / Shelby Lynne - Just A Little Lovin' / Ondara - American Dream
• Side D: Allan Taylor - Colour To The Moon / Gene Ammons - Canadian Sunset / Beverly Glenn-Copeland - La Vita

Key Features

• 180-Gram Audiophile Virgin Vinyl: First-use PVC formulation for the lowest possible surface noise and maximum structural integrity.
• Direct Metal Mastering (DMM): Cuts the master groove directly into copper, eliminating the lacquer intermediate step and its associated pre-echo and high-frequency limitations.
• 45 RPM Playback Speed: Higher groove velocity dramatically reduces surface noise contribution and increases dynamic headroom compared to 33 1/3 RPM.
• Premium Gatefold Jacket: Double LP presented in a high-quality gatefold sleeve.
• 60 Years of Musical Range: Soul, jazz, and pop from 1960 to the present, spanning diverse acoustic environments and recording styles.
• Rare-on-Vinyl Tracks: Includes performances rarely available in this format, including Inger Marie Gundersen's "Let It Be Me."
• Pressed by in-akustik (Germany): Partnered with a specialist audiophile label for pressing quality control.
• Reference and Demonstration Tool: Curated by Thorens to showcase the capabilities of high-resolution analog playback systems.

Technical Specifications

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Thorens New Reference Collection LP?

The Thorens New Reference Collection is a two-record audiophile compilation produced by Thorens in partnership with in-akustik to celebrate the Thorens New Reference turntable. It is pressed on 180-gram Virgin Vinyl using Direct Metal Mastering at 45 RPM, contains 14 tracks spanning 60 years of soul, jazz, and pop, and is presented in a premium gatefold jacket. It is available at Vinyl Sound in Buffalo, NY, USA.

Why is 45 RPM vinyl preferred for audiophile demonstrations?

Playing at 45 RPM increases the linear velocity of the groove under the stylus by approximately 35% compared to 33 1/3 RPM. This higher velocity means the groove can encode and reproduce more acoustic information per unit of time. The practical benefits are a lower ratio of surface noise to music signal, greater dynamic range, and more headroom for the groove cutting lathe to encode high-frequency detail. Audiophile labels routinely press their most critical titles at 45 RPM specifically because these benefits are clearly audible on high-resolution playback systems.

What is Direct Metal Mastering and why does it reduce pre-echo?

Direct Metal Mastering is a cutting technique where the cutting stylus inscribes the groove directly into a copper-plated disc rather than the lacquer-coated aluminum disc used in conventional mastering. Pre-echo is an artifact of the lacquer cutting process where the mechanical displacement of the lacquer during groove cutting physically deforms the adjacent groove, causing a faint version of the upcoming sound to be audible a fraction of a second before the music it precedes. Copper, being a harder metal, does not deform the adjacent groove wall during cutting, eliminating this artifact entirely. DMM masters also preserve high-frequency content more faithfully than lacquer, producing a cleaner, more extended treble response.

Is the New Reference Collection LP a good evaluation tool for hi-fi systems?

Yes. The tracklist was specifically selected by Thorens as a listening test and demonstration tool, not simply as a compilation. The diversity of acoustic environments across the 14 tracks, from intimate jazz guitar to full-band soul recordings, tests a system's spatial resolution, dynamic range, tonal accuracy, and low-level detail retrieval. The 45 RPM pressing speed and DMM mastering ensure that any limitations heard during playback are attributable to the system rather than the record, making it a reliable reference disc for evaluating phono cartridges, tonearms, and analog front ends.

What turntable and cartridge should be used to play the New Reference Collection LP?

The New Reference Collection was curated for the Thorens New Reference turntable, the brand's ultimate belt-drive flagship with Seismion active vibration isolation. However, it is equally suitable for any high-quality analog front end. At 45 RPM, the higher groove velocity rewards cartridges with advanced stylus geometries such as line-contact or Shibata-type tips, which are better suited to tracing the finer groove modulations at 45 RPM compared to standard elliptical designs. Thorens TAS 1600 or TAS 1500 cartridges with their Special Line Contact and Microlinear styli are appropriate system-matched choices.

Where can I buy the Thorens New Reference Collection LP in Buffalo or the USA?

The Thorens New Reference Collection Double LP is available at Vinyl Sound in Buffalo, NY, USA. Vinyl Sound is an authorized Thorens dealer carrying the full range of Thorens turntables, accessories, and related audio products for audiophiles across Western New York and the United States.