On February 24, Manhattan’s West 8th Street was officially co-named Jimi Hendrix Way. It’s where Electric Lady Studios, which began as Hendrix’s personal recording space, is located, and a fitting tribute to the man who changed electric guitar playing forever.
Your editor returned from Florida Audio Expo 2026 right before this issue’s deadline, so a report will appear in the next issue. The show was loads of fun and filled with very interesting gear.
In this issue: Jeff Weiner continues his series on the earliest stars of country music. John Volanski visits NAMM, the world’s biggest music industry trade show. B. Jan Montana shares a story about an unexpected thrill seeker. Your editor has a bone to pick with streaming audio. FIDELITY magazine takes us on a tour of Sweden’s exceptional Marten loudspeaker factory. Wayne Robins has a vinyl love story. Octave Records’ latest, Serita’s Black Rose Duo, offers a funky take on classic 1970s covers and more.
Frank Doris talks with singer/songwriter extraordinaire James Lee Stanley about life on the road, and reviews the new book, Listening to Prestige, about the history of the storied jazz label. Ray Chelstowski blasts off with blues legend Duke Robillard. Rudy Radelic and The Vinyl Beat cover LPs from Donald Byrd, Wes Montgomery, Frank Sinatra, and more. The Listening Chair takes us on an extended visit to the Nagra factory. Paul McGowan looks at the history of stereophonic sound in The Audiophile’s Guide. PS Audio earns 2026 Editors’ Choice awards. Ken Kessler gets back to his reel-to-reel roots with…high-tech reels. We conclude the issue with pure distortion, 90-degree stereo, and the keys to art.
******
Contributors to This Issue:
Ray Chelstowski, Frank Doris, Rich Isaacs, Ken Kessler, Howard Kneller, Markus "Mansu" Manthey, Paul McGowan, B. Jan Montana, Sebastian Polcyn, Rudy Radelic, Wayne Robins, Ingo Schulz, John Volanski, Jeff Weiner, 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
0 comments