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Tomlinson Holman

b. 1946

American audio engineer

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About Tomlinson Holman

Born 1946. Tomlinson Holman is an American engineer, writer, audio engineer and university teacher.

Tomlinson Miles Holman II (born 1946) is an American film theorist, audio engineer, and inventor of film technologies, notably Lucasfilm's THX sound system. He developed the world's first 10.2 sound system.

Career Early in his career, Holman developed what was known as the Holman Preamplifier for the APT Corporation, a former Massachusetts entity founded by Holman. He holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign (1968).

In 2002 he received the Academy Award for Technical Achievement. Specifically, for "the research and system integration resulting in the improvement of motion picture loudspeaker systems".

In 2007 he received the IEEE Masaru Ibuka Award.

Holman taught film and television sound at the School of Cinematic Arts, University of Southern California from 1987 to 2011.

In 2011 - 2021, Softpedia reported that Apple Inc. had employed Holman, and speculated that this was to work on audio projects.

Books

Sound for Film and Television (2001) Surround Sound: Up and Running (2008)

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Important facts

Birth century
Nationality
Education
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Downers Grove North High School
Employers
University of Southern California
Awards
IEEE Masaru Ibuka Consumer Electronics Award
Also known as
Tom Holman

People in Tomlinson Holman's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Tomlinson Holman's

Frequently asked questions

Who is Tomlinson Holman?

American audio engineer

When was Tomlinson Holman born?

Tomlinson Holman was born on 8 June 1946.

What is Tomlinson Holman's occupation?

Tomlinson Holman is an engineer, writer, audio engineer and university teacher.

What nationality is Tomlinson Holman?

Tomlinson Holman is American.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Tomlinson Holman

· Wikidata: Q917218

· DBpedia: Tomlinson Holman

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Tomlinson Holman. https://biography.guide/tomlinson-holman/

MLA: "Tomlinson Holman." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/tomlinson-holman/.

Chicago: "Tomlinson Holman." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/tomlinson-holman/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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