COPPER

A PS Audio Publication

Issue 122 • Free Online Magazine

Issue 122 Opening Salvo

Light Up the Sky

Light Up the Sky

The music world has lost an icon with the passing of Eddie Van Halen at 65. The man was one of the greatest and most influential rock guitarists of all time and burst upon the scene with his technical brilliance, swagger, oft-overlooked sense of rhythm and swing, influencing generations to come. Tom Methans and Jay Jay French offer tributes.

Our Name That Column Contest goes through October 31. We’ll be running a new column about PS Audio’s Octave Records label, and we need a name. The winner will receive a 16 x 24 photo on canvas of Copper photographer James Schrimpf’s photo of musicians Dale Watson and Chris Crepps, used as Issue 105’s Parting Shot. Please submit your suggestions for the column name to letters@psaudio.com.

In this issue: Larry Schenbeck returns! Have things changed for him? John Seetoo review’s Neil Young and Phil Baker’s book about the rise and fall of the Pono hi-res music player. Tom Methans and Jay Jay French remember Eddie Van Halen. We have interviews with Krell Industries’ Walter Schofield (Part One) and Eikon Audio’s Gayle Sanders (Part Two; these guys have a lot to say). Anne E. Johnson looks at the career of Dame Ethel Smyth and deep cuts from Echo & the Bunnymen. Ken Sander gets big attitude from Little Esther.

Tom Gibbs covers new releases from Roger Waters, Drive-By Truckers and Sufjan Stevens. Wayne Robins goes crate digging...for MP3s? Steven Bryan Bieler has fond musical memories of his dad. Roy Hall visits a dude ranch and WL Woodward revisits Frank Zappa.

J.I. Agnew ponders the dynamic range of records. Ray Chelstowski has an inside look at the making of Bob Seger’s Against the Wind (he had some unexpected help). Rudy Radelic offers some suggested demo recordings. Readers Adrian Wu and Stuart Marvin tell us about an Olympian listening experience and a close encounter with the Rolling Stones. Our audio/visual department encounters a hair-raising experience, gets testy with tubes and visits the Badlands.

