Nelson Pass interview in the new Stereophile

mhardy6647
mhardy6647 Posts: 33,802
in 2 Channel Audio
Since I know some of you (us!) are Nelson Pass fans, I thought it worthy of mention that there's an interview of sorts with him in the current (print) issue of Stereophile.

nelson%20pass%20current.png
(image borrowed from TAS)
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Comments

  • heiney9
    heiney9 Posts: 25,165
    Cool, so it's just print not on-line?

    H9
    "Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Pangea AC14SE MKII | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node 3 - Tubes add soul!
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  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 25,441
    It should be online soon Brock. Online stuff usually a month later unless you have subscription then you just log in like anything else.
    There is not a lot to is to be honest. Just his take on tubes vs jfet, mosfet and one other that escapes me atm
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  • heiney9
    heiney9 Posts: 25,165
    edited August 2017
    I'll have to look for it when it comes on-line.

    Since we are on the subject. Here's an older interview with NP and it's extremely interesting how he approaches amplifier design. Since most people won't read it in it's entirety (it's a short one). I will leave a quote that is absolutely pertinent to our hobby that many don't think about. Look at the last line.

    AR: In 2011, have we reached a point where amplifiers won't be getting much better or does amplifier design have a long way to go towards perfection?

    NP: There is progress to be made, and the necessary tools are already on the table. From a strictly objective standpoint we are largely finished - adding more zeros to the usual distortion numbers isn't going to improve the sound very much.

    What remains is the need for clearer insight into subjective effects. Our brains are very much different from test equipment and are easily fooled by some phenomena and very sharp at discriminating others. Reading the literature in cognitive psychology, it's clear that we don't know very much about musical perception.

    As a practical result we have to emphasize critical listening with potential designs. The necessary tools for this are experienced ears and perseverance.


    Entire article here:

    http://audiophilereview.com/amps/nelson-pass-interview.html

    H9
    "Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Pangea AC14SE MKII | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node 3 - Tubes add soul!
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,802
    pitdogg2 wrote: »
    It should be online soon Brock. Online stuff usually a month later unless you have subscription then you just log in like anything else.
    There is not a lot to is to be honest. Just his take on tubes vs jfet, mosfet and one other that escapes me atm

    Yup. I haven't actually read it yet (other than the first page, which doesn't have much text on it); it is brief, but still nice to see in the "mainstream [hifi] media", I think.

    ;)
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  • doctor r
    doctor r Posts: 837
    Definitely worth the read. Best interview I have seen in Stereophile in a while...
    integrated w/DAC module Gryphon Diablo 300
    server Wolf Alpha 3SX
    phono pre Dynamic Sounds Associates Phono II
    turntable/tonearms Origin Live Sovereign Mk3 dual arm, Origin Live Enterprise Mk4, Origin Live Illustrious Mk3c
    cartridges Miyajima Madake, Ortofon Windfeld Ti, Ortofon
    speakers Rockport Mira II
    cables Synergistic Research Cables, Gryphon VPI XLR, Sablon 2020 USB
    rack Adona Eris 6dw
    ultrasonic cleaner Degritter
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  • kharp1
    kharp1 Posts: 3,453
    I've long thought Nelson Pass was just a really cool guy. An ole' hippie genius.
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  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 25,441
    kharp1 wrote: »
    I've long thought Nelson Pass was just a really cool guy. An ole' hippie genius.

    I bet he chewed on some funny paper back in the day.
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,802
    He had a pretty serious run-in with ozone working on a plasma loudspeaker at one point :/
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  • lightman1
    lightman1 Posts: 10,788
    Nelson Pass is a hack.
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  • BlueFox
    BlueFox Posts: 15,251
    With a bad haircut.
    Lumin X1 file player, Westminster Labs interconnect cable
    Sony XA-5400ES SACD; Pass XP-22 pre; X600.5 amps
    Magico S5 MKII Mcast Rose speakers; SPOD spikes

    Shunyata Triton v3/Typhon QR on source, Denali 2000 (2) on amps
    Shunyata Sigma XLR analog ICs, Sigma speaker cables
    Shunyata Sigma HC (2), Sigma Analog, Sigma Digital, Z Anaconda (3) power cables

    Mapleshade Samson V.3 four shelf solid maple rack, Micropoint brass footers
    Three 20 amp circuits.
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  • kharp1
    kharp1 Posts: 3,453
    Dam kids ;)
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,802
    BlueFox wrote: »
    With no haircut.

    Fixed that for you :)
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