Mr. Tomlinson Holman, THX interview and more!

[JBL 4645]

Hear is an interview with Mr. Tomlinson Holman the creator of the THX cinema sound system and professor of sound engineering. It’s very interesting stuff and insightful detailed as well I hope you enjoy it. The downloads will take a few seconds to a few minutes depending on the size of the data, please be patient! :)
http://imsc.usc.edu/news/images/holman.jpghttp://www.it-wissen.info/media/lex_pics/small/za10z25.png



How did THX come about?
http://portal.acm.org/images/qtlogo.gifTom Holman video 1 (http://portal.acm.org/supp_gateway.cfm?id=1037867&type=mov&path=%2F1040000%2F1037867%2Fsupp%2Ftomholman1%2Emo v&coll=GUIDE&dl=GUIDE&CFID=3242816&CFTOKEN=92081103)

THX baffle wall and mathematics?
http://portal.acm.org/images/qtlogo.gifTom Holman video 2 (http://portal.acm.org/supp_gateway.cfm?id=1037867&type=mov&path=%2F1040000%2F1037867%2Fsupp%2Ftomholman2%2Emo v&coll=GUIDE&dl=GUIDE&CFID=3242816&CFTOKEN=92081103)

The future of Digital cinema and surround music?
http://portal.acm.org/images/qtlogo.gifTom Holman video 6 (http://portal.acm.org/supp_gateway.cfm?id=1037867&type=mov&path=%2F1040000%2F1037867%2Fsupp%2Ftomholman6%2Emo v&coll=GUIDE&dl=GUIDE&CFID=3242816&CFTOKEN=92081103)

The future of multi-channel music?
http://portal.acm.org/images/qtlogo.gifTom Holman video 4 (http://portal.acm.org/supp_gateway.cfm?id=1037867&type=mov&path=%2F1040000%2F1037867%2Fsupp%2Ftomholman4%2Emo v&coll=GUIDE&dl=GUIDE&CFID=3242816&CFTOKEN=92081103)

Wave field and multi channel, 1933 stereo experiment?
http://portal.acm.org/images/qtlogo.gifTom Holman video 5 (http://portal.acm.org/supp_gateway.cfm?id=1037867&type=mov&path=%2F1040000%2F1037867%2Fsupp%2Ftomholman5%2Emo v&coll=GUIDE&dl=GUIDE&CFID=3242816&CFTOKEN=92081103)

5.1, and the future of more channels VS the frequency range and dynamic range?
http://portal.acm.org/images/qtlogo.gifTom Holman video 3 (http://portal.acm.org/supp_gateway.cfm?id=1037867&type=mov&path=%2F1040000%2F1037867%2Fsupp%2Ftomholman3%2Emo v&coll=GUIDE&dl=GUIDE&CFID=3242816&CFTOKEN=92081103)

[Bob Womack]

Fascinating stuff. The factoid that was most facinating to me from all the interviews was that the move that finally made surround viable in the market was creation of the satellite/single subwoofer concept. It makes all the sense in the world in two very practical ways:
1. It eliminates a full octave of bandwidth demand from the satellites, making them more efficient. This allows the amps to be smaller, thus allowing all the amps except the subwoofer's to be integreated into ONE chassis. THAT was a biggie.
2. It makes each of the satellites smaller, making it possible to hide them amongst the decor. I don't think it is possible to underestimate the impact of that one. How many people, especially wives, do you think are willing to live with big speakers all over the stinking room? We are truly exceptions in this regard, and most of the guys on the forum here are blessed with tolerant wives.

Fascinating.

Bob



I notice that in his predictions for the future, elimination of the lossy perceptual encoding scheme didn't figure in. As a recording engineer, that would be MY first request.

[clmrt]

I instantly liked him.

Thanks for the links.

[Titanium Dome]

I instantly liked him.

Thanks for the links.


He's personable and somewhat self-effacing without being unnaturally humble. His thoughts are quick and organized. He obviously knows his subject and loves math and science, yet he doesn't drill it into our brains.

I learned a lot.

One more PT800 and I can do 10.2 when it comes out

Thanks for the links!!

[clmrt]

Toss me your L series and I should be able to land 10.2 as well...using the L7's as the front height channels...yep.:blink:

[JBL 4645]

The part about the THX baffle wall made lot of sense and the first early stereo trials 1933! We have, come a long over the years. And now 10.1, I wonder how much this will cost and it needs to be affordable to reach a wide range of consumers, it shouldn’t be too costly where only the upper class can afford it, it should be enjoined by us all.

[Steve Schell]

JBL 4645, thanks very much for the interview links. Mr. Holman is as smart as they come, and he presents the information extremely well, especially for speaking off the cuff.

