Fabrizio Simoncioni

The opening of a new recording studio is always a special occasion since it happens so rarely these days. However, when the studio is for Fabrizio Simoncioni, one of Italy’s top music producers, it is a cause for celebration – especially when Donato Masci, one of the Europe’s top acousticians, is involved in the design. The result is the DPoT Recording Arts in Prato, Tuscany.

The partnership has created something special with the new studio, both acoustically and from a design point of view. The look is vintage mahogany in the style of Tom Hidley, one of the legends in high-end studio acoustic design. The mahogany framed walls house a pair of vintage Genelec 1025A main monitors flush-mounted into a large concrete baffle, and offering perfect neutral reproduction at very high sound pressure levels. The 1025As also feature 19" rack mounted three channel amplifiers which were specially reconditioned for the project.

For near field monitors, they chose the revolutionary 8351 launched by Genelec in 2015 to wide acclaim. “I absolutely love my new 8351s,” says Fabrizio. “I liked the look as soon as I saw them and I’ve been astounded by the performance of them – it’s been a pleasure to use them.”

Fabrizio is one of the biggest names in the Italian music scene and has worked with many famous recording artists and won a host of big awards, including Latin Grammy nominated in 2012.