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Apple hire Tomlinson Holman as new "Audio Chief"


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

Apple has reportedly hired Tomlinson Holman as its new audio chief, according to a tweet by Leo Laporte Wednesday morning. Laporte said he had it “on good authority” that Holman “is joining Apple to run audio.” Holman is the brain behind Lucasfilm’s THX sound, and the world’s first 10.2 surround sound system. Apple had yet to respond to a request for confirmation as of this writing.

Holman is currently a film sound professor at the University of Southern California, and he has received an Academy Award for Technical Achievement. He spent 15 years as the corporate technical director for Lucasfilm, and all of the company’s THX patents stem from his work and research. Holman also has experience designing loudspeakers and amplifiers in addition to his work in the film industry. His experience covers all aspects of audio, according to Holman himself in a 1996 interview. He says that his ability to avoid narrow specialization is what got him his earliest jobs.

If Apple has indeed brought Holman on board, it could signify big things in store for Mac, iOS and even iTunes audio. Apple already builds optical audio out into all new Macs, via the headphone port (it works with optical TOSLINK cables using an adapter), which can provide true surround sound from your computer to your home theatre system, but it could stand to improve the quality of its built-in Mac and iOS device speakers and headphones. There have also been rumors that Apple may be looking to improve the sound quality of iTunes audio files, which is definitely something Holman could assist with.

Isn’t it time we got good (not just okay or passable) sound from our computers and iOS devices? Admittedly, we’ve come a long way since the days of the first speakerphone, but considering the advancements in display and video quality (a game Apple’s already winning with its Retina Display), I think it’s about time we saw similar investments made in sound quality, too.

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It is true, Apple has hired Tom to head up all things audio at Apple.

"Holman also has experience designing loudspeakers and amplifiers in addition to his work in the film industry. His experience covers all aspects of audio, according to Holman himself in a 1996 interview. He says that his ability to avoid narrow specialization is what got him his earliest jobs."

Tom's very first job in film was as my boom operator on my very first film as a sound mixer. Tom is an excellent choice by Apple as his knowledge is extensive and eclectic, he is a visionary engineer, self taught and still willing to explore new and unique ways of looking at things.

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Great news for the audio side of Apple's hardware. I met Tom Holman when he was working with Advent back in the mid to late 70's. The receiver he designed for Advent (Model 300?) was a jewel and he personally stood behind it, offering a kit to mod the phono input to cope with oddball cartridges.

Best regards,

Jim

post-1885-130815095552_thumb.jpg

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POST TO THE HOST: WHere's the like button?

I don't think we have a "Like" button on this forum. There are lots of features and functions we are used to on other sites that are either difficult or impossible to incorporate here. Some of the reasons I have been on the search for an alternative to this site.

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And don't forget the famous Apt Preamplifier, which Holman designed about 40 years ago.

--Marc W.

I visited Tom in Cambridge, Mass where his "factory" for building the Apt-Holman preamp and power amp was located. Don and I were working on a movie in Boston and we both purchased a preamp and power amp which we used for years. They were elegant, simple and beautifully built.

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Didn't Tom also cook up the little blue bud-box audio DA (I had a couple)

that helped us expand the output of our Nagras and early mixers? 

One RCA in, three variable outs, a little on-off toggle and a red "on" LED?

I bought one from Alan Gordon Enterprises, and then got my second one from a great company once called "ASC" ...

Maybe circa 1984 ?

MF

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Didn't Tom also cook up the little blue bud-box audio DA (I had a couple)

that helped us expand the output of our Nagras and early mixers?

MF

There are TWO Tom Holmans. It is the other Tom Holman who built the little DA box (it was in a blue BUD box as you say, I had one too), not Tomlinson Holman of Lucasfilm fame.

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Found a picture of the Apt-Holman Preamp online (isn't the Internet great). Beautiful.

It was pretty cool, and also a very elegant design from 40 years ago. One of its features I remembered was its "continuously-adjustable stereo/mono" control varying between L+R and L-R, if memory serves. Really slick device.

--Marc W.

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