‘Rivo-lution’ no. 9

MANILA, Philippines — Rene Rivo is the Yoda of audio.

I bug the guy never-endingly, asking him whether this tube amp goes well with that particular set of speakers, or whether I need a phono preamplifier for my existing setup, or — in my brother Dennis’ case — how to prevent the signal from a neighboring radio station from snaking through his speakers (RFIs, tricky problem).

Rivo hotrods Sakura AV-200T tube amps and turns them into splendid monster machines of sound (with the right set of speakers, of course… Paul & Sue Barton). His showroom on Calatagan St. in Makati is a storehouse of must-have audio systems. You might even run into, say, artists Elmer Borlongan and Romeo Lee or broadcaster Julius Babao having their Thorens or Rega turntables tweaked, even upgraded; or probably just anonymous you and me on the lookout for anything that can be purchased for aural pleasure. Rivo also organizes record bazaars that are done solely “for the vinyl crusade.”

We sat down with the main man of Hyperaudio and asked, “As the world is going fully digital, voyaging online and believing that the cyberspace is the final frontier, how come people are still buying analog gear, dusting off records, and going back to black?”

What do you think is the reason for the resurgence of vinyl, not just in the Philippines but also in the rest of the world?

Vinyl did not die a complete death. It still flourished in the sidelines with the analog die-hards (like me). We were watching how the digital format would fare with its constant iterations. In my case, I thought I would have succumbed to the “perfect sound forever” lure. If it not for the urge to pull out those black disks (which I would stubbornly not sell) out of their jackets occasionally there wouldn’t be much chance to compare the quality of music each format delivers. It was a “glorious sound forever” experience with the vinyl sound! The resurgence of vinyl is primarily about its sound quality. Miniaturization just couldn’t kill it. You just can’t dismiss vinyl’s more natural sound.

At the forefront of this revival is the amazing young breed of headshell-pushers. More than 50 percent of audio enthusiasts who purchase their turntable-based setups in my store are in the 12- to 40-year-old range.

How did you start your audio business, Hyperaudio?

I have a management and industrial engineering degree. My stint with the corporate world after I graduated was only about three years. I am an inveterate tinkerer and decided fixing things was my cup of tea; specifically audio equipment since “music” is my passion. I crashed my parents’ vacant room at their apartment in Matanzas, Palanan and converted it into a mini demo room and repair shop. That was 1983. It would later grow (along with my own family) and I had to transfer to my own apartment/shop also in Matanzas St. It would officially become Hyperaudio many years later with a showroom on Calatagan St. to boot.

To date Hyperaudio has been known for repair, restorations, upgrade and customized assembly of tubed audio gear and repair and restoration of vintage solid-state audio equipment and turntables. The Hyperaudio Showroom sells audio equipment; new and used modern and vintage tubed and solid-state audio gear, new and fully restored vintage turntables, CD players, analog accessories, etc.

What pieces of equipment (tube amp, turntable, speakers) are you currently using?

I have no permanent audio setup as I need to continually evaluate components I have for sale, bench-test equipment I have repaired, burn in tube gear I have custom-made. I set up a system for my son which I share — Marantz Esotec PM-6 integrated amplifier, modded Technics SL-1200 Mk2 turntable, DIY phono stage, Sony CDP-X77ES CD player and B&W Matrix 803 Series 2 speakers.

What is your advice to would-be record collectors?

My advice to budding record collectors? Aside from your friendly neighborhood record shops, thrift shops and online record stores, always be on the lookout for vinyl swap meets, trade fairs and record bazaars.

Lastly, what is your all-time favorite album?

Guess!

Is it “Led Zeppelin 4”?

No. It’s Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side of the Moon.”

So, Rene, I’ll see you on Calatagan St. or on the dark side of the moon.

Hyperaudio Showroom is at Unit 3, 4408 Calatagan corner Filmore Sts., Palanan, Makati City (beside David’s Salon near Cash & Carry Mall). Store hours are from 12 noon to 7 p.m., Mondays to Saturdays. For information, call 832-5710.