For my 12th Annual Positive Feedback Writers’ Choice Awards I did something that I've never done before, I gave an award to a person instead of an audio product, Mr. Shirokazu Yazaki.
The Positive Feedback Writer's Choice Award acknowledges Mr. Shirokazu Yazaki for "his significant design work" which he surely deserves.
In Japan, the term 'Living National Treasure' refers to those individuals who are designated as keepers of important dramatic, musical, artistic, and other intangible, high value, cultural accomplishments, due to their attainment of high levels of mastery of those unique artistic skills related to those accomplishments.
I have come to realize over the last year that Mr. Shirokazu Yazaki is just such an individual, a "Living Treasure' in his mastery of the audio & musical arts, who has not only had a major influence on me, but on many of you as well.
I want to recognize Yazaki-san with a Jeff Award for his life-long devotion to the audio arts, and his ability to translate his unique artistic audio design skills into a tangible experience that he refers to as Real Sound, that has influenced or changed how many of us perceive & experience recorded music as hi-fi enthusiasts and music lovers.
As I stated earlier in my Writers' Choice Award, Mr. Shirokazu Yazaki has completely astounded me with his knowledge, experience, and passion for all things audio.
Yazaki-san’s deep insights into those elements that make audio come alive with what he calls Real Sound has been demonstrated before my eyes & ears and I am very impressed.
Yazaki-san has the audio ‘Midas touch’ to turn anything he focuses his attention on into audio & musical gold, and to top it off, he freely & openly shares his knowledge and way of doing things with those who ask.
My Adventures in Real Sound this year have refreshed & resurrected my passion for audio, and my eyes have been opened to what is possible with careful voicing using select components, as recommended by a Real Sound master in audio design, Mr. Shirokazu Yazaki.
Like an artist painting with an intensity of color, texture, and images, to create a stunning work of art, Yazaki-san's mastery of the audio & musical arts enables him to 'paint' with a stimulating emotional intensity of color, texture, and tone through his Real Sound audio designs, modifications, and recommendations.
Whether it is his SPEC RSA-M3 EX Real Sound Amplifier, or the custom directly heated triode amplifiers he has made for his friends, or his many gracious recommendations to all of us to help us achieve Real Sound in our own systems, you Mr. Shirokazu Yazaki are an audio Living Treasure we are blessed to have among us!
Yazaki-san (center) with friends in Tokyo.
Please join me in thanking Mr. Shirokazu Yazaki for his extraordinary Real Sound contributions to the audio & musical arts!
