about Franco
Ciao, and ... pleased to meet you!
My name is Franco Viganoni. In Italy, I gained a reputation among hi-fi insiders and classical music lovers, becoming an opinion leader within these circles. I was humorously greeted with funny titles like "the Count" and "His Grace" (I have always loved joking!).
However, in 1995, fed up with Italy, a problematic and rapidly changing hi-fi market, Milan's real lifestyle, unpleasant climate, and high pollution, I immigrated with my family to New Zealand. It's been the most intelligent decision of our lives, and now we're ... proud Kiwis!
Well, I'm 79, and I can say that I have devoted my life to music, hi-fi and sound research. My late Mum had a Conservatory Diploma in Piano, and I spent much of my childhood listening to her play. As a teenager (those glorious and unrepeatable Beatles times), I was the bassist and singer in the Italian band "Gli Sciacalli". In my adult life, besides sailing, music, and hi-fi, my real passion has been to capture and play sound back in the best possible way (not too bad for someone with a degree in geology!).
So, my main hobby has been (and still is) live recording of classical music. I started in 1976, using reel-to-reel analogue recorders, as one would expect at the time. However, as far as I know, I was the first person in Italy to make a digital live recording of a classical concert on May 12, 1981. Since then, I have exclusively recorded digitally. To the dismay of the modern "nostalgic" fans of analogue and reel-to-reel recorders, when I listened to that recording, I simply stated: "hi-fi has been born"!
In Italy, I met and recorded many of the biggest names in classical music, and you will find a summary list of them on the live recording page. Here, in New Zealand, I have continued to nurture this big passion of mine, becoming the "official recorder" for Bach Musica New Zealand (of which I had the honour of being a member of the Board of Directors for more than ten years), Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra (Learn & Participate), Auckland Youth Orchestra, Auckland Chamber Orchestra, and other smaller but equally talented musical ensembles. I have also recorded numerous world premieres of contemporary classical music by Kiwi composers. To learn more about sound capture (the foundation of sound reproduction and the essence of hi-fi), visit the live recording and live music vs. hi-fi pages, which are both engaging and educational. However, growing up listening to my Mum's piano, playing in a band during my youth, and recording live classical music for 50 years have all contributed to my profound sound experience. I have successfully leveraged this skill professionally, as an insider in the Italian hi-fi market. Since January 1973, I have worked in the distribution of various hi-fi and hi-end brands, eventually making New Zealand my new homeland.
In 2000, almost as a game, I started the sachem project. After two years of research and experimentation, filled with daunting and exciting moments, and with the essential help of my old friends and great technicians Rino Cieri, Allen Gill and Daniele Gherardi, the final result turned out to be much more than “a joke”, indeed! Ten years later, driven (or perhaps more accurately, tormented) by the sachem's enthusiasts who remained dissatisfied with their hi-end preamps, I seriously began considering the development of an innovative and unconventional preamplifier. Thus, the sachem pure project started, and in 2013, the pure joined the family. The new "baby" has been a success and another big source of pride. If you visit the testimonials page, you will surely be impressed by the unconditional approval of our very demanding customers and friends! However, my last exciting and challenging endeavour has been building this unconventional website. In a very "politically incorrect" style (apologies, but the Italian half of me can't resist), I aspire to teach audiophiles the fundamentals of real hi-fi, hoping to succeed in guiding them from "religion" to "science"! And please, don't call me a pathetic dreamer ... I came to terms with that long ago!
So, if you ever need my expertise in sound and hi-fi, feel free to consider me at your disposal. In this regard, please visit the hi-end doctor page.
To conclude, a humble request: please, turn a blind eye to my "Oxford English"?
His Old Grace Franco
In Italy, I met and recorded many of the biggest names in classical music, and you will find a summary list of them on the live recording page. Here, in New Zealand, I have continued to nurture this big passion of mine, becoming the "official recorder" for Bach Musica New Zealand (of which I had the honour of being a member of the Board of Directors for more than ten years), Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra (Learn & Participate), Auckland Youth Orchestra, Auckland Chamber Orchestra, and other smaller but equally talented musical ensembles. I have also recorded numerous world premieres of contemporary classical music by Kiwi composers. To learn more about sound capture (the foundation of sound reproduction and the essence of hi-fi), visit the live recording and live music vs. hi-fi pages, which are both engaging and educational. However, growing up listening to my Mum's piano, playing in a band during my youth, and recording live classical music for 50 years have all contributed to my profound sound experience. I have successfully leveraged this skill professionally, as an insider in the Italian hi-fi market. Since January 1973, I have worked in the distribution of various hi-fi and hi-end brands, eventually making New Zealand my new homeland.
In 2000, almost as a game, I started the sachem project. After two years of research and experimentation, filled with daunting and exciting moments, and with the essential help of my old friends and great technicians Rino Cieri, Allen Gill and Daniele Gherardi, the final result turned out to be much more than “a joke”, indeed! Ten years later, driven (or perhaps more accurately, tormented) by the sachem's enthusiasts who remained dissatisfied with their hi-end preamps, I seriously began considering the development of an innovative and unconventional preamplifier. Thus, the sachem pure project started, and in 2013, the pure joined the family. The new "baby" has been a success and another big source of pride. If you visit the testimonials page, you will surely be impressed by the unconditional approval of our very demanding customers and friends! However, my last exciting and challenging endeavour has been building this unconventional website. In a very "politically incorrect" style (apologies, but the Italian half of me can't resist), I aspire to teach audiophiles the fundamentals of real hi-fi, hoping to succeed in guiding them from "religion" to "science"! And please, don't call me a pathetic dreamer ... I came to terms with that long ago!
So, if you ever need my expertise in sound and hi-fi, feel free to consider me at your disposal. In this regard, please visit the hi-end doctor page.
To conclude, a humble request: please, turn a blind eye to my "Oxford English"?
His Old Grace Franco