COPPER

A PS Audio Publication

Issue 90 • Free Online Magazine

Issue 90 Opening Salvo

Happy Landings!

Happy Landings!

Welcome to Copper #90!

By the time you read these, the 50th anniversary of the moon landing will have come and gone, and my landing in Oakland for the California Audio Show will also have come and gone. Next issue I'll bring some of the highlights from the show. I'm afraid I don't have anything to say about the moon landing that hasn't been said a million times before.

In this issue: Dan Schwartz looks at how we all shine on; Richard Murison notes some observations from his most recent trip to the UK; Jay Jay French expresses his appreciation for the Dave Clark Five; Roy Hall visits a totally unglamorous place, for once; Anne E. Johnson’s Off the Charts brings us hidden gems from Spandau Ballet; Woody Woodward continues his in-depth piece on Django Reinhardt with Act 4; Anne’s Something Old/Something New looks at recent recordings of works by Guillaume de Machaut. I examine the perils of overabundance of music in The Audio Cynic, and in Vintage Whine, we look at the short-lived '70s high-end brand, Quintessence. You may not know the brand, but it's a very interesting story.

I'm happy to bring you the first Revolutions Per Minute column from J.I. Agnew; this piece starts with the basics of record-making.

Remember Ken Fritz, who told us all about how he built an enormous listening room and five channels of mammoth speakers, all from scratch? Well, Ken needed a turntable to complete his system---and it probably won't surprise you that he devoted just as much attention to the 'table as he did to everything else. This amazing story will take a few installments to tell. We've got Part 1 in this issue.

Copper #90 wraps up with Charles Rodrigues as the life of the partyand a distinctive Parting Shot from our friend Rich Isaacs.

Finally, a sad note: music and audio industry veteran Jeremy Kipnis passed away recently in a drowning accident. Jeremy was the son of keyboardist/music critic Igor Kipnis, and grandson of the legendary operatic basso Alexander Kipnis. Jeremy was also a contributor to Copper, having written "Records as Time Machines", which appeared in Copper #76, and was reprinted by the German magazine Fidelity in their English-language edition. Jeremy and I had been in touch recently regarding an article he was writing for us about his grandfather, and I'm sorry that we won't be seeing that.

The greater loss, of course, is that of Jeremy himself. He was unique: talented, knowledgeable, and passionate, and yet--- a total goofball, with the energy and enthusiasm of a tweenager.

He will be missed by many---including me.

Leebs.

