COPPER

A PS Audio Publication

Issue 194 • Free Online Magazine

In This Issue

Beginning next issue, your editor is going to take a little bit of a break. We’ll still be publishing every two weeks, but through the rest of the summer and early fall Copper will have a greater percentage of legacy content along with some new articles, including material written by yours truly. The wonderful Copper staff and myself have worked extremely hard to make it the publication you enjoy today, and I haven’t taken a vacation in over 10 years, so it’s time to take the foot off the accelerator for a lap or two.

In this issue: PS Audio’s very own Alvaro Reyes went to a Taylor Swift Eras Tour concert, and was impressed – to say the least. Stuart Marvin talks with writer/director/producer Bill Pohlad about the Dreamin’ Wild movie, the story of Donnie and Joe Emerson and their rediscovered album of the same name. Ray Chelstowski interviews Juliana Hatfield about her new album of Electric Light Orchestra songs. Jeff Weiner pays another visit to the Musical Instrument Museum. Harris Fogel looks back at CES 2023, with lots of photos as usual. The Cable Doctor, Ken Sander, makes more house calls.

J.I. Agnew restores a classic Thorens TD160 turntable in his quest for accurate record reproduction. Larry Jaffee has grown to like his parents’ music. Andrew Daly talks with Mandy Clarke, bassist extraordinaire for Bombskare and KT Tunstall. Anne E. Johnson enjoys the versatility of bluegrass fiddle legend Vassar Clements, and channels England’s musical history with Benjamin Britten. We run Part Three of FIDELITY magazine’s coverage of the Munich HIGH END 2023 show, with a focus on loudspeakers. Cut, print, it’s a wrap for Issue 194 with a not-so-modern engineering marvel, avian and canine Elvis fans, and…Bert Lahr in Carbonite?

Staff Writers:

J.I. Agnew, Ray Chelstowski, Andrew Daly, Harris Fogel, Jay Jay French, Tom Gibbs, Roy Hall, Rich Isaacs, Anne E. Johnson, Don Kaplan, Ken Kessler, Don Lindich, Stuart Marvin, Tom Methans, B. Jan Montana, Rudy Radelic, Tim Riley, Wayne Robins, Alón Sagee, Ken Sander, John Seetoo, Russ Welton, Adrian Wu

Contributing Editors:
Ivan Berger, Steven Bryan Bieler, Steve Kindig, Ted Shafran, Bob Wood

Cover:
“Cartoon Bob” D’Amico

Cartoons:
James Whitworth, Peter Xeni

Parting Shots:
James Schrimpf, B. Jan Montana, Rich Isaacs (and others)

Audio Anthropology Photos:
Howard Kneller, Steve Rowell

Editor:
Frank Doris

Publisher:
Paul McGowan

Advertising Sales:
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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

Featured

Vassar Clements: Not Just Bluegrass Fiddle Anne E. Johnson The Cable Doctor Makes More House Calls Ken Sander A Modern Engineering Marvel Frank Doris Bird-Dogging It Peter Xeni The Musical Instrument Museum: A World of Music Artists Jeff Weiner

Trading Eights

Vassar Clements: Not Just Bluegrass Fiddle

Musicians in one genre are often compared to those in another. But for a fiddler like Vassar Clements, who was equally gifted in bluegrass, jazz, rock, and country, the comparisons cross-pollinate. So, he was variously called the Miles Davis of bluegrass, the Isaac Stern of country, and the Count Basie of the fiddle. What matters is that he was the one and only Vassar Clements, and he’s always ...

By Anne E. Johnson Read Article →