Date & place of birth:
Sometime during the late 1950s, in a small village in the south west of Germany.

Profession:
I'm the musicologist at HK Audio. I studied musicology at University of Saarbruecken. After the theoretical parts of musicology, what I found most fascinating was how people react to music and the psychology of music; how it can influence human behaviour.

What was your first professional job?
I was a guitar teacher and I later ran a PA rental company.

Why sound?
Music has played a key role in our family for generations - there was literally nothing else I could do.

Who or what provided your biggest inspiration?
My father, because as a conductor he was never satisfied with the level at which his musicians were able to play. He was always striving for higher standards, and I feel I'm in same situation as my father now - this is where I get my drive from. I apply his standards to what I hear when I listen to PA systems, and am always striving to get as natural a sound as possible. I'm convinced that there's always room for improvement.

What do you consider to be your biggest achievement?
To discover along with the HK Audio team the importance of dynamic distortion in speaker systems.

Is there anything about the industry that you'd like to change?
By changing the approach towards proper electronic and acoustic engineering; the deep understanding of human aural perception and clearly defined targets in acoustic behaviour makes all the difference. Our contribution to the industry is to offer these at advanced levels - this has affected the industry in the past and will create exciting developments in the future.

Do you envisage any major improvements or enhancements to loudspeaker technology occurring within the next 12 months?
I think there will be many small enhancements along the way - 100 small steps towards a natural (ideal) dynamic.

What are the best and worst aspects of your profession?
Best: To work in a creative field for better solutions. Worst: The administrative side of my job.

What were the last additions to your record/CD collection?
The Best of Larry Carlton.

Any hobbies away from the job?
Yes, I'm a licensed soccer trainer, and I also like fishing and riding motorbikes.

The last live show you attended as a paying punter?
Twenty years ago I was taken by my wife to see Dutch artist Hermann van Veen in Saarbruecken.

If you met the teenage Thomas Adt what advice would you give him?
Do everything the same way, including all the mistakes.