Fabio Serblin - Serblin & Son

Fabio Serblin was born in 1960 in Vicenza. His father was a civil engineer, but he was passionate about electronics, so in the evenings at home, he worked on his tube radio, which Fabio loved. He grew up playing with electronic components and tools, sometimes getting a harmless electric shock, until finally, in 1972, he managed to build a working tube shortwave radio. Later, in the early 1980s, his uncle Franco, who was closely related to Fabio's family as his father's younger brother, asked the young electronics enthusiast for help in realising his idea of creating hi-fi products. Fabio was 20 at the time, Franco was 41, but he was already a successful entrepreneur in the market... dental products. So, if you have always believed that the founder of Sonus Faber built speaker systems from an early age, you are mistaken. Before he fully devoted himself to his audiophile passion, he specialised in prosthetics and related chemical preparations. Fabio recalls that his uncle seemed like a star with alchemical powers to him, which is why he easily succumbed to his gravitational pull. If it weren't for that, his fate might have turned out differently, but don't worry - the man still has plenty to talk about.

During our first meeting, I joked and asked if you were the famous loudspeaker designer. Do people often make that mistake?

Yes, of course. That's the price you pay for having such a famous and talented relative, but I pay it gladly - there's nothing wrong with that. I always remember that I probably would never have had the chance to develop my own business if it weren't for Franco.

Could you tell us the story of Franco Serblin from your perspective?

He was a brilliant man, a wonderful uncle, and I loved him like a second father. He had something I call 'holy fire' because every task he undertook, he did with complete dedication and genuine love. It was truly inspiring not only for me but also for many people who knew him.

Ultimately, however, your paths diverged and you started your own company, Fase Evoluzione Audio. How do you remember the beginnings of your business?

It was very difficult because I had almost no business experience, and the first two years in particular were sometimes dramatic. For a while, Fase Evoluzione Audio was doing quite well. New models were coming out, we were getting rave reviews, and everything was going according to plan. At some point, however, the company's story came to an end. Why? It would take a long time to explain, but in short, I was mistakenly convinced that the demand for multi-channel audio-video products would destroy me because I couldn't afford the development costs and licence fees necessary to enter that market. At the same time, I was going through a divorce and all the problems that came with it, so I decided to go into retail. For several years, I imported and distributed audio-related products, with considerable success, I must admit.

If you could turn back time, would you make different decisions? The attempt to switch to the production of amplifiers and home cinema systems was probably unrealistic, but perhaps it would have been better to remain Fase Evoluzione Audio as a small manufacturer of exclusive, high-end stereo equipment?

Of course, staying in the stereo market and continuing the business would have been the right choice. However, I do not blame myself for the decision I made, and I would make the same decision now if I found myself in exactly the same situation I was in in 2001-2002. Music has always been a deep passion of mine, to the point that in those years I really wondered what path I should take in life - whether to pursue music or something else. I was a dreamer, but the funny thing is that I still am at the age of 65!

Do you think the experience you gained working as a distributor or salesman is valuable and useful now that you have returned to designing hi-fi equipment? In other words, did that stage teach you anything that is now useful when designing new amplifiers?

Certainly, I learned a lot from that experience, and the need to earn money to support myself and my children helped me a lot. At that time, I "hired" myself as a businessman and did quite well. But my true nature is not to run a business for the sake of business, which quickly became too boring for me.

When I first saw Frankie live, I was initially impressed by the build quality and then by the sound. How did you achieve this? Did you use any ideas from the past, or was everything designed from scratch?

Of course, I remembered what had worked in the past with Fase Evoluzione Audio in terms of circuits and basic concepts, but obviously everything was redesigned from scratch - also with the help of tools that were not available in the past, such as 3D mechanical design, computer circuit simulation software, and so on. Many components were never available before. New implementations such as relays for volume control and a completely new exterior design - all of this required a completely new approach and design from scratch. That's what gives me the most joy.

Serblin & Son is a small, modest manufacturer, but you have nevertheless managed to incorporate streaming modules into your devices. Many reputable companies have a problem with this or simply ignore the issue, leaving it to others. Your amplifiers, on the other hand, offer full-fledged streaming at a reasonable price. How is this possible?

It's probably possible because I don't have to pay a lot of people to do small parts of the job and then put it all together, as many reputable companies do. I just sit at my desk and do what I have to do, which is software, schematics, printed circuit boards, industrial design, rendering, the website, and everything else. From a certain point of view, this may sound crazy, and it probably is, but that's who I am and that's what I like to do. If I worked for a large company instead, I would have to do one specific task all the time, which would definitely become boring and limiting, no matter how much money I could get for it.

Your devices stand out with their interesting controls and fairly modern digital section, but when it comes to amplification, you remain faithful to typical transistor circuits. Inside, we see a classic AB-class power amplifier and an efficient power supply with a toroidal transformer - everything is done in the old style. Why? Aren't you tempted by more modern D-class circuits or other solutions?

In my opinion, class AB is still the best if it is well designed. But class AB only refers to the polarisation technique of the output stage. It doesn't matter if we don't consider the topology of what's in front of it, how it's arranged and polarised, how much feedback is used, how the circuit is powered, and so on. In the Frankie model, I also offer a Class D option, and in this case, I use the best power modules available on the market, because it makes no sense for me to develop a Class D amplifier myself. Incidentally, most of my customers prefer the sound of my Class AB amplifier, and the sales ratio is 9 to 1.

