The Perfect Sound

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A poet’s audio obsession unfolds through his journey from collecting vinyl to pursuing the perfect vacuum tubes, blending personal memoir with cultural history. Garrett Hongo’s passion for audio began with his father’s Empire 398 turntable and Dynakit tube amplifier in their modest Los Angeles home in the early 1960s. His adult quest starts in the CD-changer era, seeking speakers and amps that honor the top notes of opera’s greatest sopranos. This search becomes a journey of identity, where meaning and fulfillment often manifest through music and its diverse delivery systems. Hongo reflects on the sound of surf as his first music in Hawai‘i, the influence of doo-wop and soul among his classmates in L.A., and the impact of Rilke and Joni Mitchell during his adolescence. He recalls the pulse of John Coltrane’s jazz and Billy Joel’s piano from his car radio while navigating the freeways as a young poet. His exploration leads him to collectors of vintage audio gear and designers of modern tube equipment, as well as sublime performances at La Scala and poignant moments at John Keats’ grave in Rome. Along the way, he gathers wisdom from blues musicians and poetic elders, immersing himself in the rich tapestry of music that has shaped his life, ultimately discovering his celebrated poetic voice through the decades-long quest to perfect his stereo setup.