aspen FR30 loudspeakers launch

The long-awaited PS Audio loudspeaker some have labeled as the IRSV killer, while others labeled it as “the most beautiful loudspeaker ever” has finally launched.

Years in the making, the FR30 is PS Audio’s statement on the art of home music reproduction.

Each of the FR30’s total of 22 drivers was designed from the ground up by our own resident speaker guru, Chris Brunhaver. From each speaker’s 4 low-distortion, high-compliance, long-throw woofers, to its 4 unique 10″ side-firing symmetrical radiators producing in-room bass that extends down into the mid 20Hz regions, to its custom-designed 10″ planar ribbon midrange and front and rear planar ribbon tweeters, the FR30 is an engineering tour de force.

And does it manage to beat the venerable Infinity IRSV that has been PS Audio’s reference system for so many years? Indeed, the FR30s now hold the place of honor in Music Room Two as PS Audio’s reference system.

We have been taking reservations for the new FR30 loudspeakers in dated rounds. Rounds 1 and 2 have sold out and if you’re in the US and interested in signing up to hear for yourself one of the most stunning loudspeakers ever crafted, head here and join round 3 before they too are sold out.

If you are outside of the United States, contact your local dealer and find out when they expect delivery of the aspen FR30 loudspeakers from PS Audio. Worldwide shipments begin this March with a few select countries receiving earlier shipments.

Reserve your pair now

A touch of country folk

Octave Records’ latest release is Levelland by country-folk duo Bonnie and Taylor Sims. It’s a contemplative and romantic set of songs by the two, who have been playing and recording together for more than 15 years. Bonnie and Taylor have earned numerous accolades, including 2020’s internationally-charting Number One single, “I See Red,” as well as top honors in the RockyGrass and Telluride Bluegrass Festival, and other awards.

Levelland, named after the “underwhelming” (as they put it) town in Texas where they first met, features the lead and harmony vocals of Bonnie and Taylor, with Bonnie playing mandolin, Taylor picking the acoustic guitar, and Brad Morse accompanying them on upright bass. The sound is open, clear and intimate. It’s an instant classic for anyone wishing a reference quality recording.

The album was recorded at Animal Lane Studios in Lyons, Colorado using Octave Records’ Pure DSD process and the Sonoma multi-track DSD recording system. It was recorded, mastered and mixed by Gus Skinas. A number of vintage and other instruments were used, including a 1946 Martin D-18, 1957 Martin OOO-18, 1910 upright bass, and a 2015 Newsom F5 mandolin.

Levelland is available as a limited-edition release of 1,000 hybrid SACD discs with the master DSD layer and a CD layer. In addition, the album can be purchased as a download bundle including DSD64, DSDDirect Mastered 192kHz/24-bit, 96kHz/24-bit and 44.1kHz/16-bit PCM. Levelland was produced by Bonnie and Taylor Sims and Jessica Carson was the executive producer.

The discs can be played on any CD player. Enjoy!

Have a listen!

Copper Magazine

In this issue: In a first for Copper, or maybe anywhere we have a trifecta of contributing editors weighing in on the Beatles Get Back documentary: Tim Riley (“Nobody Told Me There’d Be Days Like These”), Larry Jaffee (“Let It Be: Director Peter Jackson’s Get Back Provides Much-Needed Context”), and Jay Jay French (“Get Back, Let It Be and the Boredom of Excellence”). Continuing what has become a Copper tradition, WL Woodward offers a holiday story and a poem, while The Mindful Melophile Don Kaplan deals with not-in-the-spirit shoppers. I cover Octave Records’ latest, Levelland by country-folk duo Bonnie and Taylor Sims. Russ Welton asks – do we really need video for audio streaming? Tom Methans considers the collector as minimalist. Rudy Radelic continues his series on Burt Bacharach with a look at some artists who had him covered. Tom Gibbs digs more deeply into the Gustard X16 and PS Audio Stellar GainCell DACs, and Roon.

Ken Kessler has some advice on buying reel-to-reel tape. Anne E. Johnson gives us the real story, not the movie version, on Antonio Salieri, and the career of soulful hitmakers Hall and Oates. Ray Chelstowski talks with Hollis Brown front man Michael Montali about In the Aftermath, their track-by-track homage to the Rolling Stones album. Andy Schaub serves up a lunch menu. John Seetoo continues his coverage of the Audio Engineering Society’s AES Fall 2021 virtual show. J.I. Agnew spins Part Two of his series, Around the World in 80 Lathes (of the record-cutting variety). B. Jan forges on ahead through South Dakota. Ken Sander has a few laughs at Dangerfield’s. We wrap up this holiday issue with seasonal advice, a fabled midrange, an adventure in sound, and a visit to Louie Lee’s.

Copper is cost-free, ad-free, and committed to great articles without an attitude.

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Moving the IRSV

The Infinity IRSV has been PS Audio’s reference loudspeakers for longer than I can remember, and I truly love them. But then….once I got to spend time with the new FR30s I knew it was time to retire the old girl in favor of the new FR30s.

Tough decision.

So, we decided the FR30s would become our new reference and take up residence in Music Room Two and we would move the IRSV into the larger Music Room Three. We filmed a two-part series showing the move that perhaps you would enjoy watching.

Watch the film

The inside scoop

All the drivers and cabinetry of the new aspen FR30 are designed from the ground up to be some of the lowest distortion, longest excursion, transparent sounding drivers.

Watch designer Chris Brunhaver describe in detail how he designed the drivers, what choices he made and why. There’s a great series of videos from Chris, the industrial designers who crafted the beautiful and unique lines of the FR30, and a few words from myself about this monumental loudspeaker.

Go here to watch the videos and learn about the aspen FR390.