One tiny correction to Mr. Holman's comments: the Voice of the Theatre systems were developed in 1943 and 1944, not 1947. Prototypes of the large VOTT were built and installed in several theatres for evaluation by late 1944, and large scale production was under way by early 1945. The small VOTT model 800, predecessor of the A7, was introduced in 1947.

I have long been a fan of the groundbreaking work on loudspeakers that was done for the Bell Labs Experiments in Auditory Perspective of 1933. The two way horn loudspeakers that were created for the experiments embodied several amazing original concepts that are still in use today. The Bell Labs booklet that explains the experiments and technologies in detail has been placed on the web by the AES here:

http://www.aes.org/aeshc/docs/bell.labs/auditoryperspective.pdf#search=%22auditory%20persp ective%201933%22

The loudspeaker inventions are best described in detail in four U.S. Patents: #2,037,187 (compression driver); #1,992,268 (multicellular horn); #2,037,195 (bass compression driver) and #1,970,926 (bass horn). For students of loudspeaker technology these patents are insanely great and essential reading. Mr. Wente's compression driver was soon commercialized as the Western Electric 594A, and later adapted to permanent magnet as the JBL 375.

U.S. Patents can easily be downloaded and viewed as PDFs here:

http://www.pat2pdf.org/

[mike.e]

Is there anyway to DOWNLOAD and not stream these videos? (56k here)
The site is extremely restrictive.
It keeps asking for quicktime - which is 30mb on its own,I use an alternative.

[Ducatista47]

I have long been a fan of the groundbreaking work on loudspeakers that was done for the Bell Labs Experiments in Auditory Perspective of 1933. The two way horn loudspeakers that were created for the experiments embodied several amazing original concepts that are still in use today. The Bell Labs booklet that explains the experiments and technologies in detail has been placed on the web by the AES here:

http://www.aes.org/aeshc/docs/bell.labs/auditoryperspective.pdf#search=%22auditory%20persp ective%201933%22


Steve, after looking over this paper I can see how the new JBL Everest is not only a direct descendent of the 1933 Bell Labs system speaker. It could also be described as a clever elaboration of it. A refinement.

I had no idea until viewing the source paper how well this whole field was worked out in the first groundbreaking experiment! I had read here that realistic sound was produced, but good lord, there were men in those days! Even now, a two way system with a 300hz crossover that does 40-13000 well would satisfy if not please most of us.

I don't even want to get to thinking of how good the amplification must have been. I would have to say I consider the other great developments in sound reproduction to be Edison's observation of the (to be named later) Edison Effect, Fleming's Valve and last but most, Lee de Forest's Audion triode. Edison and Fleming made handling electricity in a useful, refined manner possible. De Forest developed the key to accurate amplification. In other words, amplification starts here. ;) Triode amplifiers are to this day no slouch!

In so many fields I have studied, the first is at least in the same league as the best that follows, or is the best. Alfred Stieglitz in art photography comes to mind immediately.

On a personal note, I am saddened to the point of tears over the long, painful descent of Western Electric to Lucent to the mess that is now Avaya. How the mighty have fallen. Richard Nixon's worst idea might have been breaking up the telephone company! (If you want to comment on that, please start a thread in Off Topic. :))

Clark in Peoria

[Hoerninger]

... #2,037,195 (bass compression driver) ...

Could you please check the number? :hmm:
___________
Peter

[bone215]

Thank you for making the interviews available.
Isn't technology wonderful? It is truly the best of times.

[Ken Pachkowsky]

Thanks very much for posting this.

Ken

[glen]

One tiny correction to Mr. Holman's comments: the Voice of the Theatre systems were developed in 1943 and 1944, not 1947. Prototypes of the large VOTT were built and installed in several theatres for evaluation by late 1944, and large scale production was under way by early 1945. The small VOTT model 800, predecessor of the A7, was introduced in 1947.

Maybe he, like me and a lot of other folks, first got to know the "Voice of the Theater" in the seventies when they were being used for P.A. and disco speakers. I used to think that "Voice of the Theater" began and ended with the A7 system because that was the only example of it I ever saw until I discovered this enlightening website.

[lucfm]

Could you please check the number? :hmm:
___________
Peter

By trying the adjacent numbers, supposing a typing mistake the correct number was found to be 2,037,185. Fascinating reading and another proof that we have not made very significant steps forwards since the work of the Bell team.

Luc

[Hoerninger]

Thanks.:)


... and another proof that we have not made very significant steps forwards since the work of the Bell team.

:thmbsup:
____________
Peter

[MJC]

One more PT800 and I can do 10.2 when it comes out

3 years ago, or so, there was an article in one of the ht mags about a ht shop in Texas that had a 10.2 setup. I don't remember the name of the company or how the 10 speakers were laid out.
Also, a few years ago Yamaha had a receiver that used two extra small speakers that were positioned in the upper front corners of the room. I don't remember if that receiver was 7 or 9 channels.
As for multi-channel music has anyone else noticed that many DVD-audio or SACDs don't use the center channel? I would assume that is because many multi-channel speaker system's center speaker are really lame, so the sound engineers, I think, felt the sound would be better w/o the center speaker active.

