It’s not all that often a celebrity musician appears on the pages of What Hi-Fi?, but back in 1983, we had the pleasure of visiting the one and only Jools Holland (now OBE) for a chat in his home studio in Blackheath, London.
We talked about all things hi-fi and audio, touching on everything from soundproofing to sound quality – both of which are as relevant now as they were more than 40 years ago!
“It is an expanded home studio, that is exactly what it is… It started off as a stereo and then slowly built up. I got the TEAC four track first, then a desk, and a bigger amp, and then a two-track, effects and a bigger desk. And I dare say I’ll end up with a 24-track in here – it's getting really cramped!”
Holland pointed out something you wouldn’t necessarily think about but actually makes a lot of sense: at that time at least, a recording studio was a great source of second-hand kit…
“A lot of second-hand studio equipment you can pick up cheaper than expensive new hi-fi units. Good quality old gear can work well for hi-fi systems as well as home studios.
“Ex-studio equipment is going to be well-maintained and of good quality in the first place. It won’t have lost that much quality as studios update their equipment all the time, and a lot of stuff they throw out would be fantastic for the home and built for long-lasting use.”
We know from our own experience that there is plenty of value to be had in the second-hand hi-fi market. Our very own Hi-Fi and Audio Editor, Kashfia Kabir, is the proud owner of a pair of old Mission 70 MkII speakers and Mission Cyrus One amp, both from the mid-80s.
During our chat, Holland also talked about the acoustic treatment in his recording studio, or rather the lack of it. Both of our hi-fi testing rooms have been acoustically treated so we know what difference it can make, but Holland's attempts sounded a bit more basic.
Holland explained, “This is an absolutely ordinary, untouched, acoustically untested room.
“For those of you reading this, the room is totally covered in green carpet… Which is done for two reasons. Firstly, just to soundproof it – luckily there is nobody living on either side so that is not too crucial, although some people in the barbers shop may hear some unusual sounds occasionally! – and also to make it sound dead.
“If you make it too dead, it ends up being a bit bassy, but it has to be dead so that you know what you’re hearing out of the speakers is exactly what is coming out and nothing more.
“I put old carpet on the walls and it looked horrible, so I put new carpet on top of that. But I seriously will, sometime next year, expand this to 16 or 24 track. Then you’re talking about proper soundproofing – walls being knocked down and all that sort of thing. But it can be done, and that’s the encouraging thing.”
Given the studio surroundings, we also asked Holland which records he had heard that he considered to be particularly good or particularly well produced.
We know from decades of testing and listening to a wide range of test tracks over the years that poor recordings can sound almost unlistenable on revealing hi-fi systems. Remember the old computer adage “garbage in, garbage out”?
And Holland was of a similar opinion, saying a good recording, “can open your eyes to all sorts of other music once you hear it on a really good quality system.
“For instance, I had never been a Tammy Wynette fan before, but I was listening to some records of hers produced by Bill Sheryl and they’re so well produced, so perfectly done that you can’t help but think ‘that was a well-made record’.
“And there are so many records around that are so well made, you can’t help but like them – but if you haven’t got a decent enough system, then you won’t be able to appreciate them.
“There’s an Aretha Franklin record called What A Fool Believes which is an incredible production, with so many things going on in it.”
Interestingly, Holland also mentions the music press at the time and his belief that the quality of the recording wasn’t really considered in the reviews, which is an interesting point that resonates arguably now more than ever: “I find the new Paul Young album amazing. It’s had reviews in the music papers that have all said ‘quite a nice record, shame about the production,’ which I find unbelievable.
“I think this is the way the music papers are going – they’re less interested in music and more interested in other things, in that they obviously haven’t had a decent enough system to hear the production of it.”
What’s your opinion on the quality of today’s recordings? Do you think they are better or worse than in years gone by? Is the quality of the recording something you pay attention to, or is it more just the music, its composition and lyrics? Let us know in the comments below.
MORE:
How to buy second-hand and vintage hi-fi speakers
How to buy second-hand and vintage hi-fi amplifiers
Old amplifier vs new amplifier: does the best hi-fi stand the test of time?
Our pick of the best integrated amplifiers you can buy
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.
