IVIE TECHNOLOGIES INC. IE-30A and Damiano Pinazza's Holy Hands

As I recently wrote, I was pushed by Dietmar Hampel from Germany, to use pink noise and Real Time Analyzer to finely tune my speakers system, I purchased an Ivie Technologies Inc. IVIE IE-30A RTA with "Class 1" measurement-microphone and an IVIE IE-20B Pink/White noise generator, the Rolls-Royces in the field, '80s style, proudly and painstackingly hand-made in Utah, U.S.A.

I privileged the super-fast, real-time attitude the IE-30A's has vs. the computer-based Clio's or more recent IVIE's, because, really, with a self contained, battery operated machine you can do everything everywhere!

Measuring a church organ or an orchestra during a concert, the floor noise from the pub nearby, at 2 A.M.;-))) or the crickets and birds singing in the countryside or a thunder S.P.L. during a storm... all this and more... plus the AMAZING capability of fine tuning a complex horn-based speakers system in one hour... while, before, I was time consuming my ears (and patience...) for weeks!

After few months of great improving of my skills in IVIE's use, greatly, GREATLY supported by Damiano Pinazza, "The Archibishop of IVIE Church" (c/o Audio Network Technology Srl);-), I'm now able to use in a cool way, also if at maybe 20 percent of its full and virtually endless possibilities, the mighty IE-30A: possibly my best audio-related purchase in years, period.

After my positive experience, two dear friends of mine followed me in this technically challenging trip: Georges from Athens and Giovanni, my pard, from Naples.

They both purchased the full combo: IVIE IE-30 and IE-20... must say I paid something for mine, BUT I never had any problem, while both my friends had some troubles which costed some pain to the wallet and in stress terms, after they saved on original purchase.

... and that's what I wish to share: an IE-30A began to show some malfuntions and I promptly contacted Damiano Pinazza at "The IVIE Church Headquarters", in Bovisio Masciago (Milan).

After some days, he called at my mobile, saying that, to his great regret, the sturdy, IE-30A was giving to him some troubles, enough to seriously think for a trip to Utah's IVIE Technologies Inc.'s official maintenance workshop for a fully (and quite expensive) overhaul.

Sounded painful, but OK... me and my friend agreed...

Yesterday, a new phone-call and five mails containing some pixes... to say it short: Damiano was sooo hungry and deluged he didn't find the trouble in Giovanni's IVIE's that he, at 5,40 A.M., was in his workshop, where he dismantled the machine and re- did some soldering, also changing some faulty or leaking tiny caps...

The pixes, beside a dismantled IE-30A during the troubleshooting, show a tired, yet happy and satisfied, proudly smiling Damiano Pinazza with Giovanni's fully serviced and re-calibrated IE-30, after 4+ solid hours spent at the bench with soldering iron in HOT-mode, with LEDs blinking again in the dimmed light of his workshop.

Now, what can I say?!?!? It's tooo weird in this imperfect world a successful, wealthy young manager, loose his sleep for restoring an old measuring laboratory gear... without shame or drums&trumpets, he humbly used his skills and passion and won over the kicking, malfuntioning IVIE's.

Thanks a lot, Damiano, for your being the nice, NICE person you are, for your attitude and "holy hands", for keeping your feet on the ground and for the lesson you gave, keeping the "quality of life" ideal in good consideration - i.e. relationships first - as most important.

... and last but not least, for not giving up and winning on the Machine.

I owe to you a lot... and no, it's not simply a relationship between faulty gear owner/technician... it's a Church, do you remember?!?!;-)))

There is music involved, so it's Archibishop vs. a faithful music-lover in troubles.

Thanks, Damiano... thanks and... amen!
;-)