TESTIMONIALS
Testimonial #1:
The Hallograph is an
amazingly worthwhile and effective device. I've had it in my system
for a couple of weeks of heavy listening and am hooked (no break-in
required). In my system, the soundstage became deeper and
wider, images gained in intensity and size, while high frequency
extremes lost some stridence. Information retrieval (or should I say
"unmasking") goes up a notch, as details that were
previously masked by room reactions reclaim their prominence in the
mix. Vocals gain in intelligibility and clarity. Importantly, it
appears to be very neutral, or evenhanded, if you will, in its
impact across the spectrum -- nothing pushed at you or rolled off to
create an artificial sense of impact. Quite the opposite, in fact --
the whole musical presentation seems to be naturally set in its
recording venue to a greater degree.
The cumulative impact
of all this is to peel off a previously unobserved thin layer of
glaze from the music. It just has a fresher feel, closer to
lifelike. If you've ever ridden a bicycle in a rural setting right
after the rain, the air has a glorious, exhilarating dimension,
scrubbed clean. Subjectively for me, that's the best way to sum up
what the Hallograph does.
Highly recommended.
David Sparrow
Testimonial #2:
I just received your
Hollograph yesterday and got it set up. Wow ! I'm very impressed!
The changes that can be made are surprising. When I read in the
directions that you could hear a difference when only tuning the
array 1/8" I thought I probably wouldn't be able to hear it . I
then tried several changes and found myself laughing with amazement
at the possibilities for customizing the sound. Very cool !! I don't
see how it can work, but it does, and it is very cool! How did you
get the idea to try and develop something like this ? It seems to be
such a different approach than anything else on the market. Congrats,
and I hope it all works out for you. If you have any other secrets
let me know. I'm sure I would be interested!
Bob Vaughan
Testimonial #3:
My initial reaction
upon hearing the Shakti Hallograph Sound Field Optimizer in my home
has been nothing short of amazement in the enhancement of my system¹s
sound. Not only has the soundstage width and depth been enhanced,
but the resolution within the soundstage is spectacular. The bass
exhibits greater control with midrange and highs that are now more
articulate and less strident. Most
importantly, I am now drawn into the music to a degree that I have
never experienced before.
Best Wishes,
Steven Plaskin
System: Wilson 6
speakers, Levinson 32 preamp with Levinson 33H amps. Basis Debut
Vacuum 5 table with Graham 2.2 and Koetsu Jade Platinum. Audiocom
modified Sony SCD-1 SACD player. Transparent Reference Cables.
Testimonial #4:
Ben,
Thanks again for the
great follow-up on my Hallograph Soundfield Optimizer (say that fast
three times). I received the
Hallograph the first week of January, and found it very easy to set
up. My wife's visual reaction was "it's not as bad as I
thought it was going to be" and "though weird, works well
with our contemporary décor." The wood is well finished
and the overall effect is more akin to a fun sculpture.
But this is really
about sound reproduction, not aesthetics. The Hallograph does
for my audio system what laser vision does for my sight. Smearing of
tones, edginess of timbre, and wooly bass have now vanished to be
replaced by a clarity of pitch and timbre, an improvement in micro
and macro attack, bloom and decay, and a very natural, you are there
sense to all types of music; chamber, symphonic, jazz, male or
female vocals, massed chorus, and opera. I have been tweaking my
system for years, and have made some very good improvements this
past year. The Hallograph stands with the best of these improvements
(components, cables, and the ubiquitous Shakti stones) and for the
most part at a much smaller investment. They truly are adjustable
with audible changes, and I have had some fun "tweaking the
tweak." In my room with my speakers, setting the Hallograph's
"vanes" dead center on left and right is for my ears the
best overall presentation and balance. It is very hard to turn
the system off at night. I find so much new enjoyment with my
most familiar recordings (on CD, HDCD, SACD and vinyl).
The Hallograph
Soundfield Optimizer is a mouth-full to say, looks strange in
pictures, is hard to comprehend at first sight how or why is should
even work, and does everything as advertised. Thanks again for
making this hobby so much fun and for producing an audio product
that is so effective.
Jack Simmonds
Testimonial #5:
MASTERING ENGINEER
STEVE HOFFMAN ENDORSES THE HALLOGRAPH'S AT CES.
