Audiophiles fondly call him “The Man from Conchu.” Sometimes he is MR or simply Mang Rod. Maverick DIYer Rodrigo B. Teope is a top-notch audio DIYer who has a huge following among audiophiles. They have practically bestowed on him rock star-like status.
It’s so easy to like MR. He is soft-spoken, honest and accommodating. His humility, a trait which can charm even the most condescending, is probably why his shop-cum-residence at Conchu St. in Malate, Manila, is seldom without visitors queuing for a custom-built audio gadget. Yes, you have to fall in line because MR dislikes helpers and, considering the number of orders he has to fill, you have to be a patient client. The fact that only his hands touch his creations before they are turned over to giddy customers may explain the tremendous value his sonic signature TRODT Audio commands.
He refuses to affix an astronomical price to the audio gear he makes.
Watching MR work is like watching a master chef. His expertise in choosing ingredients — how much of each, how they should be mixed — can be magical. Don’t ask him for the recipes; he visualizes his audio creations as he cooks. He doesn’t use measuring cups (or in this case, schematics); he relies on his impeccable taste and discerning ear. The final product is always an audiophile’s delight.
Some may take issue with his lack of technical specs for his audio creations, but who cares if the final products’ sonic quality is much better than that of known brands?
His experience in audio spans three decades. His memory bank is full of every possible design combination, with each schematic diagram possibly being projected in his brain as he creates. Why, he can even whip up a topology so unique that it leaves so-called experts scratching their heads.
He’s the only designer I know who has successfully placed two types of vacuum tubes on one chassis, making them work separately with the simple turn of a switch. The result is a happy owner who has the option of using either a 12x7 or 6922 preamp in just one unit.
Take, for example, one of his early creations: the Musika Premiere. It’s made of one 6X4 rectifier tube, one OA2, two 6201/12AT7WC tubes (for preamp line in) and three 6201/12AT7WC tubes (for phono stage). It overcame the initial doubts posed by some who were suspicious of its technical specs. When it was introduced in the market, and finally sang out loud, MR gained a lot of converts.
Now age 64, MR doesn’t show signs of fatigue. He enjoys his work and the camaraderie he has fostered in the closely-knit audiophile community. His life began intertwining with audio as soon as he finished his two-year vocational course as a radio/TV technician in 1961 at the Feati University. It was definitely love at first solder — from his first job as a technician in an appliance store in Blumentritt, Manila, to his own shop in Cartimar, Pasay City, to where he is now.
Audiophiles took notice of MR’s creations when lawyer Rene Macamay discovered and later introduced them to an audio community relentlessly looking for the right gadget. They soon found out that MR’s designs were something to be treasured. Each of MR’s creations is exclusive to its owner, much like a person’s DNA represents a genetic blueprint unique to each individual.
Tell him what tubes/spare parts you have and what type of sound you want to hear, and he’ll build a gadget to your specifications. MR’s following continues to swell in numbers. As the analog renaissance sweep the audiophile world, MR’s creations are slowly gaining inroads to the international market.
Audio has been good to MR. Who would have thought that the thin geek with glasses often bullied in class as a young boy would create an impact later in life with his well-acclaimed audio creations?
I often wonder how MR can churn out one audio gadget after another when he is constantly bugged for advice by new DIYers on how they, too, can be as successful as he is. MR wants to give back. Somehow, he believes that he owes the hobby a lot, and it’s his way of keeping the audiophile flame alive. Live and let live, he says, and with these words, I now know why he’s become the community’s hottest item.
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