Q&A with Jonny Wilson of Snake River Audio

How did your interest in the high end begin?

Looking back, I’ve always been involved in music. I was the geeky kid who DJ’d the high school dances. In the Army, I was the guy who spent his paychecks on stereo equipment rather than cool cars. In the late 80s I did radio, then stage work in Hawaii in the 90s. While I didn’t actively realize it, as I matured, so did my taste in music and, more importantly, the equipment I was using to listen to it. I’m not sure how comfortable I am with the term “high end.” For me, that phrase tends to give a sense of hierarchy or pompousness. I feel the term “high fidelity” is more applicable. Fidelity meaning faithful and true, usually to your spouse or your job. In our case, being true to the artist’s recording. There’s lo-fi, mid-fi, hi-fi, and for some, higher-fi. That’s what many of us are after, “higher-fi.” 

What was your first high-fidelity system?

Well, I’ve had so much gear over the decades that I don’t recall specific models from the early days. While growing up, my dad didn’t want to wear out his record collection, so he would record his vinyl via a reel-to-reel he brought home with him after serving in Korea. I think that experience, during a foundational time in my life, did not just send me down the love-of-music road, but also in hindsight, the analog road. I do remember having a German-made reel-to-reel and some JBL monitors that really captivated me. 

How did this develop into a cable career?

In the late 2000s, a friend introduced me to cables and how they could affect the sound coming out of a system. This intrigued me, and being the bulldog that I am, I dove into studying and experimenting with various metals and designs. I was buying tons of materials I really couldn’t afford at the time. But the more I experimented, the more fascinated I became. An artist at heart, I love to create and design products as well as the processes and methods needed to duplicate them. So, I see myself as an artist who happens to be in business, rather than a business pretending to be artistic. The creative side of me soon collaborated with the pragmatic side, and I started developing cables of my own. Feedback from friends and other audiophiles led me to think that I was onto something. And, thus, Snake River Audio was born.

How would you explain the difference between stereo home audio and high-fidelity audio?

A great majority of people enjoy hearing music, whether it is in their car or in the background while they’re at work. But they don’t really “listen” to the music. To sit and focus on the music itself—the instrumentation, the layering, soundstage—and to understand, appreciate, and value what the artist has created…that’s when you enter the realm of high fidelity. As one evolves that appreciation, he or she learns to value the quality of reproduction and the equipment used. Thus starts the road of an audiophile, always searching for “higher fidelity.”

Outside of audio, what do you do for fun?

Hiking, fishing, rafting in this beautiful wilderness we live in. Road trips on the Harley. Lately, drones. Aside from the amazing photography, it’s an adrenaline rush flying around while keeping your butt safely on the ground!

What is the greatest misunderstanding people have about the cable industry?

How much a good quality cable can improve the sound of a system. Think of this: If you were to map the entire distance an electron travels from needle to speaker driver, you’d realize that 95% of that distance is traveled through cables. So, of course, cables will affect the quality of the sound. Quality cabling is just as important as the other components in a system. I’ve known many a naysayer who completely change his tune after trying good-quality cables.

What interesting fact or aspect about Snake River Audio might surprise audiophiles?

Probably how isolated and rural we are. There are less than 1000 people who live in a 50-mile circle around us. Our school has 10 kids or less in each class. Cell service only exists right here in the one-mile stretch of town, and the nearest “big-box” store or chain restaurant is a good three-hour drive away. Small town living in the middle of the wilderness. We love it!

What inspires you about your work?

This is easy, the feedback and response from our customers. As an artist, I spend many passionate hours of creating and designing, making breakthroughs, suffering frustrations, and coping with nervous energy. Once you are finally happy with your result, it can be terrifying to put your creations out there in the world to be judged. Think of this: A painter spends years creating his painting. He then puts it on display and invites the public to come in and look at it. He’s not looking at the painting; he’s seen it for years. He’s watching the people and their reactions—to see if they connect to his creation. It’s the same for me. The feedback I get from our customers is amazing and warms my heart every time. After all these years, that passion and creativity are still there, and that’s why I still insist that every cable must be handmade, one at a time.