Finding your groove: getting into vinyl with Audio-Technica
I’d like to think that I could’ve been friends with the late Hideo Matsushita, founder of Japanese Hi-Fi powerhouse Audio-Technica. If I could, I’d travel back in time to 1960’s Tokyo, where a young Matsushita curated “vinyl listening sessions” at the Bridgestone Museum of Arts, exposing visitors to the sounds and possibilities of high end audio and the warmth of vinyl records. I imagine sitting with him in a mod coffee shop, listening to the stories of what he witnessed in those sessions, the conversations he had with visitors, and what ultimately motivated him to head back to his small apartment above a ramen restaurant and start an audio company of his own. In the histories I’ve read regarding AT’s humble beginnings, Matsushita’s motives seem clear. Produce high end audio at affordable prices, bringing audio excellence into spaces and to customers that simply didn’t have access to it before. His first two products, the AT-1 and AT-3 phono cartridges did exactly that, and...
Dec 6, 2023
This time, we’re talking to Nic Pope, who leads the Audiophile team at Massdrop. First, we’ll let you read a little about his background and passions. Then, we’ll turn the mic over for a community Q&A. Submit your questions in the comment section, and stay tuned for the answers in a follow-up post.
What got you interested in the audiophile community?
I’ve been involved in music since I was 4 or 5 years old. I started studying classical vocal performance then, and eventually picked up five or six other instruments and began playing in bands. That led me to a career as an audio engineer and music producer. My first introduction to the audiophile community as I know it today, though, wasn’t until I started researching Massdrop.
When I was a teenager, I saw Al Di Meola play a set of classical and flamenco with Manuel Barrueco on the same stage that the Friday Night in San Francisco album was recorded. That was definitely a highlight. I got to meet them and Joe Satriani that night, too.
Tell us about your audio setup. At work? At home?
On my desk at work, I have a TEAC UD-301 DAC feeding a Heron 5 headphone amplifier, and I’m listening either to the Audeze LCD-2, the Ultimate Ears Reference Remastered, or my E-MU Ebony. I don’t spend much time on headphones at home, but in my bedroom, I have a Grace Design M920 feeding the Dynaudio BM15A monitors, fed by my TV. In the studios, there are Barefoots (MM27s in one, MM35s in the other) and NS-10s. Monitor control is either the master section of the SSL or a Shadow Hills Oculus.
I listen to a wide variety, but some longtime favorites include Billy Bragg and Wilco’s Mermaid Avenue, Wilco’s Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, John Coltrane’s A Love Supreme, Bob Mould’s Beauty & Ruin… I could go on all day.
What’s the biggest investment you’ve made in building your setup?
My ears. Turns out that working in music is 99 percent listening. I’ve spent more time and money learning how to listen than anything else. That said, when I rebuilt my studio in 2009, I got to write a $200,000 check on gear and cabling, which you can imagine was quite a shopping trip.
What did you do before working at Massdrop?
My career before Massdrop was mostly engineering and producing records, and being the knower of all things technical at Different Fur. I also taught for a year at Ex’pression College in Emeryville.
Working with a team of people for whom intelligent discussion is the norm. I also love that everyone just wants to find the best solution to any given problem and move forward. It’s truly a gift.
Which audio companies are you excited about today?
In the audiophile space: Airist Audio, AAW, Final Audio Design, and ELAC. In professional audio: Standard Audio, Shadow Hills, Grace Design, AEA, and Heil.
Now the hardest-hitting question: Favorite pizza topping?
Pepperoni and pineapple!
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