COPPER

A PS Audio Publication

Issue 144 • Free Online Magazine

Issue 144 Opening Salvo

Magic and Loss

Magic and Loss

I and so many of us are saddened by the passing of Nanci Griffith at 68. Some singers are good, some are truly great, and the rare few can move you to tears. Nanci Griffith was one of the rare few.

Charlie Watts is no longer with us. To say we lost a giant (at age 80) would be to seriously understate the man’s titanic talent and influence. Watts was the Rolling Stones' driving force, a rock-steady powerhouse, yet one who also played with an inimitable sense of jazz-informed swing. The rock world will never again be the same.

We are honored to announce a new contributor: Ed Kwok. Ed spent his formative years taking things apart. He subsequently trained as an electrical engineer at Imperial College London in the 1980s, and got caught up in the high-end wave. His early ambition was to be an analog audio designer, but he ended up in digital military electronics. Ed then retired from engineering and relocated back to Hong Kong to concentrate on a financial career. He enjoys the computer audio space, considering it partly science and partly high-end art.

Ed founded the Asia Audio Society (asiaaudiosoc.com) with some like-minded friends, with the aim of crystallizing the essence of high-end audio reproduction. In this issue: Ray Chelstowski interviews Stephen Duffy, whose post-Duran Duran band the Hawks has been an undiscovered gem – until now. J.I. Agnew begins an interview series with Martin Theophilus and the remarkable Museum of Magnetic Sound Recording. Michael Walker offers a tribute to Nanci Griffith. I interview the members of rock band Augustus about Ragtime World, their new Octave Records album. Anne E. Johnson can’t get enough J.S. Bach, or Creedence Clearwater Revival. Russ Welton delves deeper into subwoofer placement. John Seetoo considers the record-at-home revolution of multitrack cassette recorders. Ken Sander works at The Psychedelic Supermarket. B. Jan Montana continues his pilgrimage to Sturgis. Jay Jay French and Joe Rock wrap up the question: what do radio stations consider classic rock? Stuart Marvin ponders the future of jazz clubs. Adrian Wu continues his series on notable analog recordings. Tom Gibbs reviews new SACD releases. Rudy Radelic begins a series on keyboardist and composer extraordinaire Lyle Mays. Ed Kwok gives us the first part of a comprehensive overview of computer audio. The Copper A/V squad hits home with some Uber upgrades, gets no respect, makes a splash, and sits in the cheap seats.

Staff Writers:

J.I. Agnew, Ray Chelstowski, Cliff Chenfeld, Jay Jay French, Tom Gibbs, Roy Hall, Rich Isaacs, Anne E. Johnson, Don Kaplan, Don Lindich, Tom Methans, B. Jan Montana, Rudy Radelic, Tim Riley, Wayne Robins, Alón Sagee, Ken Sander, Larry Schenbeck, John Seetoo, Dan Schwartz, Russ Welton, WL Woodward, Adrian Wu

Contributing Editors:
Ivan Berger, Steven Bryan Bieler, Harris Fogel, Robert Heiblim, Ken Kessler, Ed Kwok, Stuart Marvin, Bob Wood

Cover:
“Cartoon Bob” D’Amico

Cartoons:
James Whitworth, Peter Xeni

Parting Shots:
James Schrimpf, B. Jan Montana, Rich Isaacs (and others)

Editor:
Frank Doris

Publisher:
Paul McGowan

Advertising Sales:

 No one. We are free from advertising and subscribing to Copper is free.

