A trip back in time..

This past week, Dekel and I visited an audio restoration studio, owned and run by Art Shifrin. What an experience!

The vibe

Just as you approach the staircase leading to the basement you can already smell the vintage aroma… Don’t get me wrong this isn’t a dirty or unclean smell, this is a “vintage” aroma, in spite of being a well-ventilated room. The first thing to catch my eye was an old toy-train collection, some of which date back to as early as the first decade of the twentieth century, all running on a hand-built (by Art) mountains and desert platform. Art will go on to explain in depth the superb uniqueness of each relic.

On the other side of the room is where all the audio equipment is found, which is also mostly constructed of old parts, every piece of equipment customized to precision for what suits his needs best. According to art some stuff was worked on over several years to get is as accurate as it is.

The combination of these two, plus the aroma, literally takes you back in time 50-plus years, and none of the modern-age computers and machinery in the room can take that away.

Contemplation

When it comes to professional jobs, often people find themselves at a fork in the road, should they hire someone who is using all the modern hi-tech advanced computerized (no-brainer) systems, or should they just stick to the “old-school” style people who understand and know their stuff through and through like no-one else but not necessarily are all equipped and familiar with the new technology.

Meet “Art”

I always liked the famous saying by Yogi Berra: “When you come to a fork in the road, take it.” When it comes to audio restoration, Art Shifrin is the typical example off that, this guy will blow you away with the vast knowledge and understanding he has in all formats of audio recording, from wire records through reel-to-reel audio, but no, there isn’t any compromise on the latest digital equipment and formats, his workshop is where the two worlds meet.

Why so good

As known to many, the best way to be really successful at something is to “live it.”

When something is your life and that’s what you are thinking about even when you don’t have to, you will get much better at it, and any additional talent is just a bonus. This is why Art is so good, because despite being a brilliant and intelligent gentleman, audio restoration is part of his life.

Above all

The main thing which caught my attention was: that above all his talent and brilliance he is a Mentch – fun and exciting to work with, no arrogance and cockiness, which unfortunately is quite common amongst highly professionally sophisticated people.