COPPER

A PS Audio Publication

Issue 150 • Free Online Magazine

Issue 150 Opening Salvo

Milestones

Milestones

This is the 150th issue of Copper! We are thrilled to have reached this milestone. It would not have been possible without our exceptional staff. I am honored and more than a little humbled to be working with such a talented group.

Putting out a magazine every two weeks isn’t easy. Well, our writers and artists are the ones who make it possible for us to keep Copper rocketing ahead, and you, the readers, are the ones who inspire us. I am continually delighted at what our writers contribute, at the covers by Cartoon Bob D’Amico that give Copper such a distinctive visual identity, at James Whitworth’s and Peter Xeni’s wry cartoons, and the images taken by our Parting Shot photographers.

Naturally, credit has to go to Paul McGowan, our enabler-in-chief, along with previous editor Bill Leebens and editorial superwoman Maggie McFalls, who were gracious beyond words in helping me climb aboard more than 50 issues ago.

You might have noticed that Jay Jay French has been absent the last few issues. That’s because he’s on a promotional tour for his new book, Twisted Business: Lessons from My Life In Rock ‘n’ Roll. Jay Jay will be back and rocking these pages again soon.

In this issue: Rudy Radelic asks: what’s in a number? 150, that is. In The Mindful Melophile, Don Kaplan offers 150 of his favorite recordings, and I list my favorite 150 rock and pop albums. Steven Bryan Bieler looks at a ranking of the best 150 albums made by women. Anne E. Johnson considers 150 years of Aida, and has an overview of multifaceted rocker David Bowie. We have two Capital Audiofest 2021 show reports from Harris Fogel and Steve Kindig. Tom Gibbs finds a new attractively-priced DAC. Ray Chelstowski interviews Don Airey of Deep Purple about their new Turning to Crime album, and I talk with saxophone master Frank Catalano.

Adrian Wu continues his series on exceptional analog recordings. Tom Methans has a conversation with Shannon Parks about the ultra-flexible Parks Puffin phono preamp. John Seetoo concludes his series on Christian music innovator and super-guitarist Phil Keaggy. Russ Welton asks which is better when it comes to speakers and subs: large or small? New contributor Jack Flory remembers when he was a boy fascinated with all things audio, and Stuart Marvin has a fond look at the 1960s musical magic of the Fillmore East and other New York venues. Ken Sander sets the wayback machine to two San Jose, California music festivals. B. Jan Montana rides ahead. J.I. Agnew concludes his series on the dazzling direct-metal-mastered DMM Dubplate, Vol. 1. We wrap up the issue with a rotating Staar, a cheesy situation, some vinyl aeronautics, and magnificent mesas.

Staff Writers:

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

Contributing Editors:
Ivan Berger, Steven Bryan Bieler, Jack Flory, Harris Fogel, Robert Heiblim, Steve Kindig, Ed Kwok, Stuart Marvin, Andy Schaub, David Snyder, Bob Wood

Cover:
“Cartoon Bob” D’Amico

Cartoons:
James Whitworth, Peter Xeni

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

Audio Anthropology Photos:
Howard Kneller, Steve Rowell

Editor:
Frank Doris

Publisher:
Paul McGowan

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

 – FD

More from Issue 150

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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

Milestones

Milestones

This is the 150th issue of Copper! We are thrilled to have reached this milestone. It would not have been possible without our exceptional staff. I am honored and more than a little humbled to be working with such a talented group.

Putting out a magazine every two weeks isn’t easy. Well, our writers and artists are the ones who make it possible for us to keep Copper rocketing ahead, and you, the readers, are the ones who inspire us. I am continually delighted at what our writers contribute, at the covers by Cartoon Bob D’Amico that give Copper such a distinctive visual identity, at James Whitworth’s and Peter Xeni’s wry cartoons, and the images taken by our Parting Shot photographers.

Naturally, credit has to go to Paul McGowan, our enabler-in-chief, along with previous editor Bill Leebens and editorial superwoman Maggie McFalls, who were gracious beyond words in helping me climb aboard more than 50 issues ago.

You might have noticed that Jay Jay French has been absent the last few issues. That’s because he’s on a promotional tour for his new book, Twisted Business: Lessons from My Life In Rock ‘n’ Roll. Jay Jay will be back and rocking these pages again soon.

In this issue: Rudy Radelic asks: what’s in a number? 150, that is. In The Mindful Melophile, Don Kaplan offers 150 of his favorite recordings, and I list my favorite 150 rock and pop albums. Steven Bryan Bieler looks at a ranking of the best 150 albums made by women. Anne E. Johnson considers 150 years of Aida, and has an overview of multifaceted rocker David Bowie. We have two Capital Audiofest 2021 show reports from Harris Fogel and Steve Kindig. Tom Gibbs finds a new attractively-priced DAC. Ray Chelstowski interviews Don Airey of Deep Purple about their new Turning to Crime album, and I talk with saxophone master Frank Catalano.

Adrian Wu continues his series on exceptional analog recordings. Tom Methans has a conversation with Shannon Parks about the ultra-flexible Parks Puffin phono preamp. John Seetoo concludes his series on Christian music innovator and super-guitarist Phil Keaggy. Russ Welton asks which is better when it comes to speakers and subs: large or small? New contributor Jack Flory remembers when he was a boy fascinated with all things audio, and Stuart Marvin has a fond look at the 1960s musical magic of the Fillmore East and other New York venues. Ken Sander sets the wayback machine to two San Jose, California music festivals. B. Jan Montana rides ahead. J.I. Agnew concludes his series on the dazzling direct-metal-mastered DMM Dubplate, Vol. 1. We wrap up the issue with a rotating Staar, a cheesy situation, some vinyl aeronautics, and magnificent mesas.

Staff Writers:

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

Contributing Editors:
Ivan Berger, Steven Bryan Bieler, Jack Flory, Harris Fogel, Robert Heiblim, Steve Kindig, Ed Kwok, Stuart Marvin, Andy Schaub, David Snyder, Bob Wood

Cover:
“Cartoon Bob” D’Amico

Cartoons:
James Whitworth, Peter Xeni

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

Audio Anthropology Photos:
Howard Kneller, Steve Rowell

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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