In the links below you
will see a overly impressive lists of CDs, SACDs and vinyl LPs that
Steve Hoffman has mastered over the years, from his early work at
MCA Records to his recent LP masterings at Analog Productions, and
gold CDs and hybrid SACDs at Audio Fidelity. Because there are so
many albums Steve has worked on, the discography has been organized
into multiple areas. To see the various sections, click on the label
links: Analogue
Productions, Audio
Fidelity, MCA/Chess/Impulse,
DCC,
DCC
Various Artists, BMG/Razor
& Tie, Cisco,
Miscellaneous,
Rural
Rhythm, S&P
Records.
QUOTES
FROM REVIEWERS
Review
#1:
"The
spectacular sense of spaciousness didn't really surprise me, as I
had heard that effect at my very first encounter with the
Hallographs. But that brief CES audition did not prepare me for the
myriad other improvements offered by the Hallographs. Bass gets
quicker and tighter, with better pitch definition. Vocal and
instrumental images typically have more dimensionality and lateral
stability. Previously unnoticed low-level detail emerges, and the
entire presentation takes on a more relaxed and naturally musical
quality that is hard to describe, but easy to love (in my case,
often deep into the night)."
Wayne Donnelly,
Ultimate Audio now at www.enjoythemusic.com
Review
#2:
"The Shakti
Hallographs have become permanent parts of my system. At $1000 a
pair, they are not cheap, but they can transform a system, even one
in a highly treated room. A very strong selling point is that they
look like pieces of art and not room treatments, so will be likely
to have a much higher "roommate" acceptance factor. The
improvements they make are essential to enjoying music to the
fullest."
Clay Swartz,
Positive
Feedback Online APRIL 2003
Review
#3:
"The Best New
Room Treatment at the show was by Ben Piazza of Shakti. This
was demonstrated in the E.A.R. room. The Hallograph Soundfield
Optimizer is a tall floor-standing wooden device designed to work in
the room corners behind the speakers. On top of a wooden post are
three vertical wavy wooden segments, made out of two different kinds
of wood, each containing a resonant chamber. They are difficult
to describe in words, but they did work. With the devices in
place, the soundstage filled out and the midrange and treble sounded
more natural. With the devices removed, there was reduced
ambience and naturalness to the sound."
Dave Glackin
Review
#4:
"... Ben leads me
up to his room. Yes! Lest one has not caught on, CES is all about
male-on-male seduction. And we of the press, star. Babes for hire in
Toyland! Anyway, Ben is showing a novel room treatment called the
Hallograph. Unlike his more discreet Shakti Stones, which have
become the favorite whipping boy of stiffs in audio academic
society, here is something out in the open. Hallographs, probably TM
although I don’t see a sign, are three wavy upright pieces of
exotic wood that perch in the front corners of a room on tall thin
poles. Scarcely a nuisance, visually. Kind of attractive, actually.
I mean, they also
sound good! I mean, no sound comes from them, and yet... What I mean
is... These Hallographs assist the hi-fl by helping to recreate a
real sense of sonic space. I do not say that lightly. Removing them
proves the point. In two systems, one major, one minor, both in
mediocre rooms, Hallographs make the difference between great sound
and good. And we’re talking sound by E.A.R., that’s Tim de
Paravinci, which would otherwise be quite acceptable, tonally,
before adding the Hallographs. I predict that these light wooden
sculptures, which may even elicit ahs of wonder from artists and
ladies, shall become in one form or another a standard feature of
good rooms. In the two
locations one can hear them, Hallographs impart a sense of presence
to the music unlike any other room trick I have ever heard.
Astonishing. Congratulations, Ben. Although who knows how they may
work in better environments? At any rate, for under $1000, they seem
well worth trying.
OK, want a better
quote? Here you go.
“Hallographs provide
a fundamental, as-yet inimitable solution to room problems. They
extract, rather than synthesize. Hallographs help unravel the
tangled web that music reproduction in real rooms weaves."
How’s that?
Oh, and this just in.
Later I revisit to find famous mastering engineer Stan Ricker, along
with Dave Glackin, sitting in the catbird seats. Moments into the
“A” play (which I happen to know is an old Merc, albeit on CD)
Stan remarks, “That must be a Bob Fine recording.” Of course he
is correct. Moments into the “B”, with Hallographs up, Stan
bursts out: “Still a Bob Fine.., but, much finer!”
Clark Johnsen