[JBL 4645]

MJC

Here’s a link about 10.2 and there are so many of them about.:)

http://www.homecinemachoice.com/articles/hccarticles/techarticles/200201NextFrontier/200201NextFrontier.php

[ClaudeJ1]

JBL 4645, thanks very much for the interview links. Mr. Holman is as smart as they come, and he presents the information extremely well, especially for speaking off the cuff.

One tiny correction to Mr. Holman's comments: the Voice of the Theatre systems were developed in 1943 and 1944, not 1947. Prototypes of the large VOTT were built and installed in several theatres for evaluation by late 1944, and large scale production was under way by early 1945. The small VOTT model 800, predecessor of the A7, was introduced in 1947.

I have long been a fan of the groundbreaking work on loudspeakers that was done for the Bell Labs Experiments in Auditory Perspective of 1933. The two way horn loudspeakers that were created for the experiments embodied several amazing original concepts that are still in use today. The Bell Labs booklet that explains the experiments and technologies in detail has been placed on the web by the AES here:

http://www.aes.org/aeshc/docs/bell.labs/auditoryperspective.pdf#search=%22auditory%20persp ective%201933%22

The loudspeaker inventions are best described in detail in four U.S. Patents: #2,037,187 (compression driver); #1,992,268 (multicellular horn); #2,037,195 (bass compression driver) and #1,970,926 (bass horn). For students of loudspeaker technology these patents are insanely great and essential reading. Mr. Wente's compression driver was soon commercialized as the Western Electric 594A, and later adapted to permanent magnet as the JBL 375.

U.S. Patents can easily be downloaded and viewed as PDFs here:

http://www.pat2pdf.org/

I have been enjoying 3-channel stereo since I was 20 years old (I'm 53). Two Klipschorns and a La Scala in the middle with Mono bridge circuit on a 20 foot wall...........until I went to 5.1, Bring the extra channels, I'm ready.

Claude

[JBL 4645]

ClaudeJ1

Welcome to the Lansing Heritage site mate happy postings.:banana:

Go for it mate and the (THX Baffle Wall) swing that’s part of the magic of THX if I ever get the time to knock one up for the JBL control 5 to sit in that would make a few differences in sound focus frequency response etc.

[frequenZ]

Wonderful, absolutely wonderful! Thanks a bunch for posting this interesting read.



____________
paolo
McIntosh MA2275 Integrated Amplifier (http://www.who-sells-it.com/cy/mcintosh-laboratory-inc-1500/ma2275-integrated-amplifier-5972.html) - MA2275 Integrated Amplifier Catalog by McIntosh Laboratory, Inc.

[JBL 4645]

http://www.electronichouse.com/images/uploads/Tomlinson_Holman_THX_300.jpg

Tomlinson Holman, talks to British folks about Audyssey EQ and much more.
Scroll down the page and look for (play now) above the windows player.

http://www.podcastdirectory.com/podshows/2170759 (http://www.podcastdirectory.com/podshows/2170759)

[SEAWOLF97]

My preamp is an "APT/Holman"....designed and the rumors are "hand built" by Tomlinson Holman (1980) . Its built like aircraft gear and has the best users manual that I've ever seen. Real attention to detail. :D. would never hesitate to purchase gear with his name on it.

[JBL 4645]

My preamp is an "APT/Holman"....designed and the rumors are "hand built" by Tomlinson Holman (1980) . Its built like aircraft gear and has the best users manual that I've ever seen. Real attention to detail. :D. would never hesitate to purchase gear with his name on it.

Wolf

That’s right I remember you showing it last year, you lucky ole devil. :applaud:

http://www.audioheritage.org/vbulletin/attachment.php?attachmentid=27244&stc=1&d=1186701716

[JBL 4645]

Found these rare I Tomlinson Holman THX text interviews and saved it to word page in jpeg form.

http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk123/IndianaJones34/THX1.jpg

http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk123/IndianaJones34/THX2.jpg

[JBL 4645]

http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk123/IndianaJones34/THX3.jpg

http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk123/IndianaJones34/THX4.jpg

[JBL 4645]

http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk123/IndianaJones34/THX5.jpg

http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk123/IndianaJones34/THX6.jpg

[JBL 4645]

http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk123/IndianaJones34/THX7.jpg

http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk123/IndianaJones34/THX8.jpg

[JBL 4645]

http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk123/IndianaJones34/THX9.jpg

http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk123/IndianaJones34/THX10.jpg

[JBL 4645]

http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk123/IndianaJones34/THX11.jpg

http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk123/IndianaJones34/THX12.jpg

