The amplifier designer hall of fame (part #3) – Mark Levinson, Antony Michaelson, Dr.

[Arkless Electronics]

Agree with everything you say. Indeed it is a travesty that Blumlein is not better known. EMI (for whom Blumlein worked), has a lot to answer for in that regard.

But maybe not as much to answer for as the dickhead who collected up most of the known info on Blumlein, interviewed his widow and colleagues, made pleas in the electronics press for people to send him anything they had on Blumlein... and then did now't about it in spite of public shaming over the affair for 20+ years. He died without publishing anything. Thankfully someone else then managed to get hold of all his notes etc and wrote the book the world of electronics had been waiting for

[Barry]

Are audiophile mains leads designed? If anything, they are carefully chosen cables available "off the drum" and fitted with good quality connectors.

[Arkless Electronics]

Lol, no. I'm rather fond of Mozart, and not much of a Quo fan!

Marco.

I'm sure if there had been hitherto unknown properties to a mains cable then one of the luminaries on the list (especially Blumlein!) would have found it.... not to mention all the other geniuses working for the likes of Hewlett Packard, Marconi, EMI, NASA, Philips, Sony, Fermi Lab, M.I.T etc Maybe audiophiles discovered gravity waves years ago but were too busy cleaning "Jazz at the pawnshop" to tell anyone?

But we're getting off topic now

[Arkless Electronics]

Great to see Joe Curcio on your list, Jez.

I still have a couple of his hybrid jfet/valve line stages and his re-working of Hafler's Dynaco ST 70. I built it more than 20 years ago from his article in one of the first issues of Glass Audio.



One of these days I'll bring it to NEBO.

Gordon

Hi Gordon. I'm sure plenty of us will take you up on that one!

[Neil McCauley]

I know this is just a click bait to get folks on to Hi Fi Answers web site but..... Anyhow...

As you touch on, it is impossible to make a real list of great amp designers because the majority were/are back room technical people who never saw the limelight... But, a few do deserve mention and I will also mention that a few you named definitely don't! Antony Michealson is no amp designer for a start and Julian Vereker can hardly be called an amp designer for copying an application note.... good business men yes.

Here's some of the real greats in no particular order:

Alan Blumlein
James Bongiorno
Peter Walker
Mike Albinson
Aubrey Sandman
Susumu Tanaka
Tim de Paravicini
Doug Self
Arthur Bailey
Peter Baxandall
David Hafler
Nelson Pass
John Curl
Joe Curcio
John Linsley Hood
Erno Borbely
Malcolm Hawksford

Apologies to the ones I've inadvertently omitted and some big names deliberately not there as they were primarily business men not designers.

No mention (yet) of Colin Wonfor nor Bob (Robert) Stuart? Had the original interview taken place when I became reconnected with CW I'd have certainly included him in the designer heroes-I-have-met.

[Arkless Electronics]

Stan Curtis added.

[Marco]

I'm sure if there had been hitherto unknown properties to a mains cable then one of the luminaries on the list (especially Blumlein!) would have found it.... not to mention all the other geniuses working for the likes of Hewlett Packard, Marconi, EMI, NASA, Philips, Sony, Fermi Lab, M.I.T etc Maybe audiophiles discovered gravity waves years ago but were too busy cleaning "Jazz at the pawnshop" to tell anyone?

But we're getting off topic now

Marco.

[Barry]

No mention (yet) of Colin Wonfor nor Bob (Robert) Stuart? Had the original interview taken place when I became reconnected with CW I'd have certainly included him in the designer heroes-I-have-met.

I was going to mention Bob Stuart, but didn't as I thought you had already included him in you interview. The same for Stan Curtis.

[Halfway Tree]

I think Siegfried Linkwitz should perhaps be on your list, Jez.

I wonder how many speakers use his crossovers (developed with Russ Riley) and his work on acoustic theory is up there with the best.

Gordon

[Marco]

Are audiophile mains leads designed? If anything, they are carefully chosen cables available "off the drum" and fitted with good quality connectors.

Indeed, which is precisely what I've done with my 'French specials'!

Marco.