The Sound & The Space: A Dialogue with Leo

My good friend, Mr. Leo. First off i'd like to thank you for taking the time to having this chat. I'm well aware of your common expression, that 'as long as you don't ask me to run around Miami in a bikini, I'm always down to create with VV. But still, and as it goes without saying how very grateful we are for your support, or how much we love you back.. even despite us, on the other hand, indeed being willing to run around Miami in a bikini for you, we understand how busy you are. So thank you. At the same time, I will also say that by no means will I be asking cookie cutter questions, so don't even try to give me any mickey mouse answers.

But anyways, with that said, shall we begin?

My brother! First off, thank you for having me and for making me feel like part of the VV family from day one. The vision of this project has aligned with who I am since the beginning, and beyond all the fun times, I’ve gained some truly great friendships. I’ve believed in this project from the start, and I know it’s going to be a story people talk about for ages. (Hopefully, that story won’t involve me running around Miami in a bikini..

And listen, no matter how busy things get, I’m never too busy for some VV fun! You already know I’m always happy to get involved.

So let's get this rolling.

*laughs* All right, my friend.

To begin, tell me a bit about Casa Hifi. And to be clear, I don't mean tell me about the company itself. I think that speaks for itself. But rather, and i'll try to be as specific as possible -- what does Casa Hifi really represent to you? By now I've been here many times, and I've witnessed the deep passion that overflows into your technical sound expertise or your room curating presentations. And it seems to me that this type of fire cannot be forced. Or faked, for that matter. So what is it, What is it about Casa Hifi that simply, stirs your spirit?

I don’t think I’ve ever really shared what this place means to me. Casa HiFi isn’t just a company or a job, it’s a piece of myself I didn’t know I was looking for. And if I’m being honest, I think destiny had a hand in it. I owe a lot of this to my dad. Before I ever understood what it meant to be an audiophile, he would sit me down with his friends, long nights, great music, even better conversations. He always said there was a right way to listen. But I eventually realized he wasn’t just talking about sound quality, he was talking about the experience. The friends, the great scotch, the clear sky. The way a song could pull a room together or transport you somewhere else entirely. He used to tell me: "The greatest artists are great because they create great things." And I finally understood that the best way to honor their work, the hours, the precision, the dedication, is to build the perfect system for someone. Something made just for them. So, when I bring people into Casa HiFi, I try to recreate that feeling. The long nights with my dad, the music that made time stand still. I want people to experience that sentimental side of sound. To hear their favorite songs and be taken back to a moment that meant something. So, Nico, if you ask me what stirs my spirit, it’s exactly that. Creating moments. Crafting spaces where music moves the way it was always meant to.

What goes into your curation process? How do you bring out the full potential of high-fidelity sound? What do you take into account? And tell me, can the human ear really tell the difference?

There are a thousand factors in curating the right setup. But if you want to know what really matters, it's not just the specs, it’s the experience. Think about buying a car. Most people don’t obsess over horsepower numbers or torque figures. What they picture is themselves, driving across the Key Biscayne bridge, the weather perfect, the music just right. That’s the way I approach my curation process. I don’t just put together high-end gear, I build an experience. One that transports you. Whether that means putting you in the front row of a live concert, or inside a studio where your favorite artist is singing just for you. When it comes to room size, budget, aesthetics, I handle the technicalities so my clients can focus on the feeling. And I always push them to listen—really listen, because once they do, they’ll never hear music the same way again. And to your last question, yes. The human ear can absolutely tell the difference. Your ears are like a muscle. The more you train them with high-quality sound, the more you start noticing things in songs you’ve heard a million times before. And that’s when the magic happens.

We’ve hosted poker nights, social events, and VV gatherings at Casa HiFi. And for some reason, the membership keeps asking to come back. Something about the way you shape the space, not just visually, but through sound, seems to connect with people on a deeper level. What do you consider when curating an event?

What I’ve learned is that people are curious. They want to be immersed, but they don’t always know how.So, when I host events at Casa HiFi, I want it to feel effortless. It’s not just about the sound system, it’s the way the space is shaped. The furniture, the lighting, the distance between the walls. Everything is designed so that no matter where someone stands, they experience the same high-fidelity sound. But the biggest factor? Comfort. People don’t just come back because of the music. They come back because of the way they felt in that room. And that’s what I really do, create spaces where people want to stay.

Now, this latest VV collection is a collaboration with Enfants du Swing, an esteemed label out of Lebanon. A group of anonymous, world-class producers who have shaped the music industry from behind the scenes. This collection was built as an artistic exchange, one that aligns with the energy of our events. Now, after hearing the EP, hosting the events, and understanding the science of sound engineering, tell me, how do you balance the music with the social atmosphere? Especially considering the poker game going on?

It’s all about reading the room. The balance between music and a social setting, whether it’s poker, an intimate gathering, or a high energy event, comes down to precision. The music should enhance the experience, never overpower it. For a poker game, I keep the volume at a level that sets the tone without becoming a distraction. It’s about placing the right frequencies in the right spots. Sometimes that means tilting the speakers, adjusting the placement of the table, or managing reflections off the walls and floors.But the real art? Knowing when to let the music take the lead, and when to pull it back. Every space has an equation, the movement of people, the shape of the room, the energy of the night. I adjust in real-time, sculpting the sound so the moment flows the way it should.

My good friend, thank you for sharing. What an honor.