Introducing Zaccardi’s blog and YouTube channel
After mulling it over for several years, we are excited to announce that we have finally decided to launch a Zaccardi’s blog and YouTube channel. We are a small family-owned business so fitting in one more thing seemed challenging, but we really want a closer connection to the community. Which community? Well several actually. While we clearly concentrate on audiophile vinyl records, SACDs and CDs, we don’t want this to be just about the “vinyl community” or “CD community”. Our interests are broader. Below are some ideas of the topics we would love to cover:
Audiophile Gear for All
I have been a lover of not only music, but also stereo equipment for as long as I can remember. Yes, I consider myself an audiophile. Don’t let that scare you. I don’t believe you need a mega bucks system to be an audiophile. I believe there are very affordable options out there, ranging from vintage to new gear that can provide an engaging listening experience. I would like to explore that topic further with the community, do some comparisons and share some recommendations.
Music Formats and Releases
I love records. I also love SACDs, CD’s, streaming, and live music – yes going to concerts. It is not one or the other, but all combined. I am certain we will delve into some of these format topics as well as discuss new music releases, spotlight artists and record labels, and compare old releases to new.
Music Business
My family also loves music. My daughter, Katie, has been involved in school musicals since grammar school, went on to graduate with a degree in music business from NYU, is a singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and coach for other musicians. She has released an EP and hopefully will be recording new music soon. All of my kids play instruments, and my son also likes writing and producing, although he hasn’t released anything yet. This exposure lends itself to interesting topics of discussion around the music business that I believe would be fun to explore with our community as well.
The Science of Music
I have to admit that I am a bit of a geek. I majored in Electrical Engineering, although I never really used it after graduation, as I served out my commitment in the Navy before rejoining civilian life. By then, much of what I learned was a faint memory. I did, however, get the opportunity to teach conceptual physics as my last tour of duty before leaving the Navy. During this assignment, I used audio to help teach topics including sound, and electricity and magnetism. Some of these topics may make for interesting videos as well. I have also built speakers and even some drivers and have ideas for fun demonstrations. I recently recorded an interview with Charles Kirmuss of KirmussAudio and enjoyed discussing some of the science behind record cleaning and restoration. There is one more area relating science to the audiophile experience and that is physiology. There is much more I would like to learn and if there are any doctors or audiologists out there that would like to participate, please reach out to me.
Learn from the Community
While I have a lot I would like to share, I am sure there is far more I can learn from you and others in the audio community. I have already recorded some interviews with other record sellers that I will be sharing soon, but would love to continue taking to others. While I am only a few interviews in, I was fascinated by some of the stories I heard. I hope this is an interactive journey so please comment on videos and reach out with suggestions and feedback.
Beyond Audio
While our main focus will be audio related topics, I am open to occasionally going off topic and delving into other areas of interest that audiophiles and music lovers may have in common. These topics could range anywhere from coffee to wine to gardening to photography or whatever the community feels is a common interest. We will keep this to a minimum, but are always open to your feedback.
Thanks, and we hope you will come along as we see where this journey takes us.
Lou