Jun 15, 2014

Welcome to Audio Artist Manila!


I’m Mickey Villa, a home entertainment systems specialist.  I help music and movie enthusiasts set up their dream audio systems so they can experience the finest moments in music and movies.   To enjoy, for instance, David Bowie sing Heroes and watch Tom Cruise maneuver his F-14 Tomcat to Mach 1 in Top Gun.

My love for music started very early.  At age 8, I spent hours playing my brothers’ ‘80s vinyl collection on our Kenwood and Technics stereo system.  Influenced by The Border by Modern English, at age 11, I made my own drums out of ice cream tubs and created cymbals from can lids.  Later, I took formal drum lessons at the extension program of the U.P. College of Music and played the drums in high school and college with a band that I had co-founded.

My exposure to the ‘90s band scene trained my ears on live music.  Having been guided by my professor on how to consistently produce good sound and timekeeping from the kit, I became obsessed with the quality of my sound, which is integral to my band’s music. 

As a musician myself, I searched for sound systems that would not add to or detract anything from the music that I was listening to.  I auditioned and listened to all sorts of equipment.  I learned which ones—with different price ranges—passed my exacting standards and began recommending to friends and family those that best suited their preferences and resources.  Soon after, I became their go-to guy when buying audio equipment.  As an audiophile, I was often more excited than the person whom I was helping to appreciate and live out the audio experience.

The turning point was when my friend Francis asked me to design the audio system for his home, which was fashioned like a bar.  The motif was mid-century modern, highlighted by a classic red Smeg refrigerator in the kitchen.  Francis wanted a red, brand-new turntable to complete his home’s bar vibe. I quickly emailed him a list of the components that we could put together.  He liked the design so much that he encouraged me to follow my passion for high-quality audio.  

In my 15 years as a Sales/Channel Development Manager for different multinational companies, I was passionate about satisfying my customer’s needs.  It is that same attentiveness and hard-won skills that I commit to as a home entertainment specialist.

Recording engineers and movie directors have brought us exquisitely produced material. It is my privilege to bring that professional studio sound within your reach, for you to enjoy music and movies the way they were intended to be.

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