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#232 What came first: Art or Music? A Conversation With Artist Jose Acosta by Joe Caplan Jul 06, 2026 #232 Blow By Blow: The Jeff Beck Story: An Insightful Book About a Guitar Icon by Ray Chelstowski Jul 06, 2026 #232 Creed Over Camaraderie? by B. Jan Montana Jul 06, 2026 #232 Chronicles of a Sound Pilgrim at the 2026 Montreal Audiofest by Hugues Morin Jul 06, 2026 #232 The Vinyl Beat: Summer Grooves by Rudy Radelic Jul 06, 2026 #232 Hibbing Hillbilly Dylan's Acoustic Rock by Wayne Robins Jul 06, 2026 #232 Quad Quads and Plasmatronics Tweeters: An Extraordinary System Comes to Life by Frank Doris Jul 06, 2026 #232 In Praise of Live Music, Once Again by Ted Shafran Jul 06, 2026 #232 Allnic Audio’s L-9000 Preamplifier: Design and Engineering Innovation by Howard Kneller Jul 06, 2026 #232 “Best Of” Lists and Rage Bait: Enough Already by Frank Doris Jul 06, 2026 #232 Quick Takes: Bud Shank, Paulo Almeida, Jakob Dreyer, Tim Eriksen and Peter Irvine by Frank Doris Jul 06, 2026 #232 My Impressions of AXPONA 2026, Part 2 by Frank Doris Jul 06, 2026 #232 How to Play in a Rock Band, 25: Encounters With Famous Musicians, Part Three by Frank Doris Jul 06, 2026 #232 Budgets, and Systems From Small to Outrageous by Paul McGowan Jul 06, 2026 #232 PS Audio in the News by PS Audio Staff Jul 06, 2026 #232 Hand It Over by Frank Doris Jul 06, 2026 #232 Difference of Opinion by Peter Xeni Jul 06, 2026 #232 Wabi-sabi Tree by James Schrimpf Jul 06, 2026 #231 Piano Prodigy Jude Kofie Releases His Debut Album On Octave Records by Frank Doris Jun 01, 2026 #231 Underappreciated Artists, Part Two: City Boy by Rich Isaacs Jun 01, 2026 #231 Music and the Art of Creation: Talking With Saxophonist Rob Scheps by Joe Caplan Jun 01, 2026 #231 How to Play in a Rock Band, 24: Further Adventures at the 2026 Montauk Music Festival by Frank Doris Jun 01, 2026 #231 Courtney Barnett: Creature of Habit by Wayne Robins Jun 01, 2026 #231 Angine de Poitrine: Interstellar Guitar Rock Saviors Headed for Late-Night TV Pop Stardom? by Mark Lepage Jun 01, 2026 #231 My Impressions of AXPONA 2026, Part One by Frank Doris Jun 01, 2026 #231 2026 La Jolla Concours d'Elegance: Another Aesthetic Feast by B. Jan Montana Jun 01, 2026 #231 Country Music Icon Jo Dee Messina’s Bridges: A New Beginning by Ray Chelstowski Jun 01, 2026 #231 The Luxury Dispatch Hosts a Video Podcast With Ken Kessler by Ken Kessler Jun 01, 2026 #231 The Vinyl Beat: Tracking in the Motor City by Rudy Radelic Jun 01, 2026 #231 Lots of Fun With DSP: The Ferrum Audio WANDLA DAC and Its Tube Mode by Frank Doris Jun 01, 2026 #231 From The Audiophile's Guide: Digital Source Components and Streaming Audio by Paul McGowan Jun 01, 2026 #231 Onkyo’s Monster M-510 power amplifier by The Staff at Just Audio Jun 01, 2026 #231 PS Audio in the News by PS Audio Staff Jun 01, 2026 #231 Naming Convention by Peter Xeni Jun 01, 2026 #231 Les Invisibles by Frank Doris Jun 01, 2026 #231 Wildlife Scene by James Schrimpf Jun 01, 2026 #230 Camaraderie by B. Jan Montana May 04, 2026 #230 AXPONA 2026: A Family Gathering by Paul McGowan May 04, 2026 #230 Pianist Ryan Benthall Explores Jazz Realms and Far Beyond With Divine Sky by Frank Doris May 04, 2026 #230 The Vinyl Beat in AXPONA-Land by Rudy Radelic May 04, 2026 #230 Teddy Thompson’s Musical Growth Deepens With Never Be the Same by Ray Chelstowski May 04, 2026 #230 More Fun in the Sun: Florida Audio Expo, Part Two by Frank Doris May 04, 2026 #230 CanJam NYC 2026 Show Report: Heady Sound, Part Two by Frank Doris and Harris Fogel May 04, 2026 #230 Sonic Youth On Murray Street by Wayne Robins May 04, 2026 #230 Graffeo Coffee: A Symphony of Sensory Experience by Joe Caplan May 04, 2026 #230 The Saul Authority: The Story of Hi-Fi Pioneer Saul Marantz by Olivier Meunier-Plante May 04, 2026 #230 How to Play in a Rock Band, 23: Encounters With Famous Musicians, Part Two by Frank Doris May 04, 2026

Light Up the Sky

Light Up the Sky

The music world has lost an icon with the passing of Eddie Van Halen at 65. The man was one of the greatest and most influential rock guitarists of all time and burst upon the scene with his technical brilliance, swagger, oft-overlooked sense of rhythm and swing, influencing generations to come. Tom Methans and Jay Jay French offer tributes.

Our Name That Column Contest goes through October 31. We’ll be running a new column about PS Audio’s Octave Records label, and we need a name. The winner will receive a 16 x 24 photo on canvas of Copper photographer James Schrimpf’s photo of musicians Dale Watson and Chris Crepps, used as Issue 105’s Parting Shot. Please submit your suggestions for the column name to letters@psaudio.com.

In this issue: Larry Schenbeck returns! Have things changed for him? John Seetoo review’s Neil Young and Phil Baker’s book about the rise and fall of the Pono hi-res music player. Tom Methans and Jay Jay French remember Eddie Van Halen. We have interviews with Krell Industries’ Walter Schofield (Part One) and Eikon Audio’s Gayle Sanders (Part Two; these guys have a lot to say). Anne E. Johnson looks at the career of Dame Ethel Smyth and deep cuts from Echo & the Bunnymen. Ken Sander gets big attitude from Little Esther.

Tom Gibbs covers new releases from Roger Waters, Drive-By Truckers and Sufjan Stevens. Wayne Robins goes crate digging...for MP3s? Steven Bryan Bieler has fond musical memories of his dad. Roy Hall visits a dude ranch and WL Woodward revisits Frank Zappa.

J.I. Agnew ponders the dynamic range of records. Ray Chelstowski has an inside look at the making of Bob Seger’s Against the Wind (he had some unexpected help). Rudy Radelic offers some suggested demo recordings. Readers Adrian Wu and Stuart Marvin tell us about an Olympian listening experience and a close encounter with the Rolling Stones. Our audio/visual department encounters a hair-raising experience, gets testy with tubes and visits the Badlands.

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