His track “Medicina” was included in the Buddha bar 2019 compilation and is presently involved in the Stone Age project. Sound engineer for a Tokyo club. Editor of the Studio Okina blog for DJs and producers.
Interview
Issey, How would you define your profession?
I am in the sound and mastering business in general. Recently with the Stone Age project I’ve been focusing more on events and releasing music.
What role does listening to music play in your life?
Since my job is to “deliver good sound,” thus good listening experience is a reflection of my work. So I’m always striving for “good sound”, “good music” and “good music experience”.
“I’ve been using Audirvāna for about two years. Before that I was using another pay-per-player, but immediately I was surprised by the difference in resolution.”
How much attention do you pay to sound quality?
It’s very important to me that I listen to music with good sound quality. The better the sound quality, the more clues I have about what elements are in the song and how the mixing/mastering process is done, for example when analyzing a song that I like. Also, I simply get extremely excited when I hear a song I love with good sound.
How long have you been using AudirvĀna? What did you think when you discovered it?
I’ve been using Audirvāna for about two years. Before that I was using another pay-per-player, but immediately I was surprised by the difference in resolution. I can now hear sounds that I obviously hadn’t before, and it’s been very useful in music production and work at the music scene. Listening to music has become more fun than ever before!
How do you rate listening from your computer with AudirvĀna compared with other equipment?
I don’t know much about the world of pure audio because I usually listen to music using my computer. Of course, I know that using a million dollar CD player can produce ridiculously good sound, but even with a “PC + Audirvāna” you can have a fairly high quality music experience. There’s no end to the amount of attention that can be paid to dedicated audio equipment, and I’m someone who would rather spend money on synthesizers and mixing equipment than audio equipment, so if you’re looking for good sound quality on a limited budget, I think Audirvāna is a great choice.
Do you talk to people about it?
I recommend Audirvāna to anyone who is obsessed with sound. If you want to change speakers and audio interfaces, you’ll spend hundreds of thousands of dollars, but if you quit iTunes and switch to Audirvāna, it’s easy to improve the sound. I’ve tried various audio players for my computer, but Audirvāna is my favorite.
What are your passions outside of music?
I’m interested in reading, health care and alcoholic drinks tasting. How can I make better music or get more ideas? I’m always thinking about ways to maximize human potential through reading and taking care of my health with nutritional supplements, meditation, sauna, running, etc..
But I also love beer and sake, and I’m always on the lookout for a good one to drink at various places. It makes me feel good about listening to music and having fun if I drink in moderation.
