Do you want to find out why horn speakers, tubes, and Japanese amplifiers are a big deal?

Herb and I met in the 1990s and became fast friends. On this episode we nail down how it happened. Also, we have a special Herb announcement near the end of this episode.
------------SUPPORT--------------
Thanks for watching, this channel can be supported through Patreon
/ audiophiliac
-----SUBSCRIBE--------
And ring the bell to be notified when each new episode posts!
/ @steveguttenbergaudiop...
----MERCH-------
Audiophiliac T-Shirts and Mugs! teespring.com/stores/audiophi...
Twitter: @AudiophiliacMan
Instagram and IGTV: / steve.guttenberg
#audiophile #hornspeakers #japaneseaudio
Looking for great sounding FREE, not compressed or processed music? Check out these videos about the two MA Recordings samplers:
• FREE Dynamically Uncom...
• FREE Hi-Resolution, Dy...

[@milesdufourny4813]

We need a sixty minute video of Herb's wonderful stories.

[@julianstorey2699]

I could listen to them all day...

[@gizzy2403]

yes!

[@UberPilot]

Herb needs his own channel. The Highwater Sound video is epic. I’ve watched it a dozen times.

[@markusschulzbro]

I’m a simple man. I see Herb, I press like!

[@timw.9466]

An affable man is you?

[@mladenbasic1]

Having both of you in the shot at the same time is great. You should do every interview this way.

[@PDCRed]

Great idea.

[@Spaniard47]

Agree

[@kartickgrover]

I really really wish I could meet Herb and host him at my house where I could play my horn speakers with an all DHT tube system. Herb if you ever visit India, Id love to host you!! Cheers.

[@burner8959]

I love the videos with Herb. I think the only thing better would be a video of you two sitting next to each other listening and talking about equipment.

[@ppmnox]

Watching these 2 together, and watching some of the younger reviewers and their similar enthusiasm, gives me hope for our hobby. thank you, Steve and Herb, for bringing the joy of audio to a new generation.

[@gtodave6768]

I love this conversation. It sounds like a conversation between two intelligent surgeons. Looks like a cool friendship!!

[@ProgRockKeys]

When Herb cups his hands around his mouth and mentions “horn coloration” (?) that accurately demonstrated what I hear from Voice of the Theater speakers. I am convinced, when I go to someone’s house with those huge horns that sound to me like a bad public address system at a bus station, that our ears must present radically different sounds to our various brains. And I love my JBL 4333 3 way horn speakers, but there’s just something about those Voice of the Theater speakers that completely escapes me.

[@carlosoliveira-rc2xt]

I hear the same when listening to most (not all) horn speakers.

[@raphaelmeillat8527]

You guys have a way to draw us in and make us part of a special chat. Love your duo routine. Can't wait to see the next one! Thanks Steve for sharing your passion!

[@richardmiglioranza4004]

That was awesome as usual. You guys are a treat to listen too and love your passion for audio. It's contagious!

[@rickmathis8590]

Always a pleasure to hear the two of you together (especially when you'retalking about two of my favorite subjects: tubes and horns). Thanks, Steve!

[@gelderlandproduction]

This was FANTASTIC to watch! THANK YOU!

[@brianlewis5042]

Awesome conversation between friends. Hopefully a part ll

[@greymurdock2]

Audiophiliac episodes just keep getting better!

[@osliverpool]

Pick three people you'd like to listen to in a bar all night - Steve Guttenberg, Herb Reichert and Michael Fremer would be hard to beat!

[@zizendorf]

Agreed with those three (and a whole host more - if we're dreaming, i.e. Lincoln, FDR Obama, Neil Young, Springsteen, and on and on...). Although, while I'm appreciating the post above, I'd have to have a long, long evening because I'd have to dedicate good periods of time to just and only listening to music with them (without the talking) and then intersperse the listening with the talking about it. This all would of course require some Scotch. (Which by the way, if you dampen a rag with single malt and wipe down your speaker cables, the sound becomes deeper and richer.)

