INTERVIEW
60 Australian
Demetris Backlavas, Ypsilon Electronics
For example, I have engineered the
sound for some of the most popular
names in Greek entertainment, includ-
ing the Katsimiha Bros, and Alkistis
Protopsalti. These artists are very famous
in Greece. They, along with other major
artists, were on a 1990 program at the
outdoor Herodian ancient Roman
amphitheatre in Greece. It was a major
event. I was also consulting and sound
engineer at other major concerts.
PX: What were your fi rst products?
DB: Our fi rst product was a small
integrated hybrid design that we sup-
plied only to the local market. We also
were building professional amplifi ers for cafés
and clubs around Greece. In 1999 we started
building more seriously high-end professional
amplifi ers. In fact, we built around 300 pieces
of professional amplifi ers in a three year period.
Some friends and working partners of ours at
the same time also started a sister company
called Ypsilon Live. They used our name in
honour of our backroom work for them in
developing and providing their equipment. My
role was to supply and design large compo-
nents for this company...mainly big power
amplifi ers and huge subwoofers. I also took on
a technical role as an advisor. They are now
the largest supplier to big-time concert events
in Greece and the Balkans. Staging the Greek
presidential elections in auditoriums and stadi-
ums in 2003 was at this time a very great chal-
lenge for us. For this event we set up powerful
amplifi ers and speaker systems every 50 metres
or so to send the signal from the main mixing
desk to about 500 metres without losing any
quality, and avoiding noise interference, distor-
tions, and hum etcetera. In some systems weneeded power generators and in some we used
the mains power, whatever was the best for the
sound quality. Thousands of people attended.
PX: On a more personal note, what was your
early history in hi-fi?
DB: My father had a stereo system where
he built the speakers himself. I watched him
soldering the crossover fi lters, and it inspired
me. I had had classical guitar lessons and
realised that I was not destined to be in front of
the microphone [laughs], I was instead destined
to be behind it. So I concentrated on producing
equipment for re-creating music.
PX: What is your favourite music and who
do you like most in that fi eld?
DB: Defi nitely classical music... (long pause).
As for favourite composers, if I must choose,
it would be Tchaikovsky. I like him because of
his beautiful melodies and the way he works at
various musical levels. If you don’t know much
about classical music, you should listen to Swan
Lake and The Nutcracker... you will love them!
Then, as you learn more about classical music,
later on, you will fi nd other things that willdraw you into his world. And if you are
musician, it will inspire you to yet another
level.
PX: What is your preferred music source?
DB: Vinyl is my fi rst choice—with
a good analogue system you can reach
higher levels of satisfaction.
PX: Is it better than tape for you?
DB: No, but it’s very high in quality. Re-
member, we grew up with vinyl so I know
this to be better. With the best analogue
and the very best digital, to my ears the
vinyl is best.
PX: What experience in audio is the most
memorable for you?
DB: I must say, the biggest experience
for me was sound engineering a Mikis Theodor-
akis performance with the East German Orches-
tra of 120 players, supported by a large chorus.
It was ‘Canto General’ that he’d originally
composed in 1971 when he was living in Paris,
but updated for this 1991 performance. Mikis
is known in the West mainly for scoring the
Zorba movie, but in Greece he is a legendary
fi gure. He himself attended the performance,
which was in the ancient ‘Dion’ amphitheatre.
It was a major challenge for me to wire up this
concert for sound; such a huge area to cover,
where the work was performed in front of an
audience of several thousand people. I mixed
the concert and I designed the horn speakers
through which the orchestra played to this very
enthusiastic audience. It was a big thrill for me.
Being here to jointly promote our prod-
ucts with Mark is also a thrill for me. I feel
fortunate to be doing this work and talking to
people who share our passion. Peter Xeni(Peter Xeni is a member of the Melbourne
Audio Club.)