CARLOS CRUZ-DIEZ

ELIAS CRESPIN

LUIS FONSI

IVAN RAKITIĆ

CRAIG ROBINS

BELINDA STRONACH

I S S U E T H I R T E E N

The tucked away musical haven you didn’t know about.

MEMBERS ONLY

W O R D S _ J I L I A N S A N Z

I totally know your type. You run the city and you think you know it inside and out. The hotspots have your table reserved and your bottles have

been sparkler-lit before you even sat down. The restaurant calls you to see if you want a reservation and you epitomize all things luxury. Or do you?

There’s something to be said about under-the-ra-dar experiences in the privacy of secret dwell-ings that have defined the new luxury. Where,

while you left the club last night, ears ringing, others attended a soiree where the audio experi-ence was hand-selected to elevate their listening experience. You don’t know about that place, do you? Well, you should. Because listening to mu-sic well matters.

In the heart of Wynwood, tucked away from all the noise, exists Déjà Vu Audio South, and own-er Eric Gould is real serious about the kind of el-

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evated experiences we’re becoming more partial to these days. “The crux of what we’re doing is challenging people to think about listening to music better. It doesn’t necessarily mean buying fancy equipment. There are lots of ways to do it. However, once someone becomes aware of lis-tening to music well - they become more cogni-zant of steps they can take to incorporate doing so into their own lifestyle.”

Gould and his team can help you to design a sound system that works best for your needs and also looks wonderful itself. The experience is one of a 360 nature where every detail is important. Carry-ing a range of Hi-Fi receivers, tube amplifiers, speakers, turntables, and other audio components, all set up in a relaxing and unrushed atmosphere; the store specializes in both new and customized vintage Hi-Fi with brands such as Audio Note, Harbeth, DaVinciAudio Labs, ProAc, Synthesis Audio and many more. Deja Vu Audio South’s cus-tom vintage gear, which utilizes parts made be-tween the 1930s-1950s by Western Electric, Altec and RCA, is completely unique and unmatched in audio experience. And it’s not just about what they have for sale, it’s also about the way you feel when you’re there. Especially if you’re one of the select few invited to their private soirees, the kind that take place after hours. Their private vinyl record listening parties, as an example, revolve around a specific theme such as jazz, prog-rock, experimen-tal or avant-garde music. They also have special guest curators come in with their own collection of vinyl records and present music they are passionate about—a very artistic approach to experience music

in a way that stretches the creative muscles to allow room for new appreciations.

These types of music listening parties are cur-rently only found in cities like London or Tokyo. “I was inspired by the Japanese rich culture of sound-obsessed bars and small clubs,” Gould said, “I started the evening parties for a simple reason. I wanted to create a space where friends could hang out, relax and listen to great music.” While countess hours were devoted to the impec-cable sound at Deja Vu Audio South, it feels like just as much effort went into creating the vibe and social atmosphere of the space.

A party last month featured Japanese Whiskies and selected music. “A consensus take-away from the evening was that Japanese Whisky pairs well with Black Sabbath,” Gould said. The store also started hosting a secret lunch called Pho/nograph, featuring awesome Vietnamese Pho and great Jazz and Blues music for a handful of lucky guests.

“We’re trying new things in an intimate atmo-sphere - combining great sound with awesome food and drinks,” said Gould. “This is totally unique and people love it.”

If you’re wondering how to get on the list, and all of a sudden your previous jaunts feel lame, you can start by signing up online at dejavuaudio-south.com or you might consider stopping by the store and meeting Eric; if you vibe, you’re in.

Let them know Toys sent you.