Painting Or Photography? Au revoir George

Sidebar: Au revoir George

Five years ago as I write these words, I received a packet of articles from a Dr. George Reisch. An audiophile, a physicist, a philosopher, and a science historian who had earned his Ph.D at the University of Chicago, George felt there should be more discussion in print of the philosophical underpinnings of our hobby. Impressed by the clarity with which he expressed his ideas and by his identification with Stereophile's mission, I commissioned a bimonthly column from George, "Undercurrents," which would alternate with Lisa Astor's popular "Astor Place." George's first column, examining the concepts behind relativism and absolutism in sound reproduction, appeared in the May 1996 Stereophile; every two months since then, "Undercurrents" has stimulated more readers' letters than any column in the magazine other than those perennial favorites, "Sam's Space" and "Analog Corner."

Last fall, George started a new research gig (with some National Science Foundation funding), which has deprived him of the time for magazine writing. Sadly, therefore, George's January 2001 column is his last, "Undercurrents," in his words, having "gone to zero amps." I wish George well in his future endeavors, and I hope we will one day again see his byline in Stereophile. In the meantime, you will soon be able to find all of his columns in the www.stereophile.com archives.—John Atkinson

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