COPPER

A PS Audio Publication

Issue 223 • Free Online Magazine

Issue 223 Table of Contents

Table of Contents – Issue 223

Table of Contents – Issue 223

“Art is the highest form of hope.” Unknown

To the person who sent me the very nice e-mail about my Korean soundtracks article – an e-mail problem caused me to lose it before I could reply. If you read this, please contact me at frank@psaudio.com.

In this issue: I speak with recording engineer Barry Diament of Soundkeeper Recordings. World fusion meets flamenco music in Octave Records’ latest, Gratitude from Steve Mullins and Rim of the Well. B. Jan Montana pays tribute to a lost friend. Joe Caplan takes car audio seriously: how good can it get? Rich Isaacs says you can’t judge an album by its cover. Ray Chelstowski interviews contemporary troubadour Grant Lee Phillips about his new album, In the Hour of Dust. Wayne Robins tells us what it was like to be the editor of Creem, the world’s most iconoclastic rock magazine. I review the Ramones – in surround sound! Paul McGowan has another excerpt from The Audiophile’s Guide with advice on creating a dedicated listening room.

The Vinyl Beat looks at albums from Jean-Luc Ponty, The Mavericks and Ozzy Osbourne and digs into some rare 12-inch singles from Prince. I review new jazz and pop albums from Anette Askvik, Jane Ira Bloom, The Secret Trio, Eddie Daniels, and Zack Lober. Our series on how to play in a rock band talks about rehearsing and getting your band ready for prime time. Harris Fogel offers a look into California’s EmpowerLogic recording and performance studio. Our friends at PMA Magazine give insight into the art of listening. The Listening Chair spends time with PMC’s prophecy1 speakers. Ken Kessler looks back on a very special reel-to-reel accessory. PS Audio earns multiple raves for its PMG Signature Preamp and more. We conclude this fall issue with a trained ear, joy to the world, and a disappearing act.

 

Click here for information on how to post comments in Copper.

Contributors to This Issue:
Joe Caplan, Ray Chelstowski, Frank Doris, Harris Fogel, Rich Isaacs, Ken Kessler, Howard Kneller, Paul McGowan, B. Jan Montana, Rudy Radelic, Pascal Ravach, Wayne Robins, Peter Xeni

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

Editor:
Frank Doris

Publisher:
Paul McGowan

Post-publication Nitpicker:
Rich Isaacs

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 223

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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 223

Table of Contents – Issue 223

“Art is the highest form of hope.” Unknown

To the person who sent me the very nice e-mail about my Korean soundtracks article – an e-mail problem caused me to lose it before I could reply. If you read this, please contact me at frank@psaudio.com.

In this issue: I speak with recording engineer Barry Diament of Soundkeeper Recordings. World fusion meets flamenco music in Octave Records’ latest, Gratitude from Steve Mullins and Rim of the Well. B. Jan Montana pays tribute to a lost friend. Joe Caplan takes car audio seriously: how good can it get? Rich Isaacs says you can’t judge an album by its cover. Ray Chelstowski interviews contemporary troubadour Grant Lee Phillips about his new album, In the Hour of Dust. Wayne Robins tells us what it was like to be the editor of Creem, the world’s most iconoclastic rock magazine. I review the Ramones – in surround sound! Paul McGowan has another excerpt from The Audiophile’s Guide with advice on creating a dedicated listening room.

The Vinyl Beat looks at albums from Jean-Luc Ponty, The Mavericks and Ozzy Osbourne and digs into some rare 12-inch singles from Prince. I review new jazz and pop albums from Anette Askvik, Jane Ira Bloom, The Secret Trio, Eddie Daniels, and Zack Lober. Our series on how to play in a rock band talks about rehearsing and getting your band ready for prime time. Harris Fogel offers a look into California’s EmpowerLogic recording and performance studio. Our friends at PMA Magazine give insight into the art of listening. The Listening Chair spends time with PMC’s prophecy1 speakers. Ken Kessler looks back on a very special reel-to-reel accessory. PS Audio earns multiple raves for its PMG Signature Preamp and more. We conclude this fall issue with a trained ear, joy to the world, and a disappearing act.

 

Click here for information on how to post comments in Copper.

Contributors to This Issue:
Joe Caplan, Ray Chelstowski, Frank Doris, Harris Fogel, Rich Isaacs, Ken Kessler, Howard Kneller, Paul McGowan, B. Jan Montana, Rudy Radelic, Pascal Ravach, Wayne Robins, Peter Xeni

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

Editor:
Frank Doris

Publisher:
Paul McGowan

Post-publication Nitpicker:
Rich Isaacs

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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