Marco is an Italian music producer, record label owner, and lifelong audiophile with a deep passion for high-fidelity sound and audio engineering. His journey into music began early, experimenting with his parents' hi-fi systems and vinyl collection before eventually picking up an instrument. Over the years, his fascination with sound reproduction, recording technology, and the pursuit of sonic perfection led him to explore both music production and the intricacies of high-end audio systems.
Marco studied Music Business at the London School of Sound, where he deepened his knowledge of studio recording, audio equipment, and the science of sound design. Over time, his interest in high-quality sound reproduction extended beyond the studio into the world of hi-fi and immersive home audio.
He is the founder of Naviar Records, an experimental music label and online community exploring the connection between electronic music and traditional Japanese poetry. Since its inception in 2014, Naviar has fostered a global network of artists, publishing music, organizing events, and hosting The Naviar Haiku Fest, a cross-artform day of workshops, talks, and live performances focused on experimental music and haiku. His work has been covered in publications such as Electronic Sound and Cyclic Defrost.
Beyond music production, Marco is an avid audiophile with over 15 years of experience testing and refining hi-fi and home audio setups. His passion for sound engineering and high-fidelity reproduction has led him to analyze everything from speakers to DACs, amplifiers, and headphones. He is particularly drawn to vinyl playback, meticulously curating his vast record collection and refining turntable setups to extract the best possible sound from analog recordings. Whether he's evaluating the clarity of bookshelf speakers, comparing audio formats, or optimizing soundstage depth, his focus is always on achieving the most natural and immersive listening experience possible.
At Aphrodite Sound, Marco shares his hands-on expertise in audiophile gear, helping both newcomers and seasoned enthusiasts navigate the world of high-end audio without falling for marketing hype. His mission is to make high-fidelity sound accessible to all, ensuring that music lovers can elevate their listening experience with real, tangible improvements rather than gimmicks.
Outside of his work with Naviar Records and Aphrodite Sound, Marco also writes for Sound of Life, Higher Hz, and various music magazines and blogs worldwide. Under the moniker Cryxuss, he creates ambient electronic music, and he continues to explore the intersection of music, technology, and sound as an art form. When he's not producing music or testing new audio equipment, he performs as a drummer in the psychedelic rock band Aktopasa.
Vinyl is back, and it’s here to stay. Two decades of gradual yet relentless resurgence made the once-obsolete format the emblem of the modern music connoisseur, to the point that the good-old records are outperforming all other physical media in terms of sales and popularity.
In one of my recent articles, I wrote about a few turntables that I believe deliver a superb sound without breaking the bank. Among them is the Audio-Technica AT-LP60X, an evolution of the iconic AT-LP60, which undoubtedly has been the first turntable of many modern audiophiles.
With a history spanning over six decades, the British producer KEF has become a household name in the production of reliable and affordable hi-fi.
Despite the fact that quality hasn’t always been their calling card, in the last 10 years the company has delivered rock-solid bookshelf speakers, from the 2011 KEF Q300 to its successor, the KEF Q350.
It’s always a good day when I get to talk about the gear I love. If you read some of my previous speaker reviews you might have noticed I often compare affordable speakers with the Sony SS-CS5, and that’s because it offers refinement and accuracy you’d never expect from a bookshelf speaker under $200 a pair.
There’s a lot of confusion as to what “high fidelity” means nowadays. The streaming industry has changed the game once and for all, but also the technologies used to reproduce audio faithfully keep evolving, transcending what we know about accuracy and immersiveness in sonic reproduction.