Ojas by Devon Turnbull

Thoughts on modern music systems and the benefits of true Hi-Fi

In a list of the personal interests filled out by your average, imaginary (but unimaginative) interviewee, ‘music’ could rival those other favourites, ‘reading’ and ‘swimming’ combined: Everyone is a self-confessed lover of music.

Catering to demand, technology has meant that music is available more than ever. The smartphone in your hand – that now ubiquitous modern appendage – started life as a product that was designed just so that you could carry your music collection in your pocket. In our homes, Apple, Amazon or Sonos devices often mean that we now have an audio system in every room.

Chesterton, speaking in an age before such convenience, said that “music with dinner is an insult both to the cook and the violinist.” Whilst in that case true, the modern prevalence of music rests on the fact that it has a unique ability to create ambience, to enrich those everyday moments of our life with sensory backdrop – without risk of distraction.

As an audio professional however, I’m always conscious that the ubiquity of technology means that, like butter spread too thin, the rich possibility of the experience is lost. None of the devices I mentioned can compete with a good stereo in arresting our attention. When reproduced on a real HiFi, listening to music can be tantamount to meditation. It’s little wonder, in the days when we don’t listen to music with intent like we once did, that the pastime of yoga is growing. When conveyed through a system with the ability to reproduce the full range and tones of the world, music can be transformative: In the womb, for the first formative months of our existence, sound - more than any other sense - is how we experienced the world.

Devon Turnbull, who has just completed a stint at Lisson Gallery is a traditional HiFi maven. If your Sonos system is like a climbing into a modern Fiat — his is like taking the wheel of a Ferrari 275 GTB. His speakers, often based on traditional Altec designs - have that same raw purity too.

It’s a delight to see someone turning back the clock.