Enzo Natali R.I.P.

Just a brief comment to note the passing on Saturday August 11 of Italian audio distributor Enzo Natali, pictured at the 2012 CES second from left above with UK distributor Ricardo Franassovici (left) and Enzo's two sons Luca and Marco (right and far right). (My thanks to Ricardo for allowing me to publish both this picture and the one below.)

I first met Enzo in the early 1980s. While he played an important role is establishing US high-end brands in Europe—his company, Audio Natali, founded in 1959, distributes Audio Research, Krell, Dan D'Agostino, Transparent, VTL, Ayre, Wilson, MartinLogan, and Shunyata in Italy, as well as European brands like Devialet and darTZeel—he was also the consummate gentleman. Erstwhile Stereophile publisher Larry Archibald remembers: "Enzo had practically the most perfect Italian I've ever heard. He spoke so well, and so carefully, that [my wife] could understand him even though she didn't speak any Italian at the time." I remember commenting that while his good friend Ricardo Franassovici's English was idiosyncratic (Ricardo's first language is Portugese, his second French), his Italian seemed fine, to which Enzo, smiling broadly, replied "Ricardo's English is better than his Italian."

Ciao, Enzo.

Enzo Natali (right) in 1989 with Ricardo Franassovici (left) and high-end audio retailer Aldo Baietti (center)

COMMENTS
soundcomponents's picture

Very sad to hear. Enzo was truly class guy. We need more people like him in our industry. My condolences to Luca and Marco.

Mark Goldman

Kent D Loughlin's picture

Enzo was a hard worker that loved his family like he loved his work. He will be missed by all who knew him. 

Kent Loughlin

VP MIT Cables

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