– FD

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#233 A Report From The Total Hi-Fi Experience Show SoCal 2026 by B. Jan Montana Aug 03, 2026 #233 Bluegrass Meets Country, Folk, Jazz and More in All That We Carried by The Squid City Slingers by Frank Doris Aug 03, 2026 #233 Corey Glover and One Tribe Nation: A Variegated Musical Collective by Ray Chelstowski Aug 03, 2026 #233 Excursions with Clive: The Late Clive Davis, A Personal History by Wayne Robins Aug 03, 2026 #233 AI, Art, and Music: A Conversation With Synthography Art by Joe Caplan Aug 03, 2026 #233 New American Symphonies: A Rediscovered Gem and a Vital Contemporary Work by Frank Doris Aug 03, 2026 #233 The Vinyl Beat: Genesis, the Dave Clark Five, Antonio Carlos Jobim and More by Rudy Radelic Aug 03, 2026 #233 How to Play in a Rock Band, 26: When It's Time to Record Your Music by Frank Doris Aug 03, 2026 #233 More From T.H.E. Show 2026, and the People Who Made it Happen by Harris Fogel Aug 03, 2026 #233 Underappreciated Artists, Part Three: Icehouse by Rich Isaacs Aug 03, 2026 #233 The Surprisingly Rich and Varied Music of Somalia by Steve Kindig Aug 03, 2026 #233 A Remarkable Discographic Legacy: The LP Recordings of the Basel Symphony Orchestra by Stephan Haberthür Aug 03, 2026 #233 From The Audiophile’s Guide: The Importance of Loudspeakers by Paul McGowan Aug 03, 2026 #233 From Swimming Pool to New Listening Room: A Conversation with Norman Varney of AV RoomService by Gilles Laferrière Aug 03, 2026 #233 PS Audio in the News by PS Audio Staff Aug 03, 2026 #233 Audio Jewelry by Peter Xeni Aug 03, 2026 #233 Enrich Your Life by Frank Doris Aug 03, 2026 #233 The Searcher by James Schrimpf Aug 03, 2026 #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

Magic and Loss

Magic and Loss

I and so many of us are saddened by the passing of Nanci Griffith at 68. Some singers are good, some are truly great, and the rare few can move you to tears. Nanci Griffith was one of the rare few.

Charlie Watts is no longer with us. To say we lost a giant (at age 80) would be to seriously understate the man’s titanic talent and influence. Watts was the Rolling Stones' driving force, a rock-steady powerhouse, yet one who also played with an inimitable sense of jazz-informed swing. The rock world will never again be the same.

We are honored to announce a new contributor: Ed Kwok. Ed spent his formative years taking things apart. He subsequently trained as an electrical engineer at Imperial College London in the 1980s, and got caught up in the high-end wave. His early ambition was to be an analog audio designer, but he ended up in digital military electronics. Ed then retired from engineering and relocated back to Hong Kong to concentrate on a financial career. He enjoys the computer audio space, considering it partly science and partly high-end art.

Ed founded the Asia Audio Society (asiaaudiosoc.com) with some like-minded friends, with the aim of crystallizing the essence of high-end audio reproduction. In this issue: Ray Chelstowski interviews Stephen Duffy, whose post-Duran Duran band the Hawks has been an undiscovered gem – until now. J.I. Agnew begins an interview series with Martin Theophilus and the remarkable Museum of Magnetic Sound Recording. Michael Walker offers a tribute to Nanci Griffith. I interview the members of rock band Augustus about Ragtime World, their new Octave Records album. Anne E. Johnson can’t get enough J.S. Bach, or Creedence Clearwater Revival. Russ Welton delves deeper into subwoofer placement. John Seetoo considers the record-at-home revolution of multitrack cassette recorders. Ken Sander works at The Psychedelic Supermarket. B. Jan Montana continues his pilgrimage to Sturgis. Jay Jay French and Joe Rock wrap up the question: what do radio stations consider classic rock? Stuart Marvin ponders the future of jazz clubs. Adrian Wu continues his series on notable analog recordings. Tom Gibbs reviews new SACD releases. Rudy Radelic begins a series on keyboardist and composer extraordinaire Lyle Mays. Ed Kwok gives us the first part of a comprehensive overview of computer audio. The Copper A/V squad hits home with some Uber upgrades, gets no respect, makes a splash, and sits in the cheap seats.

Staff Writers:

J.I. Agnew, Ray Chelstowski, Cliff Chenfeld, Jay Jay French, Tom Gibbs, Roy Hall, Rich Isaacs, Anne E. Johnson, Don Kaplan, Don Lindich, Tom Methans, B. Jan Montana, Rudy Radelic, Tim Riley, Wayne Robins, Alón Sagee, Ken Sander, Larry Schenbeck, John Seetoo, Dan Schwartz, Russ Welton, WL Woodward, Adrian Wu

Contributing Editors:
Ivan Berger, Steven Bryan Bieler, Harris Fogel, Robert Heiblim, Ken Kessler, Ed Kwok, Stuart Marvin, Bob Wood

Cover:
“Cartoon Bob” D’Amico

Cartoons:
James Whitworth, Peter Xeni

Parting Shots:
James Schrimpf, B. Jan Montana, Rich Isaacs (and others)

Editor:
Frank Doris

Publisher:
Paul McGowan

Advertising Sales:

 No one. We are free from advertising and subscribing to Copper is free.

– FD

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