Tag: News

Burning The Ground – April 2026 Fundraiser

Hello, friends and fellow music lovers,

It’s that time again — the Burning the Ground Spring Fundraiser is officially underway!

Burning the Ground is a labor of love dedicated to preserving and sharing rare 12″ remixes, extended versions, and hard-to-find vinyl gems from the ’80s and ’90s. Whether you’re here to relive a favorite dancefloor memory or discover something new, I’m truly grateful to have you as part of this community.

Twice a year, in April and October, I hold a fundraiser to help keep the site running smoothly and to continue bringing you the music you love. The goal for this Spring fundraiser is $1,500.  The fundraiser will run through April 13.

Your generous support goes directly toward:

🔒 Website hosting, security, monitoring, and protection
💿 Purchasing vinyl for future posts and requests
🛠️ Equipment maintenance and upgrades

If you’d like to support Burning the Ground, you can make a secure donation via PayPal using the Donation Page or by clicking any of the yellow Donate buttons throughout the site.

If you’re not able to contribute at this time, please don’t worry—just being here, listening, and sharing your memories means just as much.

Thank you for your continued support, your kind comments, and for helping keep this music alive for fans and collectors around the world. I truly couldn’t do this without you.

Much love,
=Paul
Burning the Ground



Mark Your Calendar: Fundraiser on April 7

Hey everyone,

Just a quick heads-up that the Burning the Ground Spring fundraiser will be kicking off on Tuesday, April 7.

This is something I do twice a year to help keep the site running—covering hosting, equipment, and of course sourcing the vinyl needed to preserve and share these rare 12″ mixes and extended versions that we all love.

I’ll share all the details on the 7th, but I wanted to give you a little lead time so you can plan to take part if you’d like. Every contribution, big or small, truly makes a difference.

Thanks for sticking with me and for continuing to keep the music spinning!

—Paul

New Gear Day: I Chose the MOTU M4 for My Vinyl Transfers

Hi everyone,

I just wanted to say a huge thank you to all of you who chimed in on my recent post about upgrading my audio interface. I truly appreciate the thoughtful feedback — this is why I love our little audiophile corner of the internet.

After going through all of your suggestions and doing a deep dive into reviews, specs, and user experiences, three brands consistently rose to the top: RME, MOTU, and Focusrite.

I absolutely loved what I saw from RME. There were a couple of models I seriously considered, but they’re just a bit outside my current budget range. That’s not to say I won’t add one to the studio down the road — because let’s be honest, RME gear is kind of the endgame for a lot of us.

My decision ultimately came down to two interfaces: the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 4th Gen and the MOTU M4.

Through my research, the MOTU M4 seemed to have a slight edge for vinyl transfers and long-term driver stability. A few reviews mentioned that Focusrite’s Windows drivers can occasionally be finicky. While many users have zero issues, that small concern mattered to me since reliability is critical when I’m digitizing vinyl — especially rare 12″ mixes for Burning the Ground.

In the end, I chose the MOTU M4 for several reasons:

  • ESS Sabre32 Ultra DAC
  • Excellent low-latency performance
  • Transparent, detailed sound quality
  • Great input/output connectivity
  • Competitive price point

For what I need — capturing clean, dynamic transfers from my Technics SL-1200MK7 and Pro-Ject Tube Box DS2 — the M4 checks all the boxes.

I placed the order last night through Amazon, and it’s scheduled for overnight delivery. I’m actually taking today off to set everything up (assuming it arrives on time). You know I won’t be able to resist running a few test transfers immediately.

I’ll report back once I’ve had some hands-on time with it.

See you all very soon.

— Paul

Calling All Audiophiles: Help Me Choose My Next USB Interface

📣 Hey Vinyl Lovers — I Need Your Help!

After many great years with my Alpha Design Labs GT40a USB DAC, I’ve reached the point where it’s showing its age — both in hardware and software support. Time to upgrade!

I’m currently in the market for a USB audio interface (under $500) that can deliver clean, high-resolution digital captures — at least 24-bit/192 kHz — and I would appreciate your recommendations.

🎧 My Current Setup

Here’s what I’m working with:

  • Turntable: Technics SL-1200MK7

  • Cartridge: Ortofon Concorde Music Black

  • Phono Stage: Pro-Ject Tube Box DS2

  • Monitors: KRK Rokit 5

  • Goal: Capture my vinyl collection in the best digital quality possible

So what I need is a USB interface that:

✅ Supports 24-bit/192 kHz (or higher) recording
✅ Accepts the line-level output from my Tube Box DS2
✅ Has outputs to feed my KRK monitors
✅ Works smoothly with modern PCs

❓ Your Input Needed — Interfaces Under $500

Here’s where you come in:

What USB audio interface would YOU recommend for stellar vinyl digitizing (24-bit/192 kHz minimum) — under $500?

I’m looking for interfaces that are:

🎶 Clean and accurate in analog-to-digital conversion
💻 Easy to use with Windows/Mac
🔊 Great for both capturing and monitoring

Have you found a particular model that excels at this? Prefer one brand over another? Any tips on setup or workflow?

💬 Drop Your Thoughts Below

Your recommendations, along with the reasons why you chose them, would be incredibly helpful.
Let’s make some high-res vinyl magic together!

Thanks in advance for your help,

— Paul