[@zippymagee]

regarding audio gear; Andrew Jones, Nelson Pass, Sean Fowler.

[@recordhead]

No disrespect to Fremer (I'm a big fan of his), but, I'd swap out Fremer with the late Art Dudley.

[@jeffkalina7727]

@@zippymagee Had dinner with AJ last year. High energy talker. Very smart. Knows his trade. Nelson Pass- Zoom interviewed him for an hour for our club last April. Very careful wordsmith. Very intelligent. Great stories.

[@osliverpool]

@@recordhead Ah, Art of course - might have to make room for all four.

[@vacuumtube1954]

Wonderful ! Always a pleasure to hear the both of you.

[@chrish.4067]

Thank you for this great interview. I love Herb's enthusiasm for the music and for how for how equipment looks also.

[@phils9755]

"triode mafia" soirees LOL. That's a fantastic turn of phrase

[@NickP333]

Thanks, Steve and Herb! It’s Monday, and this vid has certainly started my week of very well. I always love to see Herb on one of your vids, and to hear you old buddies talk shop. Love it! ✌️🎶🤗 Gonna be hooking up the 300B’s today!

[@gregoryfrassetti1276]

I’ve had the pleasure of meeting both men at different audio events. Steve you are a superstar and seem to enjoy it. Herb is a poet laureate in this audiophile community and always loves talking audiophilia. Hope to see you both in future events.

[@neilfisher7999]

Love listening to you guys talk about audio. Wow! Keep it coming.

[@arun2995]

Herb is the Godfather of low wattage triode. Him and the late great Art Dudley are by far my most favorite reviewers. I love hearing about Herb life stories, Thank you Steve.

[@fabieneldridge3414]

These two can go on forever. They are very knowledgeable about all things stereo ! Horn speakers are the Best ! The Voice of Theater, Klipsch K- Horns have been around since the 1940’s , and no leaps have been made in music reproduction. Klipsch still makes K-horns over 75 years and still consider Great ! Advent / Lancing are still some of the Best Speakers around. You can spend all you want but you really can’t get more music than Klipsch or Advent will produce in the right situation. I am a Horn lover ! Clean, crisp, Dynamic, live listening levels. Even better now that we have sub-woofers ! Quality today is far and few , plus the costs are crazy ! I’ll probably die with my old Marantz and Klipsch speakers. Adding a set of Klipsch Belle’s with the K-Horns really adds a new dimension to my listening. It really opens the music up. Very open , their sound bless together very well into a single wide full range. You feel the music as well as hear it . I have been thrilled with this set up for over 30 years and it still rocks !

[@TheFilletingfish]

Great getting to know you both. Was also curious about Herbs earlier year’s. Hope you both have a great day!

[@samlee2562]

I love it when old guys chat it's like a movie

[@AALavdas]

Great discussion, great points about the Decca recording of the Wagner Ring cycle with Solti!

[@daviddavis5149]

Great personalities. Great chemistry. Great stories. Thank you!

[@lynnpoole7830]

Much thanks Steve & Herb!

[@vinyljunkie64]

Awesome! I could listen to Herb's stories all day.

[@brkly99]

Based on your videos, I started looking at horns and pulled the trigger a couple of years ago. Can’t thank you enough!

[@christinearmington]

What did you get? 😃

[@brkly99]

@@christinearmington Avantgarde Duo Mezzos

[@roybertalotto6355]

That was fantastic! Love Herbs enthusiasm! I had VoT and Dynaco Stereo 70 back in the day in my parents basement. Sold them and replaced with LaScala and Crown DC300a which also doubled as sound reinforcement for a rock band. Great memories.

[@bobb.9917]

Best comment (from Herb with finger pointing at ".net"): "Pay no attention to The Audiophiliac!" Can you say PRICELESS!!! 😂😂😂

[@heywoodjablome5630]

Sensitivity is overrated!

[@stillastillsfan]

@@heywoodjablome5630 No it is not.

[@user-od9iz9cv1w]

What a great way to start my week. Hanging out with Steve and Herb. The firehouse soirees must have been amazing! Great to get a glimpse back in time.

