A stunning new collection of great music and breathtaking recordings direct from the DSD masters. Ten of the best recordings we have ever made. From the beautiful piano stylings of Don Grusin, to the rich and fiery guitar work of Kyle Donovan and Taylor Sims. If you love great, well recorded music, then this is the album for you.

Audiophile Masters Volume I

Various Artists

A stunning new collection of great music and breathtaking recordings direct from the DSD masters. Ten of the best recordings we have ever made. From the beautiful piano stylings of Don Grusin, to the rich and fiery guitar work of Kyle Donovan and Taylor Sims. If you love great, well recorded music, then this is the album for you.

Volume One of Octave Records Audiophile Masters contains ten of the best recordings we have ever made. From the beautiful piano stylings of Don Grusin, the rich and fiery guitar work of Kyle Donovan and Taylor Sims, the soul-searching beauty of Cellist Josh Halpern’s bowing, to the ethereal beauty of Saffron from The Color of Music, this collection of original DSD recordings is a hand-curated sonic delight.

Volume One of the Audiophile Masters has something for every music lover that wants to stretch the sonic limits of their system. Recorded exclusively on the multitrack Sonoma DSD and mastered by Gus Skinas, each of these musical gems will become essential listening material.

Available now as a limited edition, individually numbered 180 gram vinyl release. Supplies are limited. It is also available as a download.

This is one limited edition release you do not want to miss out on.

$29 – $59

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Now available in 180 gram vinyl

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About the Artists

Don Grusin's Willow Dance and Gabriel Mervine's Feel are two of the finest from their Octave releases. And then there's the sonic wonder called Saffron, based on immersion into the synthesis of The Color of Sound. This is one track you've got to hear on the best sound system you know of. Challenging. Stunning. Ekaterina Kotcherguina and Jessica Nilles Kressin of Duo Azure perform a challenging classic from Clara Schuman, Sechs Lieder, Op. 23, no. 1. Recorded live in the studio directly onto the Sonoma DSD system, this amazing music will melt hearts and give your system's dynamics a challenge as Ekaterina gives it all she's got. Flying Blind was curated from Clandestine Amigo's first album, Temporary Circumstances, and still, we find it to be one of the best vocal recordings we have in our collection of musical treasures.

Percussionist Carl Dixon reminds us what great rhythm has to offer in this Costa Rican-inspired gem, and then it's on to Mozart's Milanese Quartet No. 6 in B flat major, performed by a lovely string quartet lead by an exceptional American Violinist, Yumi Hwang-Williams. Listen to the energy this group offers us, captured live in the studio through Manley vacuum tube electronics directly into the Sonoma pure DSD recorder. The more you listen, the more you will find that Audiophile Masters, Volume One, is a must-have hand-curated treasure. This is a limited edition, so don't miss out.

The Music

Bill Kopper- guitar Bill McCrossen- bass Raoul Rossiter - Modern Art
Taylor Sims- guitar Taylor Sims- guitar - The Hitchhiker
Don Grusin - Willow Dance
Gabriel Mervine- trumpet Tom Amend- piano Seth Lewis- bas - Feels
Kimba Arem- bull roarer Jesse Manno- doumbek overtone sin - Saffron
Jessica Nilles Kressin- piano Ekaterina Kotcherguin- voice - Sechs Lieder Op. 23 no. 1 - Was weinst du Blümlein
Bill Kopper- guitars Carl Dixon- percussion - Terra de Milagros
Clandestine Amigo - Jessica Carson- piano voice Giselle C - Flying Blind
Carl Dixon- percussion - Tambores de Natureza
Yumi Hwang-Williams- violin Magee Capsouto- violin Lauren - Milanese Quartet No. 6 in B flat major KV 159 2nd movement

Octave Audiophile Masters

The Recording

Album Features

Collector's Vinyl

All but two of the tracks on Volume One of Audiophile Masters were recorded at Animal Lane Studios in Lyons Colorado. Don Grusin's Willow Dance was recorded live in Moose Studios, while Saffron, from The Color of Sound, was captured in Boulder's Immersive Studios in pure DSD. Equipment used to record are a myriad of some of the world's finest electronics including, Manley Vacuum Tube microphone preamplifiers as well as preamplifiers from Michael and Eben Grace and Fred Forssell's pure class A all FETs. All microphone feeds are sent directly into their preamplifiers and then straight into the Sonoma multitrack DSD recorder via Meitner ADCs. No mixing boards or intermediate stages are employed in the recording process, getting as close to a DSD version of the classic Direct-to-Disc technology of the 70s and 80s. Mixes were all performed on pure analog consoles including Euphonix, Trident, and Studer. A/D conversion is handled exclusively on classic hand-crafted Meitners, and D/A conversions is processed by a combination of Meitner and PS Audio DirectStream DACs. Microphones included Royer 122, Sound Deluxe iFET 7, Sennheiser 421, Tim de Paravicini modified stereo AKG C24 vacuum tube microphone (on loan from Dan Schwartz), vintage RCA 44BX ribbon, Neumann M49, and U47 condensers, and DPA 4009 among others. Captured in pure DSD on the Sonoma Recording System. Download the recording booklet

One pressing Austrian gold pressed dual-layer SACD
Pure DSD + PROMastered CD layers
DVD data disc containing DSD64, DSDDirect Mastered 192kHz 24 bit, 96kHz 24 bit, 44.1kHz 16 bit PCM
Pure DSD mastered by Gus Skinas on the Sonoma mastering system
DSD64, DSDDirect Mastered 192kHz 24 bit, 96kHz 24 bit, 44.1kHz 16 bit PCM download
No compression in the mastering process
CD layer of SACD playable on any CD player
Mastering monitored through the PS Audio DirectStream DAC
All tracks hand-curated on the Infinity IRSV in PS Audio's Music Room Two
Limited edition one-pressing physical media

