Riccardo Cherchi, the engineer who invented Blanco's in-ear headphones: "It's like the steering wheel in Formula One"

You know: in an event like that of Sanremo where the live performance must be the best possible, having the right tools is as important as knowing how to sing and excite.

This is why if Blanco, together with Mahmood, delighted the spectators with always impeccable performances until the final victory , it is also thanks to two boys from Sardinia: they are Riccardo Cherchi, 33 years old from Olmedo, and Alessandro Mucci, 40 years old from Orosei. The first sound engineer and sound engineer, the second hearing aid expert, it was they who invented the in-ear headphones that the 19-year-old from Brescia wore.

The idea of the product came a few years ago: Cherchi and Mucci met by chance and from a simple consultation they decided to put together their skills to invent something completely new and super technological.

Thus was born NTS Audio, a company whose flagship product today is the highest quality in-ear monitor that covers the inner part of the ear, molding itself to the measure of each artist's ear. In a very short time the headphones have depopulated among most of the Italian singers and not only, from Marracash, Fabri Fibra, Guè Pequeno, Boss Doms, Nic Cester of “Jet”.

In the last edition of Sanremo it was worn by Coma Cose, Madame, Colapesce, DiMartino and Wrongonyou. This year Emma, Achille Lauro, Le Vibrazioni, Sangiovanni, Tananai, Highsnob and HU, Rkomi. And then the great satisfaction of an artist on the top step of the podium. "It was wonderful - Riccardo Cherchi tells L'Unione Sarda -. We have been in Sanremo for three years but we had never won. It is true that Blanco and Mahmood's first place was quite obvious. I gave it a vote. I thought 'Put the last vote on mine!' ".

Let's take a step back, when did you realize you wanted to be a sound engineer?

“Always, ever since I ran a small studio with a friend in Sardinia. The problem is that the profession of sound engineer is very difficult on the island. So twelve years ago I moved to study in Milan and then I immediately started working ".

Have you always been involved in music?

“So far yes. Or rather, I don't make my own music because it's not really my specialty. But I record and mix the work of the artists in the studio ”.

How was the NTS Audio adventure born?

“Almost by accident. I was recording a band's record, and the guitarist was my current partner Alessandro. One day he asked me for advice: he explained to me that as a technology enthusiast he wanted to broaden his range of action and try to range with more hi-tech devices. From that moment our odyssey began ”.

Why odyssey? Didn't the project take off right away?

“The problem was precisely that: it took off immediately. There is no school for making in-ear headphones. We didn't invent the product, but there is no training course. Each company has its own know-how, nobody tells you how to do it. In several years we have wasted time, money and energy to experiment. The point is that I had many contacts, I had already worked with Mika, Takagi & Ketra, J-Ax, Matteo Bocelli, Shaggy. So we already had many potential customers and we threw ourselves into it even before we had the product ready ".

Who was the first artist to choose you?

“Riki Marcuzzo, singer of Amici. Our headphones accompanied him in one of the first concerts in Assago. Alessandro and I, on stage, were in a state of incredible anxiety! We were afraid that something would happen in front of 15 thousand spectators. The headset already worked fine, thankfully, but it was still a bit immature. Since then we have made great strides ”.

How important are headphones in a live show?

"Like the steering wheel in Formula One. The driver remains the driver but he needs the tools. Especially in Sanremo".

Why especially in Sanremo?

“The Ariston is a very small theater. The stage takes half the audience and there is a strong return. These headphones allow singers and musicians to listen to the music of the orchestra and their own voice in real time, eliminating external noise ”.

The singer who made the most absurd request?

“Francesco Sarcina of Vibrations. He asked us to put silver skulls on the headphones: 'I want skulls to come out of my ears'. And we have satisfied him, even if the effect is a bit Frankenstein ... ".

Projects for the future?

“We are moving towards gaming and 'simple' consumer products. Experience teaches us that things must be done calmly. So far we have been lucky enough to be able to speak directly with the artists and improve gradually. From an industrial point of view, when the product is put on the market, it must already be perfect ".