[@JohnDoe-np3zk]

the girl came down the poll and all the guys sat around listening to horns made me soiree not to have been there...

[@HareDeLune]

@@JohnDoe-np3zk Ouch.

[@zizendorf]

@@HareDeLune LOL

[@zizendorf]

Wondering what all else was going on at "the firehouse"?! Hah!

[@ninovasev]

Thank you guys, my passion for music and hifi is living because also the guys like you exists......

[@AudioTnT]

Thanks to Herb, I now enjoy Hana, Elekit, Falcon and soon Sunvalley too. Both of you, stay strong and live long!

[@DPSingh-px4xu]

Herb and Steve are audio nuts who just make this thing we do cool and always an adventure....best hobby slash distraction from a brutal world...music

[@homerjones3291]

Excellent. Love to hear the stories and experiences, tangential to audio or not.

[@jarodreddig63]

Absolutely loved this episode!

[@hakanpersson6524]

I could listen to Herb and Steve for a whole day. They have always interesting topics and their knowledge is a goldmine.

[@veniceog]

Love hearing from Herb

[@bertoray5497]

Great stories. That picture with the speakers at the end of the video rocks.

[@steenj938]

Always a pleasure with you guys 🙏 Steve and Herb, you are amazing! I'd really like to hear those horns! However i recently ordered a pair of Harbeth Super HL 5 Plus XD. Just fell Completely in love with them. Just can't wait!!! Love your show Steve ♥️ Greetings from Denmark 🇩🇰🇩🇰🇩🇰

[@crimsonghost6454]

I love you guys and I have said it before,I could listen to you two talk for hours and hours. Please do more videos together. And yes horns are great.

[@edwardbalboa5528]

FFS... You must be bored

[@johngutmanis3580]

Great interview! For the past year I have only listened to my mc352 Magnepan 1.7i combo, my DIY Cornscala are in storage waiting for me to rework the crossovers and cabinets. I have really missed my horns! Finally realizing it maybe years before I get the time I pulled the trigger on a pair of Klipsch Hersey iv’s. That I am going to power with PrimaLuna until I can find a 300b amp for them.

[@smith2924]

Really cool video, thanks guys!

[@frankiep8262]

I've never met either one of these guys, yet they make me feel like I've known them my entire life! Love it!

[@williamsmith1892]

Both you and Herb are truly audiophile originals. I have watched many of your videos, and read reviews by Herb many times in Stereophile magazine. You both are to blame for my renewed enjoyment of music using a tube amp and Klipsch speakers. Thank you.

[@edwardbalboa5528]

They know fcuk about Audio

[@biff196972]

I love listening to these stories. I wish I had more experience with tube gear on my horns. The prices these days of good tubes and gear is not a cheap date

[@brianesbaugh6897]

Such a great story of the “voice of the theatre” vs the Watt Puppies while hearing the Stones live. So cool hearing these older stories and the nostalgic joy while recalling it!

[@ML-rm3vk]

great video and you two were having fun what a wonderful treat for us take care both of you god bless.

[@HiFiTown]

Hey guys--- great video-- make more :) This is Early Bender (Walt my dad ran Audiomart, which was the reference required member/ marketplace everyone bought and sold before the Internet) -- I remember these days --Don Garber, Fi 's ads and everything else! You guys are electric -- love it. We need more tube horn system talk ;)

[@jyharris]

Thank you for this video. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

[@Michael-xz1nk]

Herb just amazes me. Talk about a jack of all trades. From construction and the fire house to selling $90 Audio Note boxes to the simple bunker in Bed Sty. And so interesting to listen to. Thanks again Steve. Keep bringing Herb back...what a treat!

[@dougg1075]

Man I could listen to this all day long.

[@sum2automation]

Awesome storyline. Thanks for posting...

[@paulschumann4137]

I like how you mentioned Don Garber in the video and one of his beautiful fi preamps is sitting in the background.

