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
