Boutique UK audio manufacturer MasterSounds has extended its line of custom turntable weights through a collaboration with golden-era New York clubbing institution, the Paradise Garage, and its long-standing charity partner, the Gay Men’s Health Crisis (GMHC).
Hugely popular for a decade from the late 1970s, the Paradise Garage is credited for influencing the development of modern dance clubs, placing the DJ at the centre of the venue, and focusing on dancing rather than verbal interaction. With resident DJ and leading experimental producer, Larry Levan, at the helm, the venue has left a legacy that is truly unique in clubbing history.
Paradise Garage supported the early activities of the charity, GMHC, a New York City-based non-profit, volunteer-supported and community-based AIDS service organisation. The charity now owns the Paradise Garage brand, which continues to promote men’s health three decades after closing its doors. ‘We are immensely proud to not only be associated with such an iconic clubbing institution as the Paradise Garage but also be endorsing an incredibly worthy cause in the GMHC,’ comments MasterSounds’ founder, Ryan Shaw.
The new edition is limited to a release of 100 units for the world, and a donation from every purchase will go directly to supporting the GMHC charity.
MasterSounds turntable weights are carefully designed to reduce a turntable’s noise floor and improve the musical soundstage. They promise improved bass response, tighter mids and controlled highs as the turntable weight reduces unwanted resonance when placed via the spindle on top of a record. Each turntable weight weighs just over 400g (±14oz), light enough to not cause damage to a turntable’s bearing system, but heavy enough to give sonic improvement. MasterSounds has tested the turntable weights on a large variety of non-suspended belt and direct drive turntables with great success.
Pressing plants try to achieve quality control on every record made, however there are intrinsic issues such as dished and warped records. MasterSounds turntable weights help to combat this too. DJs love this, as it aids cueing a problematic a record prior to mixing and eliminates needle skip.
‘We have also developed an anti-slip base for our turntable weights, and thus each turntable weight has been designed to grip the record, which is fantastic for DJing as it really stabilises records in the mix. I always ask DJs to use my turntable weights for a couple of weeks then remove to realise what a difference they make. Our turntable weights can be used with 12-inch and 7-inch records, plus 45s with the addition of a dink,’ adds Shaw.
The Paradise Garage turntable weights are priced at £50.00 each, inc VAT.
More: www.mastersounds.co.uk