[@jimmyli9678]

Wow, did this bring back memories. in the early 70s I ran sound for a rock club band that worked the east coast. We were using a 16 track board, 2 McIntosh MC-2300s into 2 Voice of the Theatres. Great live sound and many many very good memories.

[@Vibrasonique]

I’m here a bit for audio reviews but mainly because of Herb’s statements like the nature of the universe being vibratory and stuff like that, and of course for steve’s mood...so good to see you standing together again guys!

[@DougMen1]

The mighty Klipschorn is the finest speaker I've ever heard, with a realism unmatched by any other, IMO. Only the La Scala comes close to me. The effortless dynamics and the sense of scale is unparalleled by any other brand or style of speaker to my ears.

[@dougg1075]

This is GOLD

[@theone69ize]

Awesome video!!!! 👌 I can listen to herb all day . A book confessions of an Audiophile Maybe?

[@clarkstone-bear7742]

You can tell your old friends. Those soirees sound like they would have been fun. Good friends and audio.. great video. Thanks guys.

[@Nik-jt4ih]

you guys are great !! thank you 🙏

[@Rensselaer1586]

I loved those days when Herb, Don, and the others were building experimental SET's and displaying their schematics and construction drawings in Sound Practices. Those times dictated my path to my present system (Altec A7 speakers, Garrard 301 turntable, Ayon 30 watt SET amp) . I lament the passing of that era.

[@craigellsworth3952]

Was a great interview.

[@martinkk2943]

Lovely episode (again). Thank you! Now I want to know all about 300B tubes/amps.

[@michaelvaladez6570]

Whai love about watching this video is the friendship that you two have going back in time and talking about the ol glory days of high fidelity.The voice of the theater..amazing sound.A friend had these and they could take your breath away.The first time i heard a high end stereo was in a store in the town i lived in..lots of gear.I was stunned by what i heard Lou Rawls singing right behind me.That good.That was the moment i was the search for some high end stereo.Love this talking points between you two.Audiophiles galore.Thank you Steve Guttenberg.By the way way. back in time are you related to thee Guttenberg that invented the printing press..?

[@chelillingworth9466]

This was so great!!

[@flintmonz]

Very enjoyable ! Thanks !

[@thomassampson1817]

Herb and Steve make audio fun again. Both pack their reviews with good information. If one listens or reads closely, you can get a real good idea if what the product is bringing to the table.

[@bigblueocean]

Gotta love Herb. Much more please. I want a pair of Avant-garde speakers even more now. Dammit!

[@nirodha35]

Start saving and just do it. That’s my plan🥳

[@shannonmiller5648]

These Herb videos are some of the best

[@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac]

Yes they are!

[@TheDecguy]

This interview reminds me of the days when I had a subscription to Sound Practices Magazine. Horns, triodes, 300B!

[@stillastillsfan]

Whatever happened to Joe Roberts?

[@tonykazz2779]

You lads are inventing an improved form of Journalism. You are showcasing a beautiful range of curious. Steve's room is looking better every day, now it looks un-tangled ! I'd hope for your regular group to include K.Micallef , J.Atkinson and Kal R. Audio gear is wonderful, the Journalism is even better. Tony in Venice Florida ps. It could be nice to hear an interview with Mr.JA2

[@hdibart]

Enjoyed this,thanks.

[@mikejames-drummerreginacan1386]

So interesting.....Thanks Steve.

[@gregoryjolly1734]

That Fi Preamp in the background is great!

[@stuart302]

More videos on horns please, love this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@rickg8015]

Cool to see Don Garber’s Fi phono stage near that Feickert record spinner.. R.I.P., Don.

[@johnshepherd708]

I contacted Don many years ago and had him make me a 2a3 amplifier. I will never part with that amp. It was always interesting and fun exchanging ideas with Him. He was certainly a unique guy and greatly missed.

[@DQ-su6qf]

What a great idea! The ability to speak to Herb!

[@vaneast411]

love these interviews with Steve and Herb

[@lukerabin5079]

I’d love to hear those old theatre speakers again!

