What Does Holographic Sound Like?

Measurements vs perceived sound

A long long time ago in a galaxy far away we found out that Total Harmonic Distortion of amplifiers did not dictate the sound, the perceived sound, of the amplifier. Not that THD does not carry some weight, but amplifiers, such as many tube amplifiers, with THD ten times higher(!) sounded subjectively better than some amps with vanishingly low THD, especially in terms of perceived distortion! We also learned that digital technology - for both electronics and software - with theoretical Dynamic Range and Signal to Noise ratio *Far Exceeding* that of analog, were neither as subjectively dynamic or clean as analog technology. It should have been a Slam Dunk. In reality off the shelf, untreated CDs quite frequently sound two dimensional, thin, tizzy, threadbare, compressed, unnatural, electronic, strident, rolled off, piercing, cluttered, like papier mache. What is going on? We also found out that room acoustics plays a crucial role in determining what the system actually sounds like, in particular soundstaging capabilities, but also in terms of distortion, naturalness and musicality. How good can a system get? You know, without changing out electronics and cables. Answer at 11.

I happened to have visited that galaxy. I believe it was called the 1970s. It was also discovered that certain other parameters outside of THD were responsible to a large extent for the perceived performance characteristics and attributes of the gear that was considered high end at that time. The cat wasn't in the bag for very long after all the major manufacturers jumped on the bandwagon. Hence the small handful of SS amps on the scene with the levels of THD that was just mentioned. So sorry to burst that little bubble, but tubes didn't and don't have a monopoly on desirable sound characteristics. Not that it was suggested they do, but just in case.

Csontos wrote,

"I happened to have visited that galaxy. I believe it was called the 1970s. It was also discovered that certain other parameters outside of THD were responsible to a large extent for the perceived performance characteristics and attributes of the gear that was considered high end at that time."

Pray tell, what might those "certain other parameters" be? Discovered by whom?

"The cat wasn't in the bag for very long after all the major manufacturers jumped on the bandwagon. Hence the small handful of SS amps on the scene with the levels of THD that was just mentioned. So sorry to burst that little bubble, but tubes didn't and don't have a monopoly on desirable sound characteristics. Not that it was suggested they do, but just in case."

Well, actually tubes did then and still have a monopoly on desirable sound, if you want my opinion.

Sabai:
The conversation seems to have taken a decidely interesting turn, and it's months since this thread started.
I am unclear why it has not been stated that a holographic presentation is an inherent property of the component itself. A Philips 1000 SACD player is not holographic: a JVC ZL-Z1010TN player is much more so. My Convergent SL-1 was holographic: My First Sound Deluxe Presence MK II was more so (and of course, each accompanying component must first reflect the designers' intent when designing their components). Any version of the Wilson Audio Tiny Tots will be enormously holographic, but then, so was the ARC SP-11 preamp and the Rowland Coherence pre amp, as well as the Rowland Model 5 amp with MIT cabling throughout. This was all circa 1988-1996 (among the setups I had at the time, although I had multiple amps, preamps, speaker systems).
It is not necessary to create - nor desirable - to create a holographic setup one piece at a time. If you wish that as an end result, simply buy components that are known for their holography (aka "imaging) characteristics. Separate from this is "focus" which is similar to having a 35mm camera with a lens that is slightly out of focus, and then you turn the barrel of the lens a micrometer to the point where you can see the flecks in the eye. Imaging (holography) and focus are not the same. You can have a diffused - but holographic - picture on the orchestra, or a "focused" but flattened image (the opposite of holographic. Think of a birthday ballon fully inflated, and one that is, after 12 hours, losing air, and a bit more deflated. Deflated = less holographic: fully inflated = holographic).
If you wanted an integrated amp that has both dimensionality and intense focus, borrow any of NAD's BEE series integrated: they have both characteristics. They will NOT have great high frequency extension and the first BEE model is a bit thick in the mid bass, but then, a midbass with a little extra "fat" on it will usually give you more holography than a midbass that is "lean" (again, think Kate Moss vs. Cindy Crawford as a visualization. Cindy is obviously more holographic). The midbass is highly responsible for a very "physical" presentation, aka "holographic. Without it, you will have less 3-D in the double bass (which lives a great deal in the mid bass) or cello or nearly any instrument.
Accompanying those frequencies, the upper bass and lower midrange also contribute to the 3-D presentation. In professional reviewers circles, this is also known as 'tone color." It will be rare that you have a tonal palette that is thin and washed out (more common among solid-state than among tubes) and yet have the 3-D effect (you CAN have it, but it will not be as vivid, since tubes are more, shall we say, "colorful"). If that is confusing, think of a red shirt: brand new, it has great richness of color (aka "tonal color"): after 50 washings, it has become a pastel color, a mere shade of itself so to speak, and therefore much less rich, or to use another term, a "thinning out" of the original rich shade.
So, back to components: thin tonal color = less 3-D: rich tonal color (particularly in the mid bass) = MORE 3-D.
I wouldn't be looking for my interconnects and speaker cables and power cords to GIVE me the 3-D presentation, as much as I would not want them to DETRACT from it, if it is on the recording (Mercury Living Presence CDs are famous for their 3-D presentation): low-level (quiet sounds: score pages being turned, player exhaling while playing an instrument or just sitting there) capabilities and great dynamic range. And highly dimensional (aka, holographic/ imaging/ 3-D).

Since you asked about "holographic," this is a component thing, NOT an accessory thing, speaking only in the sense of how to assemble a system. One buys the car with the traits one values FIRST: 0-60 in 6 seconds, turns on a dime, great suspension system, quiet on the highway with a minimum of "road noise (where you hear the sound of the tires upon the road. The tires themselves are secondary (some will disagree, of course), as is the radio, the air conditioning, etc. The point is that a Volvo and an Audi will have different inherent traits, which is the reason you prefer one over the other. You haven't listed your components, by the way. That would help you reach your goal. Please list them, so those of us who know them might suggest an alternative that is more "holographic." (Of course, all your components may already BE holographic, but if you don't list them, there is no way to know that your choices are helping you accomplish your goal.) If you have listed them elsewhere, then, please excuse my suggestion. I did not see any thread you have cooperated in other than this one.

I hope this is assistive to you.

Gbmcleod,
Thanks for this very interesting post. You are correct in that components have to be capable of projecting holographic sound for it to be manifested by the system. You cannot squeeze orange juice from an apple.

Imaging and holographic sound go hand in hand. Images projected clearly in space with air around them help create the illusion of holography. It is the extent to which these properties are present that determines the quality of the holographic sound. And it is not simply a matter of holographic or not holographic. There are many, many gradations of holographic sound.

I have found that cabling and tweaks can greatly enhance the holographic illusion that components allow. Without these special elements in my system the level of holography would be a 3 or 4 instead of a 7 or 8.

Listing components will only provide an impression of what can be done regarding holography because I run my front end in series and I also run cables in series with some unique tweaks.

Here is my front end:

isolation transformer > QB4 > Bybee Stealth > power regenerator

I have added many levels of AC purifiers to the system as well as DIY tweaks that are unique to my system.

Here are my downstream components:

PS Audio transport
Antelope Zodiac + Voltikus DAC
Atma-Sphere S-30 power amp
Joseph Audio Pulsar monitors

I will be experimenting with new DACs in the near future.

But this only tells part of the story on the downstream side because I run many levels of tweaks here, as well, which, incrementally, add to the holographic portrayal. I use Bybee GG speaker bullets in series with SR speaker cells and Schumann resonance devices parallel with QRT Symphonies and Steinmusic Harmonizers as well as a number of other tweaks both DIY and commercial.