[JBL 4645]

http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk123/IndianaJones34/THX13.jpg

http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk123/IndianaJones34/THX14.jpg

http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk123/IndianaJones34/THX15.jpg

[JBL 4645]

http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk123/IndianaJones34/THXimage1.jpg

[JBL 4645]

http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk123/IndianaJones34/THXimage2.jpg

[JBL 4645]

http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk123/IndianaJones34/THXimage3.jpg

[JBL 4645]

http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk123/IndianaJones34/THXimage4.jpg

[JBL 4645]

http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk123/IndianaJones34/THXimage5.jpg

[JBL 4645]

http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk123/IndianaJones34/THXimage6.jpg

[JBL 4645]

http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk123/IndianaJones34/THXimage7.jpg

[JBL 4645]

http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk123/IndianaJones34/THXimage8.jpg

[JBL 4645]

http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk123/IndianaJones34/THXimage9.jpg

[JBL 4645]

GOOD Inventions: Anti-Noise with Tomlinson Holman
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BRYrD1wY5w

Seems like a good idea. I’ve heard about the anti-headphones so this is like inverting the incoming sound frequency?

[JBL 4645]

Tomlinson Holman: Inventor of THX
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIp92RthdJs&feature=related (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sYWhtzjP4E)

[JBL 4645]

The sound on this video is dreadfully too soft because of the lousy music level is drowning out the voices!

Heathcote and Associates Architects-Clients Talk Back
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxaRQw5PjOs (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxaRQw5PjOs)

[JBL 4645]

Found this slightly interesting link. Most the pictures on the link seem to be broken for some odd reason?

The Audience Is Still Listening
http://www.fromscripttodvd.com/tom_holman_tribute.htm

[JBL 4645]

Podcast audio running time: 1:00:36

Home Theater Geeks 1: Surround Sound With Tomlinson Holman
http://www.twit.tv/htg1

[JBL 4645]

The article I have here was published in Audio September 1989 I would say its rather hard to come by. Tom Holman gives a nicely detailed view of early days to present day, well that was back in 1989.I think the standards still apply today.

Pictures were taken in text mode on my camera one picture slightly fuzzy but readable as it’s rather hard to keep a steady-hand. The article was sent to me by THX back in 1992.

Page1 front cover

[JBL 4645]

Page2

[JBL 4645]

Page3

[JBL 4645]

Page4

[JBL 4645]

Page5

[JBL 4645]

Page6

[JBL 4645]

Page7

[JBL 4645]

Page8

[JBL 4645]

Page9

[JBL 4645]

Page10

[JBL 4645]

Page11

[JBL 4645]

Page12

[Eaulive]

Maybe, instead of hogging three pages of forum and the associated bandwidth, a simple link would have worked... just a thought.

http://blog.rawsound.com/articles/THX1/index.html
http://blog.rawsound.com/articles/THX2/index.html

[JBL 4645]

A simple, thank you would have sufficed.

[JBL 4645]

Another re-print article that I’ve had for 19 years that came in package sent by THX during early 1990’s.

The Sound that built STAR WARS page1 from (Stereophile October 1990)

To enhance the viewing use the tools bar magnifier to enlarge picture I find 144% works best you may have to scroll along the picture to read the text, but I have no problem myself reading it at 100%.

[JBL 4645]

The Sound that built STAR WARS page2

[JBL 4645]

The Sound that built STAR WARS page3

[JBL 4645]

The Sound that built STAR WARS page4

[JBL 4645]

The Sound that built STAR WARS page5

[JBL 4645]

The Sound that built STAR WARS page6

[SEAWOLF97]

How bout cleaning up the images a bit , so we don't go blind...

[Eaulive]

Hoe bout cleaning up the images a bit , so we don't go blind...
You didn't get it?
The point is not to inform or share, the point is to post as many things as possible, regardless of interest or pertinence.

Heather had the perfect description here:
http://www.audioheritage.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?30832-How-much-do-you-spend-on-your-SPL-db-metre&p=310671&viewfull=1#post310671

[Titanium Dome]

http://news.cnet.com/8301-27076_3-20059790-248.html?tag=mncol

http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/rumor_apple_hires_inventor_of_thx_to_run_audio/

http://gigaom.com/apple/apple-said-to-have-hired-the-audio-genius-behind-thx/

[JBL 4645]

Dome good links The people like Holman! :)

During my career,” he said in the interview, “I’ve been in some very different areas; while they have all been related to audio, they’ve ranged from film-sound production [sound mixer at the University of Illinois Motion Picture Production Center] to high-fidelity equipment, and back to post production and sound systems for theaters. Even though it is eclectic, the one thing that links it together more than anything else is inquiry. Once it becomes a boring job, I move on.

That’s understandable.