A PS Audio Publication
Issue 221 • Free Online Magazine
“I have seen the midnight sun shining.” – The Strawbs, “Midnight Sun”
Too many music greats have passed on in the past few months. Yet their music lives on, and we will remember them through their art, and through the wonder of recorded music.
In this issue: I interview musician, composer and record label maven David Chesky. Octave Records releases Tangent by Simple Math and pianist Charles Blenzig, and I talk with him about his jazz reinterpretations of contemporary songs. Wayne Robins goes to see legendary producer and musician Peter Asher. B. Jan Montana contemplates the nature of Man and freedom. I ponder some implications of AI for the future of music and audio. Rich Isaacs notes that you can learn a lot from LP inner sleeves. Ray Chelstowski talks with acclaimed singer/songwriter Freedy Johnston about the reissue of what has been called a perfect album, “Can You Fly.” Harris Fogel has a photo essay from T.H.E. Show 2025 SoCal.
EveAnna Manley sells her audio company, Manley Labs. Joe Caplan has thoughts about quantum computing. Paul McGowan offers an excerpt from The Audiophile’s Guide with more advice on optimizing a listening room. I ask the question: how much do rock bands get paid? Rudy Radelic delves into the origins of the 12-inch single in The Vinyl Beat. Harris Fogel attends NAMM 2025's Roni Lee Rooftop Jam. In a guest appearance, AAA Magazine offers a fascinating look into the career of opera singer Maria Stader. PS Audio’s StellarGold DAC makes The Absolute Sound’s list of best DACs under $5,000, and the Stellar DAC gets rave-reviewed in Best of High End. Ken Kessler checks out vintage reel-to-reel tapes. The issue wraps with a radiotrician, a bedtime story, and a harmonious path.
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Contributors to This Issue:
Joseph Caplan, Ray Chelstowski, Frank Doris, Harris Fogel, Stephan Haberthuer, Rich Isaacs, Ken Kessler, Paul McGowan, B. Jan Montana, Rudy Radelic, 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
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– FD
Jazz musicians have always adapted the songs of the day to a jazz style and feel. With Octave Records’ latest, Tangent, pianist Charles Blenzig and...
Being a music and audio person, I have some thoughts about how AI will relate to our listening consumption in an increasingly AI-laden era. Unlike ...
On July 10, the announcement was made that the maker of pro and consumer audio gear, Manley Labs, was being sold by founder EveAnna Manley to its n...
A friend confided to me recently that his mind is so active, he can’t get to sleep at night without first wallowing and flopping in bed for hours. ...
Freedy Johnston’s debut record, 1990’s Trouble Tree was a bit of a disjointed affair. But within the album’s 13 tracks was something that critics a...
This year's West Coast T.H.E. Show SoCal 2025 took place in June in Costa Mesa, California. Issue 220 (last issue) has B. Jan Montana's show report...
In the days before digital music, the primary medium for sound reproduction was the vinyl record. Sure, there were some who went with reel-to-reel ...
Songs and Stories, at My Father's Place in Roslyn, NY, June 29, 2025 It's not often that you see a show by an 81-year-old musician, who could hav...
Copper has an exchange program with selected magazines, where we share articles, including this one, between publications. This one's from Switzerl...
2001: A Space Odyssey is a film which greatly influenced my future. The movie's HAL 9000 computer may or may not have been thinly veiled as a ficti...
This article is part of a series of excerpts from The Audiophile's Guide, a 10-volume set that offers guidance and knowledge about all aspects of a...
Many collectors take 12-inch singles for granted. The format had various promotional/test pressing uses over a couple of decades prior to the mid 1...
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