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Cables: XLR Interconnect Design
In the previous article in this series, we discussed the design of an RCA interconnect, and how it’s important to have a good coaxial cable design in place before designing...
Cables: RCA Interconnects
There is no magic to good cables; it is adherence to strict design rules that also encompass those “magic” tertiary variables. In the three-part series, Cables: Time is of the Essence, ...
QED, Bitches!!
Agnostics are often assumed to be wishy-washy—that they dither and um when asked about greater things. But actually, an agnostic has a firm belief: they do not have enough information...
Schwartz Does NAMM
I’ve just been to my 41st NAMM show. I’ve only been to a few CESs, about a dozen exclusively Hi-Fi shows, a bunch of AES, but NAMM… I just keep going. For...
CES: A Look Around
Our little world is categorized as “High-Performance Audio” (HPA) by the Consumer Technology Association, the group that puts on CES every year, and I think that’s a far better term than...
Cables: Time is of the Essence, Part 2
[In the last issue of Copper, we began a series of articles by Belden engineer Galen Gareis on the science involved in the design of audio cables. We continue here with Galen’s explanation...
Cables: Time is of the Essence, Part 3
[We began this series of articles by Belden engineer Galen Gareis in Copper #48 , and continued it in Copper #49. We now present the conclusion of Time is of the Essence, on time-based distortions in audio cable design,—Ed.] 7) Dielectric...
Cables: Time is of the Essence, Part 1
[If there’s a name that’s synonymous with wire and cables for electrical connections, it’s that of Belden. Belden is a multi-billion dollar corporation based in St. Louis, founded 115 years...
Southern Italian Wines, Part 3: Of Gods, Monste...
The wine history of Sicily, like that of most of Italy, particularly the southernmost regions, is ancient, and colorful, replete with outrageous tales of gods –- both Greek and Roman...
Singles? Or LPs?
We often feel that we haven’t fully grasped a musician’s artistic statement unless we’ve listened to a full album by them, thinking that singles are just a vehicle to sell said albums....
Southern Italian Wines: A Walk on the Wild Side...
Last time out Part 1 launched our safari through the hinterlands of Southern Italy, specifically through the mostly unfamiliar region of Basilicata — mountainous, poor, almost unapproachably landlocked — and...
“Go Tell Veronica…” – A Brief, Superficial Glim...
Adam Sandler, in his impish introduction on Saturday Night Live to the original “Hanukkah Song”, quips, “There’s a lot of Christmas songs out there, but not that many Hanukkah songs. So, I...
So This is Christmas…
“So this is Christmas”, sings John Lennon, “And what have you done? Another year over. And a new one just begun.” In our western society there is no holiday or seasonal...
Southern Italian Wines: A Walk on the Wild Side...
It’s a Malbec world out there. Once upon a time, it was a Merlot world—and then came the movie Sideways, based on Rex Pickett’s novel of the same name. Sideways detailed the misadventures of...
The Two Most Important People in the World
Let’s call my audio-show buddy Gavin. I first met him in the elevator at the 2017 Los Angeles Audio Show, and we chatted for ages in the foyer. Then I...
The Agony of the Leaves
I’d never heard the phrase “the agony of the leaves” until I landed a project for a specialty tea manufacturer (there’s the clue, in case you haven’t heard it either)....
Rocky Mountain Audio Fest 2017
RMAF this year was back to full size, with the memories of tents and blocked-off rooms behind us. The show seemed particularly busy Friday morning, as you can see from...
Confessions of a Beleaguered Music Fan
While most Copper readers are fans of different types of audiophile gear, the one love that I would lay odds that is universal for all of us is the love of music. While...
Classic Album Sundays
The heart of Classic Album Sundays is built around a deep love for music, involving listening to entire albums on vinyl and on an amazing hi-fi. We feature vinyl for the warmth...
RMAF Preview
In a year that’s seen some ups and downs in the show world—a new show in LA, and longtime reliable venue THE Show cancelled, at least for this year—it’s good...
Digital vs. Analog, Ad Nauseum
“What If Digital Had Never Happened?” writes Steve Guttenberg in the October 2017 issue of Stereophile. It’s a thoughtful, well-written piece. I just wonder why the audiophile community needs another piece glorifying analog...
Hi-Fis, Cars, and Planes
Through the years my idea of listening to a stereo has evolved, to where I’m now at the point where I expect to be totally transported and blown away by a sound...
LP Playback: Is It Really Reference-Quality?
Is it truly superior if it has not one, but two iterations of eq; an extra gain stage; a signal-to-noise ratio that is definitely not so superior; inner-groove distortion; variable performance; and...
Not Everybody Was Kung Fu Fighting
The popularity of martial arts has grown exponentially in the US in recent years. The sale of the UFC for $4 billion last summer only demonstrates the huge demand for...
The Beauty of Song Part 2
[In the last issue of Copper, Jason Victor Serinus introduced us to the beauty and communicative power of art song. That story paves the way for what follows below.—Ed.] One of the great...
The Beauty of Song Part 1
The magic of classical song springs from the fact that it requires a singer and accompanist to construct an entire emotional universe in a very short amount of time. You...
Welcome to the Smoke on the Water Jungle Sweet ...
Imagine John Cleese with a red dot on his forehead, wearing a lungi and sitting on stage, playing Indian classical music on an alto saxophone. Carnatic musician Kadri Goplanath looks so much like the...
The Death of High-End Audio?
We’ve all seen and heard the discussions concerning the so-called death of high-end audio. There are many reasons why that topic keeps resurfacing, but here is the one that I...
I Scream, You Scream---For Gelato? Sorbet?
The freezer section at the local grocery store is only getting more complicated as food trends ebb and flow. Seasons change, kitchen technology improves, and what results is a seriously...