Discover an immersive vinyl listening experience at Feel Records through our meticulously designed spaces: the Welcome Lounge and the Listening Room. Mr. Tanaka, under whose supervision the audio systems were curated, will now guide you through the distinctive features of each space.
The Welcome Lounge is crafted as a haven for conversation and relaxation, where music seamlessly becomes unobtrusive background music (BGM), enriching the atmosphere without overshadowing conversations. Our carefully selected audio equipment excels in delivering lush sound even at lower volumes, prioritizing both quality and a sophisticated aesthetic.
Furthermore, the Welcome Lounge proudly showcases audio racks and speaker stands from Solidsteel, an esteemed Italian brand renowned for their ability to seamlessly blend functionality and visual allure. These exquisite additions contribute significantly to the overall ambiance of the space, elevating your vinyl listening experience to new heights.
[Audio System in the Welcome Lounge]
- Turntable : Love Works Sound Technics SL-1100 Custom
- Integrated Amplifier: Marantz PM8006
- Speakers: Monitor Audio Radius Series 90
We have two audio systems in the Listening Room. The system at the back features a McIntosh amplifier and large JBL speakers as its centerpiece. However, it’s worth noting that JICO already owned these devices in-house, so I selected additional equipment to complete the setup.
Both the amplifier and speakers are American-made from the 1980s, and our aim is to reproduce that distinctive and robust American sound from that era.
[Audio System 1 in the Listening Room]
- Turntable: Garrard 301
- Phono Equalizer: Aurora Sound VIDA II
- Preamp: McIntosh C29
- Main Amplifier: McIntosh MC2500
- Speakers: JBL 4343
The system in the front of the room features the main speaker A7, which was used in theaters in the 1950s and 1960s. Unlike JBL, it has a vintage warm tone. To avoid the sound becoming too nostalgic, I chose a modern model from Triode, a leading vacuum tube amplifier manufacturer in Japan.
【Listening Room Audio System 2】
- Turntable: Torrance TD520RW
- Pre-main Amplifier: Triode MUSASHI
- Speaker: Altec A7
Conversely, in the Listening Room, our goal is to encourage listeners to fully immerse themselves in the world of music. As a result, we have carefully assembled a system with a compelling and captivating appeal.
The audio systems in the Welcome Lounge and Listening Room were set up with different concepts in mind.
The Welcome Lounge is designed as a space where guests can relax before entering the Listening Room, similar to being in a cafe. We’ve chosen a system that provides a small and unobtrusive sound, ensuring that it doesn’t lead to listener fatigue.
On the other hand, in the Listening Room, we aim for listeners to immerse themselves in the world of music. Therefore, we’ve assembled a system with strong appeal.
Could you please tell me what was important and what was taken into consideration when selecting and setting up the audio systems?
It’s not a personal listening room, so it’s preferable that specific music genres don’t sound significantly better or worse. I paid attention to the overall sound quality balance.
Also, since the listening room is a spacious area, it needed a sense of volume to fill that space with music. I also considered a design that would match the chic atmosphere.
After actually listening to records in the Welcome Lounge and Listening Room, how would you describe the sound impressions?
Audio systems that sound great right after setting them up are not easy to come by. However, it was better than I had imagined. It has the kind of scale that you’d expect from large speakers. But we’ve only just started, so we’ll continue to fine-tune it every day and hope to bring out the full potential of the JICO cartridges.
Could you please tell us about the characteristics and advantages of Feel Records as you see them?
Listening to records is fundamentally an indoor hobby. Feel Records is fundamentally about open-minded thinking, such as going on a trip or listening to records in a space different from your everyday life. I think it’s quite revolutionary.
Please tell us your expectations for Feel Records.
I sincerely hope that the Feel Records experience will inspire more people to listen to records and enjoy audio.
