I'm going to see if I can find the info on this.

Using "Tosho Doi" in some keyword searches, I found a few items including this (interesting in other respects) article from Stereophile . It's not 100% consistent with Doi's interview answer, but it doesn't contradict it, either -- I could see the Von Karajan theory fitting with the other Sony explanation if, as cited in the footnote, HVK was buddies with a bigwig at Sony.

Here's another spin, but with the only reference being the previously mentioned interview.

Based on the Doi interview and the Stereophile piece, I'm taking it out of my list of ULs.

(edit: Oh, and an interesting digital aside on HVK in some liner notes here .)