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#225 Capital Audiofest 2025: Must-See Stereo, Part One by Frank Doris Dec 01, 2025 #225 Otis Taylor and the Electrics Delivers a Powerful Set of Hypnotic Modern Blues by Frank Doris Dec 01, 2025 #225 A Christmas Miracle by B. Jan Montana Dec 01, 2025 #225 T.H.E. Show New York 2025, Part Two: Plenty to See, Hear, and Enjoy by Frank Doris Dec 01, 2025 #225 Underappreciated Artists, Part One: Martin Briley by Rich Isaacs Dec 01, 2025 #225 Rock and Roll is Here to Stay by Wayne Robins Dec 01, 2025 #225 A Lifetime of Holiday Record (and CD) Listening by Rudy Radelic Dec 01, 2025 #225 Little Feat: Not Saying Goodbye, Not Yet by Ray Chelstowski Dec 01, 2025 #225 How to Play in a Rock Band, Part 18: Dealing With Burnout by Frank Doris Dec 01, 2025 #225 The People Who Make Audio Happen: CanJam SoCal 2025 by Harris Fogel Dec 01, 2025 #225 Chicago’s Sonic Sanctuaries: Four Hi‑Fi Listening Bars Channeling the Jazz‑Kissa Spirit by Olivier Meunier-Plante Dec 01, 2025 #225 From The Audiophile’s Guide: Controlling Bass Frequencies Through Membrane Absorbers (and How to Build Your Own) by Paul McGowan Dec 01, 2025 #225 Your Editor’s Tips for Attending Audio Shows by Frank Doris Dec 01, 2025 #225 PS Audio in the News by Frank Doris Dec 01, 2025 #225 Back to My Reel-to-Reel Roots, Part 24 by Ken Kessler Dec 01, 2025 #225 Holiday Music by Frank Doris Dec 01, 2025 #225 Puppy Prognostication by Peter Xeni Dec 01, 2025 #225 How to Post Comments on Copper by Frank Doris Dec 01, 2025 #225 Living Color by Rudy Radelic Dec 01, 2025 #224 T.H.E. Show New York 2025, Part One: A New Beginning by Frank Doris Nov 03, 2025 #224 Fool’s Leap of Faith is the Extraordinary Octave Records Debut from Singer/Songwriter Tyler Burba and Visit by Frank Doris Nov 03, 2025 #224 The Beatles’ “Aeolian Cadences.” What? by Wayne Robins Nov 03, 2025 #224 Persona Non Grata by B. Jan Montana Nov 03, 2025 #224 Talking With Recording Engineer Barry Diament of Soundkeeper Recordings, Part Two by Frank Doris Nov 03, 2025 #224 B Sides, B Movies, and Beware of Zombies by Rudy Radelic Nov 03, 2025 #224 The Burn-In Chronicles: 1,000 Hours to Sonic Salvation by Olivier Meunier-Plante Nov 03, 2025 #224 A Conversation With Mat Weisfeld of VPI Industries by Joe Caplan Nov 03, 2025 #224 Blues-Rocker Kenny Wayne Shepherd Celebrates 30 Years of Ledbetter Heights by Ray Chelstowski Nov 03, 2025 #224 Playing in a Rock Band, 17: When Good Gigs Go Bad, Part Two by Frank Doris Nov 03, 2025 #224 From The Audiophile’s Guide: Dealing with Odd-Shaped Rooms by Paul McGowan Nov 03, 2025 #224 TEAC’s TN-3B-SE Turntable Plays Bob Dylan by Howard Kneller Nov 03, 2025 #224 PS Audio in the News by Frank Doris Nov 03, 2025 #224 Lost in Translation by Peter Xeni Nov 03, 2025 #224 Reel-to-Reel Roots, Part 23: Better Than Rice Krispies by Ken Kessler Nov 03, 2025 #224 I Bring Joy! by Frank Doris Nov 03, 2025 #224 Screen Test by Rich Isaacs Nov 03, 2025 #224 How to Post Comments on Copper by Frank Doris Nov 03, 2025 #132 Dr. Patrick Gleeson: The Interview, Part Two by Rich Isaacs Oct 07, 2025 #223 World Fusion Meets Flamenco in Gratitude from Steve Mullins and Rim of the Well by Frank Doris Oct 06, 2025 #223 Judging Albums by Their Covers by Rich Isaacs Oct 06, 2025 #223 Recent Arrivals and 12-inch Royalty by Rudy Radelic Oct 06, 2025 #223 Summer of Creem, Part Two by Wayne Robins Oct 06, 2025 #223 Recording Engineer Barry Diament of Soundkeeper Recordings: Striving for Natural Sound by Frank Doris Oct 06, 2025 #223 Tea on the Terrace by B. Jan Montana Oct 06, 2025 #223 How Good Can Car Audio Get? by Joe Caplan Oct 06, 2025 #223 The Advantages of a Dedicated Listening Room by Paul McGowan Oct 06, 2025 #223 1! 2! 3! 4! Surrounded by the Ramones in Dolby Atmos! by Frank Doris Oct 06, 2025

Happy Landings!

Happy Landings!

Welcome to Copper #90!

By the time you read these, the 50th anniversary of the moon landing will have come and gone, and my landing in Oakland for the California Audio Show will also have come and gone. Next issue I'll bring some of the highlights from the show. I'm afraid I don't have anything to say about the moon landing that hasn't been said a million times before.

In this issue: Dan Schwartz looks at how we all shine on; Richard Murison notes some observations from his most recent trip to the UK; Jay Jay French expresses his appreciation for the Dave Clark Five; Roy Hall visits a totally unglamorous place, for once; Anne E. Johnson’s Off the Charts brings us hidden gems from Spandau Ballet; Woody Woodward continues his in-depth piece on Django Reinhardt with Act 4; Anne’s Something Old/Something New looks at recent recordings of works by Guillaume de Machaut. I examine the perils of overabundance of music in The Audio Cynic, and in Vintage Whine, we look at the short-lived '70s high-end brand, Quintessence. You may not know the brand, but it's a very interesting story.

I'm happy to bring you the first Revolutions Per Minute column from J.I. Agnew; this piece starts with the basics of record-making.

Remember Ken Fritz, who told us all about how he built an enormous listening room and five channels of mammoth speakers, all from scratch? Well, Ken needed a turntable to complete his system---and it probably won't surprise you that he devoted just as much attention to the 'table as he did to everything else. This amazing story will take a few installments to tell. We've got Part 1 in this issue.

Copper #90 wraps up with Charles Rodrigues as the life of the partyand a distinctive Parting Shot from our friend Rich Isaacs.

Finally, a sad note: music and audio industry veteran Jeremy Kipnis passed away recently in a drowning accident. Jeremy was the son of keyboardist/music critic Igor Kipnis, and grandson of the legendary operatic basso Alexander Kipnis. Jeremy was also a contributor to Copper, having written "Records as Time Machines", which appeared in Copper #76, and was reprinted by the German magazine Fidelity in their English-language edition. Jeremy and I had been in touch recently regarding an article he was writing for us about his grandfather, and I'm sorry that we won't be seeing that.

The greater loss, of course, is that of Jeremy himself. He was unique: talented, knowledgeable, and passionate, and yet--- a total goofball, with the energy and enthusiasm of a tweenager.

He will be missed by many---including me.

Leebs.

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