PS Audio’s Octave Records has released Audiophile Masters, Volume III, the third in its series of reference-quality music sampler albums. Available as a stereo SACD and download bundle.
Audiophile Masters, Volume III offers a diverse and eclectic series of tracks, from the sonic intimacy of Monica Marie Labonte’s acoustic guitar-driven “Loving You” and the solo piano of Deborah Schmit-Lobis, to hard-driving pop-rock and jazz, a classical vocal and piano duo, and the uncategorizable “Last Chance,” performed by More Than Physics on handpans!
The tracks were recorded in pure DSD using Octave Records’ Sonoma DSD recording system at Animal Lane Studios in Lyons, Colorado, to capture the varied musical styles, vocal and instrumental clarity, dynamic impact, realistic timbres and the ambience of each individual recording with state-of-the-art fidelity. Paul McGowan, PS Audio CEO, said, “Now that Octave Records has more than a dozen releases to its credit, our artist roster has expanded to the point where we can offer a truly diverse musical and sonic palette of styles. Audiophile Masters, Vol. III showcases this range with the extraordinary sonic realism made possible by the pure DSD format.”
Audiophile Masters Volume III (SRP: $29) is playable on any CD, DVD, or Blu-ray player. It also has a high-resolution DSD layer that is accessible only using a PS Audio SACD transport, or by copying the DSD tracks on the included DVD data discs. In addition, the master DSD and PCM files are available for purchase and download from psaudio.com at this link. Audiophile Masters Vol. III was recorded and mixed by Steve Vidaic and Giselle Collazo, and mastered by David Glasser. It was produced by Vidaic and Collazo, with Jessica Carson as executive producer.
The album begins with Monica Marie Labonte’s “Loving You,” recorded from an intimate perspective that lets every nuance of her vocals and acoustic guitar, and the Dobro and acoustic bass, to be heard with superb realism. Other selected tracks include the avant-garde-meets classic-jazz “Baba Yaga’s Hut” by the Tom Amend Trio, and the Seth Lewis Quintet’s lush “Arborvitae,” featuring captivating solos by electric guitarist Dave Devine and Octave Records solo artist Gabriel Mervine on trumpet. “Airs chantés, no. 4 – Air vif,” a duet written by Francis Poulenc, showcases Duo Azure vocalist Ekaterina Kotcherguina and pianist Jessica Nilles in a performance with stunning dynamics and depth. Andy Thorn’s “Fox Trail” is a bluegrass banjo and acoustic guitar workout with the instruments captured in lively detail. “Last Chance” is performed by the irresistibly-named duo More Than Physics entirely on handpans, a steel-drum-like instrument struck with the hands, with a surprisingly versatile range of sounds, all captured with exceptional fidelity.
The track listing for Audiophile Masters Volume III is as follows
- “Loving You” – Monica Marie Labonte
- “Ship of Dreams” – Deborah Schmit-Lobis
- “Baba Yaga’s Hut” – Tom Amend Trio
- “Moonbeam” – Michelle Pietrafitta
- ‘Fox Trail” – Andy Thorn
- “I Belong” – Dechen Hawk
- “Airs chantés, no. 4 – Air vif” – Duo Azure
- “Arborvitae” – Seth Lewis Quintet
- “Last Chance” – More Than Physics
- “Some Tyrant” – Mike Robinson
Click here to order Audiophile Masters Volume III, available in a limited edition of 1,000. The Audiophile Masters Vol I SACD/CD disc set is sold out and is now available as a download bundle only. Audiophile Masters Vol II is available on disc and as a download.