Hi, I am Fabian. I grew up in Vienna with a father who played violin as concert master at some of the finest orchestras in the world, including The Vienna Philharmonic. He called the Musikverein his office even though he seemed to play his violins in our home 24/7. I dragged my dad to my first record fair when I was 11 and I was spellbound. These days I live in another entertainment mecca, Los Angeles, create music hands-on as part of the electro production duo Happiness Won, nurture monthly playlists of the best new releases with The Toneoptic Ten, and I own around 2,000 records.

Toneoptic came into play because I struggled with the way I liked to store my records, which, naturally, is library-style, just like books. I kept selecting records to spin that had fat spines or easy-to-read titles – the ones where I was quickly able to recognize the record – over and over. By doing so I was leaving out any thin spines, older records where spines were illegible, or the many 12" that had no titles displayed on their spines altogether. As a trained graphic designer I love flipping through vinyl. The discovery part and often captivating artwork are half the fun of selecting which record to play and it is also what makes going to record stores so exciting for me (which I do religiously and globally - see snapshots from my hunts below).

One day I sketched out a solution and put a good chunk of my own money in to ensure I can bring the most suitable mechanical solution coupled with the most sophisticated design to market: A unit that would not only elevate my vinyl experience, but that I trust would look stunning in the most sophisticated living or listening rooms and studios around the world. That is what came to be known as the rpm, and it set the tone for our sense of intentional design and innovation.

Toneoptic continues on the journey of making your listening sanctuary experience the most intuitive and design-forward it can be by continuously questioning the status quo.

We are thrilled to have you along this journey. Please reach out to me directly with any feedback, questions, or suggestions. I am all ears.