PS Audio’s Octave Records is proud to announce its first vinyl LPs Say Somethin’ by virtuoso jazz trumpet player Gabriel Mervine and Out of Thin Air by GRAMMY-winning solo pianist Don Grusin. Both records were recorded “live” in the studio by the artists, and are available in limited, individually numbered editions of 500 each.
PS Audio CEO Paul McGowan notes: “Since Octave Records launched in July 2020, more and more people have been asking: when are we going to do vinyl? Well, the time is now. We are thrilled to be able to offer LP versions of these two recordings to vinyl enthusiasts. Now, audiophiles and music lovers who have turntable-based audio systems can listen to these superb recordings.”
Say Somethin’ and Out of Thin Air are both mastered directly from the original DSD master, a process that captures every nuance of the recordings with stunning depth, clarity, warmth and dynamic impact. The discs are pressed on 180-gram virgin vinyl using world-class pressing equipment.
Gabriel Mervine.
Gabriel Mervine began his professional career at age 13. He’s a member of the Colorado Jazz Repertory Orchestra and has worked with Natalie Cole, Christian McBride, Terence Blanchard, the Temptations, the Who, Fred Wesley and many others. The music ranges from the upbeat grooves of the title track, “1964” and “Furor” to more contemplative songs like “Friends” and the quartet’s cover of “A Foggy Day.”
Out of Thin Air features Don Grusin performing a variety of jazz-tinged original solo piano compositions, ranging from the introspective opener, “Classical September” to the playful “Willow Dance” and “Grusin Likes Gershwin,” the artist’s tribute to the beloved composer.
The Octave Records LPs are manufactured to uncompromising standards. The pressing machine uses a state-of-the-art closed-loop vinyl heating and cooling system to precisely control the temperature of the vinyl, to ensure the ultimate in pressing consistency. Only the highest-quality Neotech vinyl compound is used.
The quality of the electroplating for the masters that are used to press the records is absolutely critical. The manufacturer of the Octave discs has an exclusive agreement with NiPro Optics, a renowned provider of thin-film coatings and precision optical components. To further ensure the best-possible sound quality, a proprietary reverse osmosis (RO) water system is used, which is superior to the usual deionization (DI) process used in other plating facilities.
Don Grusin.
NiPro, in conjunction with record manufacturer Gotta Groove Records, co-developed the GrooveCoated stamper process used to make Octave Records vinyl. It’s the first new record-plating technology in 30 years, a combination of electroplating and groove coating that dramatically increases the lifespan of the stamper, and reduces high-frequency loss throughout the pressing cycle. The result is perfect consistency from pressing number 1 to number 500. Octave Records pressings are limited to 500 per stamper, and each record is scrupulously hand-inspected. In addition, a quality control person takes the time to listen to every 25th record off the press, to ensure the ultimate in audio quality.
Say Somethin’ and Out of Thin Air are available at a suggested retail price of $59 each, directly through Octave Records. Additional Octave Records vinyl LP releases will be announced on an ongoing basis.
