COPPER

A PS Audio Publication

Issue 232 • Free Online Magazine

Issue 232 Opening Salvo

Table of Contents – Issue 232

“There was a time before we were born/If someone asks, this where I'll be, where I'll be” – Talking Heads, “This Must Be the Place (Naïve Melody)”

In this issue: We conclude our coverage of the AXPONA 2026 audio show, and have a report from Montreal Audiofest 2026 from our colleagues at PMA Magazine. Ray Chelstowski interviews Brad Tolinski and Chris Gill for their new book about iconic guitarist Jeff Beck. Wayne Robins offers insight into Bob Dylan’s first album. Frank Doris encounters some famous rock musicians, and hears the legendary Hill Plasmatronics tweeter in an extraordinary audio installation. B. Jan Montana asks if one should choose creed over camaraderie. Ted Shafran sings the praises of live music.

Joe Caplan talks with artist Jose Acosta about the relationship between art and music. In The Audiophile’s Guide, Paul McGowan has advice on systems and budgets. The Vinyl Beat has some hot suggestions for summer music listening. Frank Doris is tired of clickbait best-of lists, but hears some inspiring new and old music from Jakob Dreyer, Paulo Almeida, Bud Shank, and Tim Eriksen and Peter Irvine. From The Listening Chair looks at the innovative Allnic L-9000 preamp. PS Audio interests a YouTube reviewer. We close out the issue with a difference of opinion, reverberation, and a wabi-sabi tree.

******

Contributors to This Issue:
Joe Caplan, Ray Chelstowski, Frank Doris, Paul McGowan, Howard Kneller, B. Jan Montana, Hugues Morin, Rudy Radelic, Wayne Robins, Ted Shafran, James Schrimpf, 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 232

What came first: Art or Music? A Conversation With Artist Jose Acosta
What came first: Art or Music? A Conversation With Artist Jose Acosta
Joe Caplan
Blow By Blow: The Jeff Beck Story: An Insightful Book About a Guitar Icon
Blow By Blow: The Jeff Beck Story: An Insightful Book About a Guitar Icon
Ray Chelstowski
Creed Over Camaraderie?
Creed Over Camaraderie?
B. Jan Montana
Chronicles of a Sound Pilgrim at the 2026 Montreal Audiofest
Chronicles of a Sound Pilgrim at the 2026 Montreal Audiofest
Hugues Morin
The Vinyl Beat: Summer Grooves
The Vinyl Beat: Summer Grooves
Rudy Radelic
Hibbing Hillbilly Dylan's Acoustic Rock
Hibbing Hillbilly Dylan's Acoustic Rock
Wayne Robins
View All Articles in Issue 232

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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 Scrimpf 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

Table of Contents – Issue 232

“There was a time before we were born/If someone asks, this where I'll be, where I'll be” – Talking Heads, “This Must Be the Place (Naïve Melody)”

In this issue: We conclude our coverage of the AXPONA 2026 audio show, and have a report from Montreal Audiofest 2026 from our colleagues at PMA Magazine. Ray Chelstowski interviews Brad Tolinski and Chris Gill for their new book about iconic guitarist Jeff Beck. Wayne Robins offers insight into Bob Dylan’s first album. Frank Doris encounters some famous rock musicians, and hears the legendary Hill Plasmatronics tweeter in an extraordinary audio installation. B. Jan Montana asks if one should choose creed over camaraderie. Ted Shafran sings the praises of live music.

Joe Caplan talks with artist Jose Acosta about the relationship between art and music. In The Audiophile’s Guide, Paul McGowan has advice on systems and budgets. The Vinyl Beat has some hot suggestions for summer music listening. Frank Doris is tired of clickbait best-of lists, but hears some inspiring new and old music from Jakob Dreyer, Paulo Almeida, Bud Shank, and Tim Eriksen and Peter Irvine. From The Listening Chair looks at the innovative Allnic L-9000 preamp. PS Audio interests a YouTube reviewer. We close out the issue with a difference of opinion, reverberation, and a wabi-sabi tree.

******

Contributors to This Issue:
Joe Caplan, Ray Chelstowski, Frank Doris, Paul McGowan, Howard Kneller, B. Jan Montana, Hugues Morin, Rudy Radelic, Wayne Robins, Ted Shafran, James Schrimpf, 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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