New arrivals – inlcuding the Pro-Ject Elemental

A pretty sweet delivery came in today. Not only did we get some new vinyl including an amazing 7″ single from SFH called “Mayor on Crack”, hmmm, wonder who that’s about? We also have received a new turntable model you can play all this fresh vinyl on! You will be glad to hear that the latest offering from Pro-Ject is going to be our least expensive new turntable available at Backbeat Books and Music. They didn’t skimp out either to make it affordable, it is still an entry level audiophile turntable. Very easy to setup, literally take it out of the box, put the belt on, plug it in and start listening, it is easily upgraded in the future as your listening palette changes and it looks pretty sharp!

May 15 new items

Let’s talk new vinyl first, and we will get to the new turntable after.

Black Keys – Turn Blue – LP w/ CD
The Black Keys’ new album, Turn Blue, will be released on Nonesuch Records. Produced by Danger Mouse, Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney, Turn Blue features 11 new tracks including the first single, ‘Fever’. Turn Blue was recorded at Sunset Sound in Hollywood during the summer of 2013 with additional recording done at the Key Club in Benton Harbor, MI and Auerbach’s Easy Eye Sound in Nashville in early 2014. Carney comments, “We are always trying to push ourselves when we make a record – not repeat our previous work but not abandon it either. On this record, we let the songs breathe and explored moods, textures and sounds. We’re excited for the world to hear Turn Blue.” This is the eighth full-length album from the duo and follows 2011’s critically and commercially acclaimed El Camino, which is now certified RIAA Platinum.


SFH – Mayor on Crack
– 7″
Coming from the mind of Warren Kinsella (Hot Nasties, political commentator, self-proclaimed “Prince Of Darkness” of Canadian Politics) – SFH’s “Mayor On Crack” single is the most topical tune around & is sure to remain relevant until at least October. Featuring a beauty picture sleeve and even some nice liner notes – this is a 7” not to be missed – one-time-only pressing of 500 copies!


Public Enemy – It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back
– 2LP
We just got more stock in on this one. First batch sold out quick so we didn’t mention it as a featured release. You have to see the cover in person on this one, it is simply amazing.
“Yo! Bum Rush the Show was an invigorating record, but it looks like child’s play compared to its monumental sequel, It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back, a record that rewrote the rules of what hip-hop could do. That’s not to say the album is without precedent, since what’s particularly ingenious about the album is how it reconfigures things that came before into a startling, fresh, modern sound. Public Enemy used the template Run-D.M.C. created of a rap crew as a rock band, then brought in elements of free jazz, hard funk, even musique concrète, via their producing team, the Bomb Squad, creating a dense, ferocious sound unlike anything that came before.” – Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Allmusic.


Vince Guaraldi Trio – Jazz Impressions Of A Boy Named Charlie Brown (120g orange vinyl)
– LP
A brand new mastered reissue of the original 1964 album. Special release on 120 gram Orange Vinyl!! The reissue comes complete with Schulz’s classic, quirky design, historic liner notes in a gatefold jacket, and reproductions of 8 x 10 lithographs of Peanuts characters.

 


Now in stock at Backbeat the Pro-Ject Elemental!

$259.95
Matte Silver/Black or White/Black
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Belt drive system
Central gravity mass point made from artificial stone
Main platter bearing made from stainless steel runs in bronze bushing with Teflon bottom
Low resonance MDF platter with felt mat
8.6” ultra low mass tonearm
Pre-adjusted tracking force & anti-skating
Gold-plated RCA contacts & cartridge pin

Detailed specifications can be found here: Pro-Ject Elemental

 

Why the Elemental turntable at this price as opposed to the $150 plastic turntables in the big box stores? Well simply if you are going to invest into vinyl you not only want it to sound great, you also don’t want your turntable damaging your records. That is a huge difference with the plastic models available at a lower price point, they tend to use a ceramic cartridge with a conical stylus which has a heavy tracking force meaning it is digging into that fine vinyl of yours. Why do they do that? Well simply the reason is cost, the use of the ceramic cartridge removes the necessity of integrating a pre-amp that would be required if a magnetic cartridge was used. All turntable models we sell use a magnetic cartridge, they are much lighter and offer superior sound and isn’t that what it’s all about? You might need a pre-amp to get up and running and they start as low as $29.95.

I certainly don’t want to seem like I’m knocking the cheap plastic turntables, hey it’s what my 5 year old kid uses because I want him interested in vinyl but I’m not giving him a Pro-Ject Debut Carbon, just yet. That said, all the vinyl he has is generally in rough shape and pretty low value so I don’t mind and he still loves it. If you are buying new vinyl or collecting vintage and really want to experience what vinyl can offer in sound quality and keep those records in top shape I can only recommend spending a little more on that turntable, you won’t regret it. If you still can’t justify the higher budget, come talk to us about our second hand vintage turntables, most are available for under $100 for these proven models.

 

Check out our complete line of new turntables here: Turntables available at Backbeat