Stereophile Article - Holt telling it like it is.


http://stereophile.com/asweseeit/1107awsi/

Gordon Holt telling it the way it is. I have to tell you; I agree almost with 100% of what he's said. I look forward to the Stereophile print where a full article is too be written. I will purchase that issue.
lush

Showing 3 responses by atmasphere

I would love to see the double-blind test happen- with our stuff in the test to boot.

I understand JGH's comments, but I fully don't agree- there are plenty of manufacturers out there other than myself who still hold to the ideal of an exact reproduction of the original musical event. There are plenty of others who have gone for 'lush' as a byword- even when the music itself is not. I disagree in that I don't see that the entire industry has sold out. Just some, the way it is in any industry...

He did have Sound Labs at one point in the early 90s when I paid him a visit. His home was a mess, cigarette butts and ashtrays everywhere, equipment laying literally everywhere and piles of magazines and newspapers. The sort of thing where you didn't want to sit down anywhere and you kept your hands in your pockets so you don't getanyonyou. Steven Stone was attempting the Sisyphean task of cleaning the place up...
Pubul57, it appears that you have attached meaning where none existed. My description of Holt's living conditions were merely accurate, not a judgment of his character nor listening ability.

Also, the comment about Audio Research earlier is something to mull over; their equipment is *way* better now than it was at any time in their history. I credit a lot of that to Warren Gehl, who is the 'golden ear' of the company.

FWIW I don't know of any amplifier manufacturer that makes an amplifier that downplays the midrange. I suspect that has more to do with speakers than amplifiers (but I think a lot of speaker manufacturers avoid tonal colorations as much as possible too).

IMO there is a lot to be excited about in 2 channel high end audio, JGH or no.
I think one of the things that makes a discussion of the goal of high end audio tricky is the models we use for the result.

IMO, the room is part of the result. My model is that the stereo can 'graft' the wall of your room onto a musical event in progress. This model allows for the technology striving for the 'absolute' while at the same time accounting for the listening environment.

I think the industry is doing great progress in reproduction- we have equipment now that is far more neutral that what was possible ten years ago.