Uploaded August 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
In this video, I revisit four unusual Japanese audiophile records from the late 1970s that earned a place on The Absolute Sound Superdisc List, compiled by legendary reviewer Harry Pearson. Back in the day, I carried a folded copy of that list in my pocket, scouring record stores for these elusive titles — the hunt was part of the magic.
The records featured are:
• Amemiya – Summer Prayer – A stunning sonic journey through an astonishing array of percussion instruments.
• Beethoven – Appassionata (Direct-to-Disc, 45 RPM) – A masterfully captured performance with breathtaking dynamic range.
• Stockhausen – Zyklus (Direct-to-Disc, 45 RPM) – Avant-garde percussion at its most intricate and revealing.
• Check Up On Your Sounds Vol. 1 – Audio Symphony – A fascinating test record that’s as much art as it is utility.
Both the Beethoven and Stockhausen were recorded direct-to-disc and cut at 45 RPM — a rare pairing that ensures extraordinary fidelity. Add in the whisper-quiet Japanese pressings of this golden era, and you have a listening experience that still holds up as part of audiophile history.
Whether you remember chasing down Superdisc recommendations or you’re just discovering these records for the first time, this is a trip back to the golden age of high-end vinyl.
Reference System
-VPI Scout with Classic Platter Upgrade
-JMW Memorial Tonearm
-VPI Analog Drive System
-Hana ML MC Cartridge
-Phasemation PP-500 MC Cartridge
-Perpetuum Ebner PE 6060 Turntable
-Ortofon Quintet Black MC Cartridge
-Miyajima Labs Infinity Mono MC Cartridge
-Phasemation EA 350 Phono Preamplifier
-ModWright PH 9.0 Tube Phono Preamplifier
-Cayin A-50T Integrated Tube Amplifier
-System Audio Pandion 30 Loudspeakers
-Degritter Ultrasonic Record Cleaner
-VPI 16.5 Vacuum Record Cleaner
-Sweetvinyl Sugarcube SC-1 Mini
-Pioneer RT-707 Reel To Reel Tape Deck
-Ramar Record Brush
The reference system is wired exclusively with Audio Art cables.
#VinylRecords #Audiophile #TheAbsoluteSound #DirectToDisc #JapanesePressing #VinylHistory #Superdisc
00:00 Introduction
01:00 Support
01:36 Summer Prayer
03:41 Zyklus
06:08 Apassionata
08:02 Audio Symphony
10:23 Conclusion
In this video, I revisit four unusual Japanese audiophile records from the late 1970s that earned a place on The Absolute Sound Superdisc List, compiled by legendary reviewer Harry Pearson. Back in the day, I carried a folded copy of that list in my pocket, scouring record stores for these elusive titles — the hunt was part of the magic.
The records featured are:
• Amemiya – Summer Prayer – A stunning sonic journey through an astonishing array of percussion instruments.
• Beethoven – Appassionata (Direct-to-Disc, 45 RPM) – A masterfully captured performance with breathtaking dynamic range.
• Stockhausen – Zyklus (Direct-to-Disc, 45 RPM) – Avant-garde percussion at its most intricate and revealing.
• Check Up On Your Sounds Vol. 1 – Audio Symphony – A fascinating test record that’s as much art as it is utility.
Both the Beethoven and Stockhausen were recorded direct-to-disc and cut at 45 RPM — a rare pairing that ensures extraordinary fidelity. Add in the whisper-quiet Japanese pressings of this golden era, and you have a listening experience that still holds up as part of audiophile history.
Whether you remember chasing down Superdisc recommendations or you’re just discovering these records for the first time, this is a trip back to the golden age of high-end vinyl.
Reference System
-VPI Scout with Classic Platter Upgrade
-JMW Memorial Tonearm
-VPI Analog Drive System
-Hana ML MC Cartridge
-Phasemation PP-500 MC Cartridge
-Perpetuum Ebner PE 6060 Turntable
-Ortofon Quintet Black MC Cartridge
-Miyajima Labs Infinity Mono MC Cartridge
-Phasemation EA 350 Phono Preamplifier
-ModWright PH 9.0 Tube Phono Preamplifier
-Cayin A-50T Integrated Tube Amplifier
-System Audio Pandion 30 Loudspeakers
-Degritter Ultrasonic Record Cleaner
-VPI 16.5 Vacuum Record Cleaner
-Sweetvinyl Sugarcube SC-1 Mini
-Pioneer RT-707 Reel To Reel Tape Deck
-Ramar Record Brush
The reference system is wired exclusively with Audio Art cables.
#VinylRecords #Audiophile #TheAbsoluteSound #DirectToDisc #JapanesePressing #VinylHistory #Superdisc
00:00 Introduction
01:00 Support
01:36 Summer Prayer
03:41 Zyklus
06:08 Apassionata
08:02 Audio Symphony
10:23 Conclusion
