Behind Wrensilva’s New Record Consoles, a Quest to “Engage All the Senses”

When sifting through inspiration for Wrensilva’s high-fidelity record consoles, Debra Salyer, who founded the company together with Scott Salyer and business partner Greg Perlot, likes to keep things classic: “We’re inspired by old recording studios, classic consoles, and that cool innovative spirit of Hi-Fi that engages all the senses, but we’re not designing for nostalgia or following fashion trends,” she says. In the brand’s newly redesigned collection of M1 and classic consoles, the touchpoints of vintage recording studios—wood tones, warmth, and supple leather—are particularly resonant through what she describes as “the feel of heavy knobs and dials, and an element of precision in the electronics equipment.”

According to Salyer, materials are always at the center of Wrensilva’s vision, but so too is sonic integrity. Scott Salyer spent time with Giles Martin, Manny Marroquin, and Joe Harley, a mix of recording studio engineers and producers, to hone what she refers to as the Wrensilva signature sound. “It’s a warm, true, faithful sound,” she says. “It’s not about us, it’s about what the artist made.”

To that end, everything about the two models is rooted in the founders’ ambition to create an unparalleled listening experience. Like their predecessors, the Classic and M1 models can be paired with Sonos or Bluetooth for ease of use, and can store between 130 (for the Classic model) and 150 (for the M1) records. But, in the pursuit of creating “the best way to experience [music] at home,” Salyer and her team seized the opportunity to upgrade the electronics and touchpoints on both models’ upper decks, which now feature grain-matched wooden turntables, and their speaker cabinets. “The deck, the knobs, the leather, the beautiful speaker fronts, and all those custom touches that seem minor were a big endeavor… and an enjoyable one,” she says. “Nothing sounds like a Wrensilva.”