How important is it for you to attain a holographic image?

Frank, you misunderstand. No biggie. 😁

Interesting. Most have already touched on my feelings on the matter. Just wanted to say good conversation. 

Geoff, you have some real cajones to make such an analogy.
Frank, as Geoff states, but you were very close.

I remember a time when both the trailblazers of high-end audio here in the UK, Linn and Naim, decreed that holographic imagery a minor issue - timing was said to be the thing back then.

I love holographic imagery but the best I heard was through some noise cancelling Bose over ear headphones. Literally causing users to turn their heads to follow the sound.

However when it comes to commercial recordings I have serious doubts about how high a priority it is for recording engineers. Books like Greg Milner’s ’Perfecting Sound Forever’ paint a rather grim picture regarding some of the shenanigans that take place during recording. It’s quite possible that less than 1% of recordings were made with any real regard for capturing a three dimensional sound. Alan Blumlein, these engineers are not.

So for me tone, texture, timbre, timing and dynamics all come before imagery. I guess those speakers which are able to disappear better must also be better at imaging.

But can they also do those other things as well? Perhaps Linn and Naim were right all along, although their priorities have no doubt changed over time too. Compromises you can live with, and compromises you can't. 

Everybody seems to think "holography" is some kind of trick; no, it's when you put HEA audio, and the room together as well as it can be done.

Are top of the line Theil speakers, trick speakers?  Are top of the line tube ARC Amplifiers, trick amps?

While I used those two names,  substitute any very high quality components you like, and you can probably get the same results.

Once it's done right, everything that everyone mentioned that is desirable will be present.

The record or CD delivers whatever it delivers; but it's for sure that you will get every iota of what there is on the record or CD.

In regard to "holography"; while it is relatively rare, meaning you reach out and touch each musician, I have heard it to the extent, that I heard sounds from a CD of a record that I purchased in 1970, that I have worn out many copies of; it is almost my favorite record.  (my favorite record changes every other day)  But I have been listening to this one long enough to be very well acquainted with it, and I heard something in the background that I had barely heard before; plus it was suspended in space. 

That had to be close to extreme as it can get; no tricks, just high quality components in the chain that were arranged by professionals, in a room that had been designed and treated by "professionals".