Copper

Welcome to Copper #39!

For many of us, it's almost time for the kids to head back to school. For those of us who've passed those years, it's almost time to curse the congestion caused by all those damn schoolbuses.....

I'm happy to introduce another new feature to Copper, starting with this issue. Charles Rodrigues contributed cartoons with a perverse audiophile bent to Stereo Review for decades, actually starting way back when it was Hi-Fi Review (he also contributed some truly sick stuff to National Lampoon in the '70's, but let's forget that for the moment). We've secured the rights to reprint Rodrigues' Stereo Review cartoons, and will be reprinting one in each issue. For those who remember Rodrigues' work, enjoy! And for our younger readers who may not know him---welcome to the club!

Dan Schwartz leads off the issue with a tale of The Great Wall---no, not the one in China... the one used by the Grateful Dead; Seth Godin deals with the drama of a dead stereo; Richard Murison looks back at Shostakovich and Soviet Whack-a-Mole; Duncan Taylor tells about all the pesky decisions involved in his new recording venue; Roy Hall tells another interesting tale of his travels;  Anne E. Johnson introduces indie group Sunflower Bean; Woody Woodward looks at the influence of Syd Barrett; and I write about the cosmic weirdness of audio, and how the hipsters are screwing things up.

Industry News tells of yet another turn in the tale of Neil Young and Pono/Xstream/whatever;  Something Old/Something New examine's 1970's Nilsson Sings Newman; John Seetoo is back with an annotated interview with recording engineer Dennis Ferrante; I take a look around the California Audio Show; and Jim Smith looks at the thorny issue of spikes. We wrap up Copper #39 with another beautiful Parting Shot from Paul McGowan.

Until nest issue—enjoy!

Cheers, Leebs.

Welcome to Copper #38!

Just as there are continual changes in the audio business, we've got some changes here at Copper.

I'm excited to introduce yet another new writer: Gautam Raja is an essayist and editor, and happens to be an audiophile who works in the biz. Gautam has a number of insightful observations about our wacky little world to offer---and this is just the first of them.

Larry Schenbeck has been a faithful contributor to Copper since the very first issue, and his columns have explored great and not-so-great performances of all types of "serious" music--=always treated with Larry's light, humorous touch. He's going to be taking a well-deserved sabbatical for a spell. We thank Larry for his incredible work, hope he enjoys his time away, and look forward to his return in the future.

Professor Schenbeck leads off the issue with suggestions of values and maxims for music-lovers; Dan Schwartz writes about his adventures with Roon; Seth Godin writes about the cultures of wine and chocolate; Richard Murison writes about analysis in art, not audio this time; Duncan Taylor tells about recording Flobots---and no, they're NOT Flowbee-wielding robots, as I thought! The inimitable Roy Hall writes about how to design a turntable; Anne E. Conway introduces Aussie indie artist Deborah Conway; Woody Woodward writes about metal gods Deep Purple; Fred Schwartz and Dan McCauley write about discs from two very different Kings; and I wonder if fame is worth it for popular musicians, and write more about ephemeral things .

Industry News tells of shake-ups at B&W; our friend Jan Montana writes about mistakes you can't fix, and those you can; new contributor Gautam Raja contemplates the direction of high-end audio; we share a classic cartoon from Charles Rodrigues; In My Room features an amazing reader's room and system; and Copper #38 closes with another lovely Parting Shot from Paul McGowan. Our good friend Jim Smith will be back soon.

Until nest issue---enjoy!

Cheers, Leebs.

Welcome to Copper #37!

As temperatures topped triple digits in much of the US, I flashed back to the days when I kept physical media in my car. In the cassette era, you could end up with  a hopelessly-stretched-out tape if you played it after it lay in the sun.  (Remember seeing unfurled cassettes in the gutter by the side of the road, tape flapping uselessly in the breeze? I think that sight inspired those stupid wavy-armed inflatables at car dealerships.) CDs could and would delaminate, flake, crack, and grenade your player. God help you if one blew up in the bowels of a changer!

