Suggestions Welcomed!! Please email to jeffkalina1@gmail.com

Acoustic Room Help

https://amcoustics.com/tools/amroc?l=17.5&w=14&h=10&ft=true&re=DIN%2018041%20-%20Music

https://www.sonarworks.com/soundid

(Video on Sonarworks:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhGc-YX2-68)

Paul McGowan as PS Audio has several videos on room acoustics.
https://www.youtube.com/user/sharanelani/search?query=room+acoustics

https://www.avproedge.com/training-schedule.html (includes seminars by master acoustician Anthony Grimani)

https://www.gotostage.com/channel/c799f2a08dc64252ad27b3426b82e846  (Trinnov Audio)

1. How did you come to be attracted to the audio world?

Mother enjoyed music. Experimented in his youth by building his own diy gear. 

1st pair of speakers were of cardboard enclosures.

 At UC Davis, had a circle of friends with higher quality equipment than his. This got the ball rolling. Roomed with 3 other guys and they were able to combine all four sets to play as one. 

2. What do you see as Audio's biggest achievement in the past 40 years?

Overall he felt it had to be the introduction of the CD. 

3. Where do you believe the biggest need exists for improvement in the HiFi world?i.e. Recommend a goal that would most please you.

Not able to answer. He did state that he is pleased with the trend by speaker manufacturers toward building more efficient speakers. 

4. How would you describe why listening to music is important in your life?
    Not asked

5. Tell us about the "Best System you ever heard"?

     Has heard several"Great Systems" but not side by side.

6. When you had built a new product to be included in your company's line,did you make all the voicing decisions or was it done more by committee?

   He gives lots of weight to other listener's opinions.Former partner now deceased, Joe Sammut had a great ear

and taught listening skills to other employees. They employ about 3 matched speakers in different locations so comparisons on any new products

are accurate. 

6. A. Can you recall the funniest incident situation you have been a part of in this business? 

   Not asked although he did relate other funny tidbits

7. Who in this industry do you most admire, living or not?

   Not inclined to answer this one as well. Practical fellow he is.

8. What accomplishment are you most proud of in the audio industry?

  Matching components to their best use.

9. What do you think is this industry's biggest "Dirty Little Secret"?i.e. What bothers you about the practice , direction or ? of the industry? 

   Not asked

10. What do you perceive as the greatest challenge facing the audio world today?
He did discuss the trend toward higher efficiency in speakers which, in turn, makes building better amps easier (lower power easier than higher power). Along with that, he talked about lower power amps requiring less/fewer feedback loops, which reinforces his tendency toward simplicity in design.

11. Have you spent any time studying the human ear and its functionality in order to assist   you in your audio work?

  Yes he has. Read Dr. Diana Deutch - primarily known for the illusions of music and speech that  she discovered.  Knows Dr. Steven Dear. Studied relationship between hearing and perception.

12. Talk about the passion you must have to be successful in your field?

  Not asked but touched on in other responses

13. How did your past life experiences prepare you for your current endeavors?

  Not asked

14. What will be the next product you plan to release?

  Asked. Response was a smiling nod toward the opposite end of his desk where a pile of gear lie.    Not sharing at this time. He did explain that some recent successes from First Watt are being incorporated into the Pass line. 

15. Have you ever pursued inquiries with the defense department to see what new technologies they may have developed which bear on the Audio world?

  Not asked

Members:

From Keith McDonald 

1. What are the advantages/disadvantages of the McIntosh “autofomer”? (This circuit supposedly maintains uniform power output into different loads, rather than changing with the load.) Do Pass designs incorporate such a feature, and why or why not?

A challenge to recall with any precision but I recall Nelson saying that when McIntosh changed from tubes to transistors the autoformers were required to make transistor sound more acceptable. They are a circuit that provides consistent power into 4-, 8- and 16 ohm loads, 

but it had its own sonic signature.

 From Peter Eichen  
1. How has your philosophy changed over the years with respect to power amp design/circuit design/parts section?  

Early on they placed a lot of effort on circuit topologies to make improvements and used parts based on reliability,cost and availability. These days there is more emphasis on thecharacteristics of the parts themselves. Now more of the design choices are based on the parts themselves.

We also asked about the XA25 and the INT25 successes and why he felt it was so. He said simplified topography was part of it. I was surprised to learn that these are not his largest 

selling items. That honor goes the First Watt SIT3. Soon to be out of production as Nelson's unobtainiam supply of special parts is about used up for this product. Also one of his parts suppliers had the nerve to close its doors. So the SIT3 may be one to add to your collection 

if you are so inclined.

Mr. Pass shared a funny joke too. I was too busy reading ahead to recall it though. 

A drunk lost his keys...

RJ-The joke was also an anecdote. It goes something like this... “a cop found a drunk stumbling under around under a streetlight and looking at the ground. The cop asked the drunk what he was doing. “Looking for my keys” the drunk replied. “Where do you think they are?” the cop asked. “Oh, they’re up the street, but the light is better here”. The analogy for Nelson is the streetlight is our know tests and measurements and the keys are the reasons we hear what we do. At least, that’s how I interpreted it.

Nelson Pass was very kind and generous to share his evening with us. 

Thank you so much on behalf of the Arizona Audio/Video Club. 

Stay well. 

You are a National Treasure!