In Solidsteel we believe in the power of music of connecting people each other. Music is what deliver people to share their passion, to unite themselves and make a bond, having its foundation in their personal experience shared and compared with others.
We know the listening process is a very subjective thing, with its facets, creeds and personal tastes. This is considerable both for music preferences and for private audio environments. We can’t define what is good or not to listen and, mostly in the high-end audio industry, what sounds better and what is necessary for having a “good” audio system: it’s personal. We love to be surrounded by various ways of thinking and, as Hi-Fi industry high-quality manufacturer, we appreciate to receive feedbacks and feelings regarding the Hi-Fi world.
We open this new series of editorials that will feature those audiophiles who love our Brand for giving their audio components the proper support, thanks to the specific characteristics of our furnitures that gave the Company a worldwide acknowledgment as one of the best players in the business, proud of a tradition in producing high quality Hi-Fi Racks and Speaker Stands long 30 years.
We are pleased of introducing Mr. Frank from Germany, a strong music lover with a large following on Social Media (@soulmining on Instagram). He owns a beautiful music room with great audio components perfectly positioned.
Frank, How did you become passionate about high fidelity?
I think, it was in the late 80’s, when I was looking for a new turntable in the upcoming CD Player time. I bought a lot of HiFi magazines and beside such big brands like Thorens or Dual, I found brands like Pro-Ject, Linn and Transrotor. It was a complete new universe for me.
Describe your Hi-Fi/ AV System and tell us more about your components. Is there something from your equipment that you would never substitute?
That’s a really hard question when you work a lot of years for the “perfect setup” in your home. At first, I would say that my Micro Seiki RX/RY with the tonearms (Wheaton Triplanar, Mörch, Micro Seiki and the cartridges (Big EMT Cartridge Love, Benz Micro and actually Audio Technika) is one of my biggest High End dreams.
Beside the Micro there is another amazing big dream… the Brinkmann Taurus. It’s a direct drive Turntable and with the Brinkmann 12.1 Tonearm and the EMT TSD 75G cartridge it’s a dream machine to play Vinyl in a perfect way, with a lot of details an emotions. This turntable in combination with the WHEST Audio PS40 SE phono stage shows a lot of fine details, deep inside a vinyl record.
I was never a big fan of loudspeakers. But Von Schweikert showed me a way to feel a deep, very deep love to those Speakers. I own a pair of Von Schweikert Audio E3. This speakers are really incredible! After two years in my home, I’m always sitting in front of them, and just wonder how good they are. The E3 create a big room with a deep soundstage, showing a lot of fine and small details and makes an emotional impression for the music. The VSA E3 sounds absolutely live!
What is your favorite music genre? Which are your reference albums you generally choose for “testing” your system?
I’m listening to a lot of music. My personal testing records depends on what I want to test. For a cartridge I am listening mostly to Harry Belafontes “Cotton Fields” ( 45rpm edition ). This Song shows me primarily the absolute soundstage with the position of all the musicians and the perfect Voice in the middle of the speakers.
For Speakers I use the Song “Homeless” from Paul Simons Album Graceland. The Song is absolutely interesting to hear a big room, with the right position of the singers.
Another good “Test Track” is “Angle Eyes” from the Rob Wassermann Duet Album. Extremely good recorded and an all time audiophile classic.
Which is your favorite “moment” of the day for listening music with your audio system?
Easy! When I come home from work in the late Afternoon.
Which audio format do you listen most? Digital or Analogic? Can you tell us why?
I like to hold the music in my hands, this is why I prefer analogue in every way. The digital format has too much mistakes in my opinion. It’s like as if you put music in to a vase, throw it to a wall and when you want to listen to it, you need a computer to put it together! Also, I am not a big fan of music streaming. I want to own my music and digital music is also a big environmental pollution.
When you first heard about Solidsteel Brand?
It was in the late 90’s, when I was working in a High End shop aside my school. In this time, we had a really amazing turntable rack in our presentation room, and everyone loved this rack.
Considering your attention for any aspect connected to your components, their proper position and the music room ambient, which advice do you feel to give for those who are approaching the Hi-Fi world? What is “essential” for creating a first audio system?
My first advice is always to spend the most money on the front of the setup like a good cartridge or turntable. Loudspeakers are always the slave of a good Hi-Fi setup. They cannot correct the mistakes made in the front, near to the music.
That is a nice point o view. What’s your feedback about emotions in music? Do you like attending music concerts, live shows and events?
Primarily I like music concerts more than vinyl. It‘s always a big experience to hear and see music live.
And it doesn’t matter if it’s a big or a small concert.
Suggest three music albums that we absolutely can’t miss.
Beside all the classics in pur shelves, is the first James Blake album (called also James Blake) a “must have“, another all time classic is the remastered K&D Sessions from Kruder & Dorfmeister and last but not least ALL the Radiohead records.
(Solidsteel’s Company do not own any rights on the suggested album covers.)
Many thanks to Frank, who share with us its personal feelings about music and the Hi-Fi world.
Stay tuned for other Audiophile Stories in these pages.
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Good music!
