Modern style meets retro sound with the Project Debut Carbon turntable

By Caleb Denison June 22, 2014

modern style meets retro sound project debut carbon turntable — Image used with permission by copyright holder

With all the attention high-resolution digital audio is getting these days, it might be easy to forget that vinyl – yes, vinyl record albums – are coming back in a big way.

Lest you think spinning wax is a hobby enjoyed exclusively by hipsters and audiophile recluses, consider these recent events: Jack White’s newest album just broke a record for most vinyl albums sold in a week, racking up over 40,000 unit sales following its debut; North America’s biggest vinyl record presser is undergoing a massive expansion to double its record production; Disc Makers just bought back all the vinyl presses it sold so that it can resume vinyl production, due to strong demand.

See? There’s no shame in going retro and enjoying all the benefits – and embracing the quirks – of putting needle to groove for some sweet sounding tunes; lots of folks are doing it. And thankfully, just because you want to arm your entertainment with analog discs doesn’t mean your playback device has to sport the style of the 1970’s. Check out the Project Debut Carbon turntable with USB output.

Featuring a solid, glossy plinth available in seven colors, a Carbon Tube tonearm, heavy, felt-laden platter and your choice of one of two outstanding Ortofon cartridges, the Debut Carbon is prepped to deliver outstanding sound from your favorite LPs. Add in a USB output for playback or recording through a PC, and you’ve got yourself a classic music-maker with modern-day convenience and a style worthy of your living area. Hey, if it’s good enough for Daft Punk, it could be good enough for you.

The Project Debut Carbon turntables are available for $400 at many retailers. Scoop one up, then hit your local record shop to start digging up your favorites.

Culture

These are the best Disney Plus movies to watch in May

If you're a Disney Plus member, stream these movies this month

Princess Bride

Disney is arguably the most iconic entertainment brand in the world. The company's properties, both original and acquired, combine to produce content that transcends age demographics. Disney has built a brand that's beloved by children, and those children eventually age into adults who introduce their kids to the films they loved when they were young. Disney's animation alone has made it iconic, but in recent years, the company has also acquired some of the biggest pieces of intellectual property there are. And, with Disney Plus available on any device, you can watch all these movies whenever you want.

Between its acquisitions of both Marvel and Star Wars, there's a good chance that whatever you love is being shepherded to screens both large and small by Disney. When they launched Disney+, the company was sure to fill it with both those nostalgic animated classics and plenty of new stuff as well. It's meant to be a streaming service for all ages, which is why the selection of movies available there is so diverse. These Disney Plus movies will make you laugh and cry and leave you eager for a rewatch. Here's a look at the best movies on Disney Plus.

Culture

The best movies on Max you can stream in May

New to Max? Here are the top movies to start with

Scene from The Hobbit

Now that HBO Max has rebranded as Max, it's the right time to get acquainted with all of the great movies to watch on the streaming service. In addition to large portions of the Warner Bros. catalog, it also has tons of seminal, classic films, as well as plenty of foreign releases. Because the catalog is so big and rich, there are about 250 titles that could go on this list. There's a wealth of options to choose from whether you're into action movies or comedies, and you shouldn't feel limited by the selection below.
Instead, you should treat it as a jumping-off point of HBO Max movies, one that will hopefully allow you to explore many of the titles that didn't quite make the cut. Max has great movies in every genre and from every period of film history. This is just a sampling of the best movies on Max. And if you're looking for more Max content, we've rounded up the best shows on Max to watch right now.

The Dark Knight (2008)

Culture

Where do cigars come from? A guide to the premium tobacco growing regions

man smoking small cigar by engin-akyurt unsplash

Cigars are composed of various tobacco leaves, including fillers, a binder, and a wrapper on the outside. The tobacco that makes up those leaves is grown in a variety of regions worldwide and undergoes several processes to create the flavor and blend that is eventually rolled into a premium cigar. While many factors influence the result, mainly how the tobacco tastes when it's smoked, none are more important than its cultivation, growth, and harvest. Tobacco grown in Nicaragua will taste very different from tobacco grown in Cuba or even Indonesia. It has to do with the local climate, the soil and its contents, average sun exposure, and much more. But most cigars include a blend or mixture of tobacco leaves, sometimes from entirely different regions, like Nicaraguan fillers and an African Cameroon wrapper. So, when posing the question, "Where do cigars come from," it makes more sense to look at the regions where tobacco is grown.
The Big Five

Not all tobacco comes from the Big Five regions; however, a large majority of the tobacco leaves produced and sold, even to partners in the business, come from fairly localized tobacco growers in the following locations:
Cuba
Everyone has heard of Cuban cigars, Cuban tobacco, and the forbidden fruit, at least in the United States. Ever since the U.S. government activated an embargo against Cuban goods back in 1962, Cuban tobacco cannot be imported or sold in the country. Of course, that doesn't change the fact that Cuba is the birthplace of modern cigars and has inspired many of today's biggest tobacco producers in the world.