Moist heat, dry heat---did it matter? I don't think so, but the blazing sunshine I knew in Florida is nothing compared to the searing UV of a sunny day at 5,000 feet. Bald heads beware!

These days  I completely avoid the issue of heat-damaged physical media in my car. Solid state storage? Nope. I don't drive all that much, and I simply listen to the radio.

Retro, no?

I'm pleased to announce a new column, and the return of one of our original columns. Roy Hall--- founder/principal of Music Hall, world-traveler, curmudgeon, connoisseur of Scotch whisky---will be contributing Music'al Notes. Roy will be telling tales of his adventures in the audio biz over the last several decades---or whatever he damn well feels like telling. His stories may be a little saltier than what you're used to reading in Copper---but that's Roy, and travel isn't always Facebook-friendly. I hope you enjoy Roy's stories, the first of which appears here.

Seth Godin is a New York Times-bestselling author and a guru to an entire generation of marketers. Seth's also an audiophile whom we're fortunate to call a friend---a friend who was not only instrumental in the birth of Copper, but named it, to boot. Seth contributed his column Hobgoblin to our first eight issues; lately, he's been tied up with new books, seminars, and an alt-MBA program...in other words, standard Seth stuff.

Our readership has grown exponentially since those early issues, and those columns aren't that easy to access (it's on my To Do list, believe me). So, for the next eight issues, I'm happy to be reprinting Seth's Hobgoblins. If we're lucky, I'll be able to twist his arm for more. Here's Seth's first column.

We've got remarkable work from our usual crew: Professor Schenbeck writes about the  light and effervescent (music, not Champagne); Dan Schwartz offers a contrarian view on net neutrality; Richard Murison writes about the pesky refusal of real life to be quantified; Duncan Taylor presents another remarkable musical group, Elephant Wrecking Ball; Anne E. Johnson is back with a piece about indie artist Adrian Crowley and an impressive survey of  recordings of the music of Henry Purcell. The inimitable Woody Woodward remembers The Monkees; and I write about artists with multiple personalities and ephemeral things .

Industry News tells of still more changes at McIntosh Group; Jim Smith looks at a potential controversy;  and Ken Kessler argues that music has been on a downward trajectory since 1969. We have the conclusion of John Seetoo's excellent interview with mastering engineer Steve Hoffman, and wrap the issue with another lovely  Parting Shot from Paul McGowan.

Until next issue---stay cool!

Cheers, Leebs.

Welcome to Copper #36!

I recently crossed the Continental Divide, twice...going west, then coming back home, going east. And now we've passed the Chronographic  Divide of this year. The difference is that there's no going back across this divide, and it's all downhill from here.

There's a lot going on in this issue. Professor Schenbeck offers a a review of some high points of the classical guitar catalog;  Dan Schwartz explains why he would never, ever review cables;Richard Murison digresses on a chase; Jay Jay French recalls why 1967 was the year rock 'n' roll became Rock; Duncan Taylor introduces another young musical phenom, Bella Betts ; Anne E. Taylor brings us the young indie artist Little Simz; Woody Woodward looks back at Firesign Theatre; Dan McCauley reviews the latest from Benjamin Booker; Industry News looks at the good news/bad news/more bad news from Spotify; and I  ponder that whole audio evangelism thing a little more and conclude the series on horns.

Our features are particularly strong this time out: John Seetoo returns with an in-depth 2-part interview with mastering legend Steve Hoffman; Jim Smith looks at EQ, DSP, and maybe a few other abbreviations; and finally, for something completely different----we have a short story by Paul McGowan.

As if to answer the admittedly-overwrought question, "is there nothing our polymath Publisher can't do?" (>cough<)---Copper #36 wraps up with another Parting Shot from Paul.

Until nest issue---Happy Independence Day!

Cheers, Leebs.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-7XWhyvIpE

How about 4th of July fireworks---viewed from the air?

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7zUg1eCrk8