COPPER

A PS Audio Publication

Issue 208 • Free Online Magazine

Issue 208 Opening Salvo

Table of Contents – Issue 208

Table of Contents – Issue 208

We are saddened to learn of the passing of Alón Sagee, Copper contributor and president of the San Francisco Audiophile Society. While I never had the opportunity to meet him in person, I had the pleasure of working with him quite a bit when he was writing for Copper. See my tribute to Alón in this issue.

The process of posting comments on Copper has become more...challenging since going to a new web platform. Here's how to do it:

To comment on an article, you need an account on Disqus.com. You can set up an account with a separate e-mail and password, or you can use your current login and password from Facebook, X, or Google. Below are the instructions for setting up an account directly through Disqus.

  1. Create an account on Disqus by clicking the D for Disqus.  
  2. Click on Need an Account? in the corner.
  3. Enter an e-mail and password for the account.
  4. A verification e-mail will be sent to your e-mail. Click on the link to verify your e-mail.
  5. You can now comment on an article.

Note: If you created an account but are unable to comment, you probably logged out. Click on the D again and enter your email and password to log back in.

Also in this issue: Paul McGowan offers a brief history of the evolution of loudspeakers. Octave Records has released The Art of Hi-Fi Volume 5: Woodwinds, a showcase for reed instruments. B. Jan Montana visits T.H.E. Show 2024. I watch the movie Dare to Be Different about the former, legendary new music station WLIR-FM, and attend a discussion with the director and WLIR DJs. Wayne Robins reviews The Power of the Heart: A Tribute to Lou Reed. I begin a new series that gives advice and tips on playing in a rock band. Ray Chelstowski reports on the return of indie-rock pioneers the dB’s and interviews singer/guitarist Peter Holsapple. Rich Isaacs checks out more test records and demo discs.

Rudy Radelic begins a new column, The Vinyl Beat, that will look at current reissues and some old classics. Harris Fogel photographs people at the 2024 NAMM Show. We have guest articles from AAA magazine for the 70th anniversary of the Fender Stratocaster electric guitar, and a piece from FIDELITY that asks: why does music move us? Howard Kneller goes wireless with the Sonus faber Omnia in From the Listening Chair. We re-run a classic Ken Kessler column on revisiting his reel-to-reel roots. PS Audio gets some stellar reviews for the AirLens streamer, StellarGold preamplifier and BHK Signature 300 mono power amplifier. The issue wraps up with console magic, a tasty tweak, and some Las Vegas rockin’.

Contributors to this issue:
Ray Chelstowski, Frank Doris, Harris Fogel, Rich Isaacs, Nick Joyce, Ken Kessler, Howard Kneller, Paul McGowan, B. Jan Montana, Rudy Radelic, Wayne Robins, Hans-Jürgen Schaal, Peter Xeni

Logo Design:
Susan Schwartz-Christian, from a concept by Bob D’Amico

Editor:
Frank Doris

Publisher:
Paul McGowan

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

Copper’s Comments Policy:

Copper’s comments sections are moderated. While we encourage thoughtful and spirited discussion, please be civil.

The editor and Copper’s editorial staff reserve the right to delete comments according to our discretion. This includes: political commentary; posts that are abusive, insulting, demeaning or defamatory; posts that are in violation of someone’s privacy; comments that violate the use of copyrighted information; posts that contain personal information; and comments that contain links to suspect websites (phishing sites or those that contain viruses and so on). Spam will be blocked or deleted.

Copper is a place to be enthusiastic about music, audio and other topics. It is most especially not a forum for political discussion, trolling, or rude behavior. Thanks for your consideration.

