Vacuum-tube (or valve, depending upon which side of the pond you live on) technology spawned the Age of Electronics early in the 20th Century. Until the advent of solid-state electronics near mid-century, hollow-state devices were the only choice. But following the invention of the transistor (after their process fell to reasonable levels), within a couple of decades, the death of vacuum tubes was widely heralded. Yet here we are some five decades later, and hollow-state equipment is enjoying something of a comeback, especially in the music and high-end audio industries. Many issues surround hollow-state audio: Does it produce-as some claim-better sound? If so, is there science to back up these claims?How do hollow-state circuits work?How do you design hollow-state audio circuits?If hollow-state equipment fails, how do you go about troubleshooting and repairing it?Can we recreate some of the classic hollow-state audio devices for modern listening rooms and recording studios?How can we intelligently modify hollow-state amplifiers to our taste? These and other topics are covered in The State of Hollow State Audio.

Richard Honeycutt became interested in electronics when in the sixth grade. By high school, Richard was repairing radios, record players, and PA's for friends and family. Richard earned his First Class Commercial FCC license in 1969, at the age of 21. Working as a technical writer, entrepreneur, sound system designer/installer, electronics repairman, college professor, and consultant, Richard has maintained his interest in both solid- and hollow-state electronics. He has authored two textbooks and two trade books besides "The State of Hollow-State Audio".