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Reflections re Bill Johnson

Posted by Jim Smith (P) on December 17, 2011 at 07:06:40

I was surprised to see the news of his passing receive only 17 replies.

Having been a client in the early 70s, then a dealer, then an employee, then an interested observer of all things ARC, I have long felt that he was the single most important individual to impact high-end audio. Even more important than JGH & HP.

I have every issue of those mags. I was a charter subscriber.

I read them voraciously whenever they arrived.

But it was like the ARC electronics came on the scene and woke up everyone.

By this time, even the venerable McIntosh line had switched to transistors exclusively. There were no Marantz tube products.

Suddenly TAS & Stereophile were more alive. Dealers came alive. Other manufacturers came alive. Worthy competitors picked up the gauntlet.

This lack of response on AA (from my viewpoint) may be due to most posters of today not having been around to see what really happened.

And I am definitely not saying he is solely responsible for the fact that we even have boards to discuss high performance audio.

But - IMO - he was the catalyst . I wish his family, former employees and friends all the best.

Bill will forever be remembered by those who knew him as a towering example of having a vision, launching it, and staying with it.

He changed my thinking and expectations for what was possible in high end audio in the 70s, and I think many more (who perhaps are not present to post on this board) would agree.

Best regards,

Jim Smith

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