[@luigimattei7698]

Hi Herb, we have same passions! Audio, old mercedes and also same type of glasses. Nice gays. Thanks a lot

[@MrStingraybernard]

You guys are a couple classics

[@brianj9944]

Hello Steve, a comment about the video. Herb stated the Japanese amp builder listened through an Altec 604. I had spoken to the amp builder back in the day. He stated he was listening to his single ended amps through Electro-Voice 12 TRX speakers with only a capacitor for the high frequency crossover and he ran the cone/propagator full range.

[@delroyjones1882]

What a joyful video.

[@ptg01]

Herb makes Steve look really good ! Well done Steve !

[@astolatpere11]

I agree that playing old records on period equipment is pretty cool. I play a lot of mono lps from the 50s and 60s on a mono GE cartridge and Fisher mono tube amp, and there is a presence in the performances different from listening to them on my main hi-fi.

[@brandonburr4900]

This was the shortest 20 minute video you have done Steve! We need more of herb jabbering and telling swaray stories. Wonder if Steve will review that elekit 300b diy kit amp in the future? Herb did a great review on it! I always wonder what the headphone out on it would sound like as I love my elekit 8200 driving my sennheiser high impedance headphones! Great interview! Perhaps you guys could get some of the past "gang" together or a zoom interview in future if their still around😀

[@omahahaha]

That was great! My question is, Steve, after you have a defining experience like you did with the Altecs, how does anything else compare? How can you ever be happy listening to anything else? Man, I'd love to hear that system!

[@carlitomelon4610]

Once heard theatre horns in a customer's home....huge sound anywhere in the house. Playing Bob Marley:-) Not very refined, but no idea what he was driving them with. That was a huge room. My home is a modest bungalow with 13x21ft music rooms....can't imagine shoehorning horns in here! The firehouse sounded like a fun hangout- Thanks guys;-)

[@airwatersun]

You are brilliant...a true master class for audiophiles! Holy canoli Herb...I've been a resident on Staten Island since 1960...an audiophile, record collector and former recording studio owner. I'm curious where that fire house was?! Heading upstate soon to live and looking for someone to help me with my AMG Viella 12. The room is very large with non-parallel walls and a 15' peak ceiling. It will be set up for recording and live performance

[@michellonergan8517]

Great job really fun.

[@HolgerBarske]

Munich. Bellème. Wherever. So much looking forward to meeting you again, Herb.

[@Cocteau61]

the feeling totally mutual-you are the man Holger

[@JazzInvaders66]

I built a pair of A7 cabs in 1973 and hauled them around. with the matching horns, for my band at the time. To make matters worse, I used what we called back then particle board. Sounded fab driven by DIY solid state Tiger amps.

[@lloydfranks1357]

More stories with Herb! I just got a pair of Altecs vot Some how they got sprayed with soda and the horn on one is rusty and so a friend is refurbishing them. I hope mine sound as good as his when I get them back!

[@AllboroLCD]

I used to wander manhattan on foot endlessly, trekking around union sq one day, I stumbled into some audio shop that sold shindo gear, man thats some nice nice stuff!

[@tcb7750]

Hi. Steve. That's why I own a pair of klipschorn Pro model speakers..7 drivers per cabinet. Was lucky enough to buy a pair..were not available to the plublic..

[@EclecticApotheosis]

They're talking about the wonderfulness of horns at scale -- operas, Stones concerts, symphonies. How about horns at low volume, intimate recordings? I used to have Magnepans, and to get them to really sing, they had to be cranked. I had 200W/ch and a small room, so no problem. But I would never have a speaker like that now, because I have to listen at mid or usually low volumes. I want a speaker that sounds as live/dynamic as possible at low volume.

[@ropr5898]

I love that Herb has no concept of how microphones pick up his chest pounding. Oblivious to the tech, while he regales us with his wonderful audio tales. Carry on -- just be prepared for the occasional bang! through the desktop speakers or headphones.

[@zizendorf]

You're a funny person suggesting he's "oblivious to the tech". LOL