Serblin & Son devices feature many beautifully crafted metal and wooden components. Creating such equipment requires not only knowledge of electronics but also certain technical resources. How are these enclosures manufactured? Do you use local subcontractors, or do you have another clever solution?

I design every part of the product and commission its production to trusted suppliers whom I have known for years.

All right, so let me ask you straight - how many people are currently involved in Serblin & Son?

Just me, although the name '& Son' might suggest that my son works with me. Well, that was the idea, but sometimes things turn out differently in life, so we have to deal with what we have.

Some customers may be concerned that purchasing equipment from such a small manufacturer is risky. However, are there certain benefits that we would not get by purchasing equipment from large, well-known companies?

I understand this concern because it is entirely justified. I would like to take this opportunity to offer our readers a few comments so that they can look at this issue from a perspective that is very often overlooked. Large, well-known companies engage in mass production. The nature of mass production means that products quickly become obsolete. For this reason, these products are classified as 'consumer goods' because they must be quickly used up, discarded, and replaced with new models. Such companies can never guarantee good service for older products (no matter what they say) because it is completely contrary to the nature of their business. In contrast, Serblin & Son has no problem servicing Fase Evoluzione Audio products from the 1990s.

So the brand itself no longer exists, but owners of these devices can contact Serblin & Son?

Exactly. Recently, for example, we replaced a faulty toroidal transformer in a 1993 Performance 2.0 model and received the exact same original transformer simply by calling our supplier, located 4 km from our headquarters, and ordering one unit as a spare part. To my surprise, the company kept the original technical documentation for this transformer in their office, so I didn't even have to give them the electrical specifications. They just needed to know the original part number that they built for me 32 years ago! Within a few days, they were able to make a new transformer at a very reasonable price. So the question arises: why was the owner of this 32-year-old Performance 2.0 willing to repair his amplifier instead of throwing it into the first rubbish bin he came across? I won't say why, I'll leave it to the readers to guess. And why was this repair possible, quick, and relatively inexpensive? Because the transformer supplier is also a small manufacturer, he listened to such an enquiry not only to earn some insignificant money, but mainly because we have known each other as owners of our companies for many years and have a friendly interpersonal relationship. Do you think a large company would even consider such an enquiry? Over the course of 32 years, the person who answered the phone would probably not even remember the name of the person who held their position a few years earlier.

It's amazing, but some customers believe that large companies have much greater capabilities...

In recent years, I have seen many companies start to behave as if they were going to conquer the world. Their CEOs and employees drove luxury cars, and a few years later, the company declared bankruptcy. Meanwhile, I still see many small manufacturers who have survived for many years, making almost the same products, constantly improving them, and simply living their ordinary lives. I think the belief that 'bigger is better' is a disease of our culture. Too big to fail? Oh, let's remember Lehman Brothers! Too big to sink? Oh, let's remember the Titanic! Those who survived that tragedy owe their lives to small lifeboats.

So what are the biggest advantages of running a small business?

Let me give you an example. In May, during my visit to Poland, I listened to questions from my friends and distributors, Michał Gogulski and Mariusz Szkoła, who suggested an upgrade to Frankie so that the four front LEDs would change their behaviour and become a kind of volume bar for a few seconds each time the user operates the volume knob or remote control. A small manufacturer can listen to minor customer requests, including those regarding the customisation of products to individual needs. At the end of July, after making adjustments to the hardware and software, I was happy to offer this solution to my friends. A new control board for Frankie has been available for several weeks, which allows you to visualise the volume level using 4 LEDs on the front. This is a paid option, which I currently offer on request only to Poles, as they asked for it. It is, of course, fully compatible with older Frankie models for anyone who would like to have it. Production continues with the standard controller and a nice aluminium remote control. I like this approach because it's not just about delivering boxes and collecting money, but about something deeper that has to do with human relationships, all based on a shared passion and deep respect.

In how many countries around the world can Serblin & Son devices currently be officially purchased? Would you like the company to grow dynamically, or are you satisfied with what you have already achieved?

Of course, I would like to grow and see my products reach the whole world. Incidentally, this would require a lot of effort, also in terms of investment, which I am not able to finance on my own. Currently, my products are sold in Italy, France, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Hungary, and Ukraine. We are also receiving enquiries from Asia. We recently sent samples to Taiwan, so we'll see.

On the Serblin & Son website, I see an announcement for a new hi-end amplifier, the Raptor 1000. I cannot help but notice that it looks like equipment for motoring enthusiasts. Are you part of that group yourself?

Raptor was the first design in the new Serblin & Son line, but I decided that a more conservative and less risky solution would be to restart the business with a more classic product, which was Frankie. Then the Frankie line developed, and Performer appeared, also at the suggestion of my Polish friends. Now I am so busy that I swear I don't have time to finish the Raptor project (which has changed a lot in the meantime and is currently planned as an AB class hybrid). Perhaps it is time for me to find investors to help me grow the business. However, I don't know where to start or who to ask. When I look back at what happened to my dear uncle Franco and his company a few years after the big money came in, I'm not sure it would be the right choice for me. Money will take over every space, and investors will naturally seek to maximise revenue, despite many other factors. But perhaps there are also those who approach the subject differently because they themselves are true audio equipment enthusiasts? Time will tell.