There's a certain magic vinyl brings to the listening room: a magic unlike any other. Where DSD captures every nuance in the music, a vinyl release directly from the DSD master is on yet another level altogether. Octave Recordings features limited-edition collector's vinyl on most releases. Each of these albums is built to perfection on 180-gram virgin vinyl, individually numbered and exemplifying everything great in the art of producing world-class vinyl. When you strive for perfection, every detail counts. The finest pressing equipment: In order to ensure maximum quality and perfection in every numbered disc, the pressing plant we use spares no expense by employing a state-of-the-art closed-loop heating/cooling system and programmable logic controllers to precisely temperature control the vinyl molds. This attention to detail is unlike just about any plant in the world where differing temperatures and times of day can change the final discs. Materials matter: Not all records run the same way during manufacturing. In order to maximize heavy gram-weight vinyl pressings, using the highest quality vinyl grades available from Neotech. Plating is critical: An essential step in producing vinyl discs is the electroplating of the masters. Our manufacturer has an exclusive agreement with world famous NiPro Optics as an electroforming partner. This provides noticeably superior sounding masters as a result of using the best metalwork from the most technologically advanced and modern electroforming facility in the world. In addition, a proprietary reverse-osmosis (RO) water system is used, versus the more traditional deionization (DI) water systems in use at other plating facilities. GrooveCoated Stampers: NiPro Optics and Gotta Groove Records also co-developed and provided the first new form of record plating technology in the past 30 years, called GrooveCoated™ stampers. This combination of superior electroplating and groove coating dramatically increases the lifespan of the stamper, and reduces high-frequency loss as pressing cycles continue over the course of manufacturing so that our short-run single pressings are perfect from number 1 to number 500. Limited edition single pressings: To ensure that every Octave Record's vinyl release is as close to perfect as the current state of the art allows, we limit our runs to 500 pressings per stamper and offer them in individually numbered albums, each hand-inspected for perfection. QA at an unprecedented level: At our vinyl pressing plant of choice, Gotta Groove Records out of Ohio, one of the reasons we chose them is they have more quality control workers than any other pressing plant in the U.S. — one quality control employee per every two pressing machines listening to approximately every 25th record off the press during every shift. If you know the magic of vinyl, then may we suggest you've yet to hear what a remarkable combination of pure DSD recording and single pressing virgin vinyl collectors’ vinyl can sound like. Available exclusively at Octave Records.

Reviews

Every cut made my speakers disappear

Every cut was meticulous. Every cut made my speakers disappear, to be replaced by musicians in my room. I like all of the cuts a great deal, but cut #9, Tamboras de Natureza by Carl Dixon, will be the cut I use to demonstrate my system to those interested in hearing it.

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one phenomenal recording

This is one phenomenal recording with wonderful music. The best so far from Octave Records. It sounds better every time I play it, or is it Sunlight is breaking in. Anyway, I’m really enjoying this latest from Octave.

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the best sounding piece of music from any of my sources

This recording is the best sounding piece of music from any of my sources. I have a low six figure system… Wilson, dCS, c-j class A, etc., and you can really enjoy the beauty of the recording.

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Best recording I've ever heard - by more than a little.

Played Audiophile Masters Volume 1 for the first time last night. Best recording I've ever heard - by more than a little. Voices, instruments, sound stage and overall musical balance. Great cuts. All the best ever played on my system for sure.

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Got mine yesterday—love it!

Got mine yesterday—love it! Played it at a bunch of volume levels (wife dependent) and it sounds awesome. Love the mix of musical styles/genres.

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Overall, an excellent recording.

“Listened to the whole recording (SACD/DSD64) via DMP and DS Sr. This evening - my second time through.

Really enjoyed it, especially the more “classical” tracks, the rendition of piano through out, “Saffron” and Clandestine Amigo (“Flying Blind”).“

Overall, an excellent recording.

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The guitar work on track 2 The Hitchhiker really shines on my system

I just received my copy of the Audiophile Masters Compilation CD the other day. Good variety of music to test the system. Great recording quality IMO. The guitar work on track 2 The Hitchhiker really shines on my system as does track 9 Tambores de Natureza! Overall I’m pleased with release.

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About Octave Records

Honoring the Music and Those Who Make It

Our mission at Octave Records™ is simple – respect musicians by paying them fairly, and respect their music by bringing it to life in the highest-quality possible.

Too often, musicians have to absorb the costs of production, leaving them little or any earnings – or even putting them in debt. And the quality of their recordings end up in last place. We at PS Audio and Octave Records are dedicated to correcting these inequities.

To support musicians, Octave™ covers 100% of all studio, mixing, mastering, production, distribution, and marketing expenses so that artists may directly share in retail sales revenues – while retaining ownership of their music.

Octave Records is dedicated to offering the highest-quality recordings in high-resolution formats including pure DSD on SACD , as well as 192kHz PCM. Located in Boulder, Colorado, Octave utilizes the world’s finest studio equipment, based around the acclaimed Sonoma™ DSD recording, mixing, and mastering system. Gus Skinas, our world-renowned mastering engineer, has hundreds of album credits and helped design the Sonoma system.

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Join the hi-fi family

Warranty & Returns Careers Contact Us Terms of Service Privacy & Cookies

Stop by for a tour:

4865 Sterling Dr.
Boulder, CO 80301

1-800-PSAUDIO