 – FD

More from Issue 208

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#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 #230 An Outlier in the Rack: A Vintage BIC Beam Box by The Staff at Just Audio May 04, 2026 #230 PS Audio in the News by PS Audio Staff May 04, 2026 #230 A Cautionary Tale by Rich Isaacs May 04, 2026 #230 Reel-to-Reel Roots, Part 33 (Revised): Ken Kessler Reports On the 2026 (British) AudioJumble by Ken Kessler May 04, 2026 #230 Text Messaging by Frank Doris May 04, 2026 #230 The Audiophile Rat Race by Peter Xeni May 04, 2026 #230 On the Rocks by Rich Isaacs May 04, 2026 #229 The Earliest Stars of Country Music, Part Three by Jeff Weiner Apr 06, 2026 #229 The Healing Power of Music and Sound at the Omega Institute by Joe Caplan Apr 06, 2026 #229 CanJam NYC 2026 Show Report: Heady Sound, Part One by Frank Doris Apr 06, 2026 #229 Florida Audio Expo 2026: Warming Up to High-End Audio, Part One by Frank Doris Apr 06, 2026 #229 Quick Takes: Anne Bisson, Sam Morrison, The Velvet Underground, and the Stooges by Frank Doris Apr 06, 2026 #229 The Vinyl Beat: New Arrivals, and Old Audio Show Demo Scores to Settle by Rudy Radelic Apr 06, 2026 #229 Harvard Gets a High-End Audio Education by Frank Doris Apr 06, 2026 #229 No Country for Old Knees by B. Jan Montana Apr 06, 2026 #229 How To Play in A Rock Band, 22: Encounters With Famous Musicians, Part 1 by Frank Doris Apr 06, 2026 #229 The Soulful Grooves of Guinea-Bissau by Steve Kindig Apr 06, 2026 #229 Four-Hand Piano Performance at Its Finest by Stephan Haberthür Apr 06, 2026

Table of Contents – Issue 208

Table of Contents – Issue 208

We are saddened to learn of the passing of Alón Sagee, Copper contributor and president of the San Francisco Audiophile Society. While I never had the opportunity to meet him in person, I had the pleasure of working with him quite a bit when he was writing for Copper. See my tribute to Alón in this issue.

The process of posting comments on Copper has become more...challenging since going to a new web platform. Here's how to do it:

To comment on an article, you need an account on Disqus.com. You can set up an account with a separate e-mail and password, or you can use your current login and password from Facebook, X, or Google. Below are the instructions for setting up an account directly through Disqus.

  1. Create an account on Disqus by clicking the D for Disqus.  
  2. Click on Need an Account? in the corner.
  3. Enter an e-mail and password for the account.
  4. A verification e-mail will be sent to your e-mail. Click on the link to verify your e-mail.
  5. You can now comment on an article.

Note: If you created an account but are unable to comment, you probably logged out. Click on the D again and enter your email and password to log back in.

Also in this issue: Paul McGowan offers a brief history of the evolution of loudspeakers. Octave Records has released The Art of Hi-Fi Volume 5: Woodwinds, a showcase for reed instruments. B. Jan Montana visits T.H.E. Show 2024. I watch the movie Dare to Be Different about the former, legendary new music station WLIR-FM, and attend a discussion with the director and WLIR DJs. Wayne Robins reviews The Power of the Heart: A Tribute to Lou Reed. I begin a new series that gives advice and tips on playing in a rock band. Ray Chelstowski reports on the return of indie-rock pioneers the dB’s and interviews singer/guitarist Peter Holsapple. Rich Isaacs checks out more test records and demo discs.

Rudy Radelic begins a new column, The Vinyl Beat, that will look at current reissues and some old classics. Harris Fogel photographs people at the 2024 NAMM Show. We have guest articles from AAA magazine for the 70th anniversary of the Fender Stratocaster electric guitar, and a piece from FIDELITY that asks: why does music move us? Howard Kneller goes wireless with the Sonus faber Omnia in From the Listening Chair. We re-run a classic Ken Kessler column on revisiting his reel-to-reel roots. PS Audio gets some stellar reviews for the AirLens streamer, StellarGold preamplifier and BHK Signature 300 mono power amplifier. The issue wraps up with console magic, a tasty tweak, and some Las Vegas rockin’.

Contributors to this issue:
Ray Chelstowski, Frank Doris, Harris Fogel, Rich Isaacs, Nick Joyce, Ken Kessler, Howard Kneller, Paul McGowan, B. Jan Montana, Rudy Radelic, Wayne Robins, Hans-Jürgen Schaal, Peter Xeni

Logo Design:
Susan Schwartz-Christian, from a concept by Bob D’Amico

Editor:
Frank Doris

Publisher:
Paul McGowan

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

Copper’s Comments Policy:

Copper’s comments sections are moderated. While we encourage thoughtful and spirited discussion, please be civil.

The editor and Copper’s editorial staff reserve the right to delete comments according to our discretion. This includes: political commentary; posts that are abusive, insulting, demeaning or defamatory; posts that are in violation of someone’s privacy; comments that violate the use of copyrighted information; posts that contain personal information; and comments that contain links to suspect websites (phishing sites or those that contain viruses and so on). Spam will be blocked or deleted.

Copper is a place to be enthusiastic about music, audio and other topics. It is most especially not a forum for political discussion, trolling, or rude behavior. Thanks for your consideration.

 – FD

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