About Us

You're probably wondering why we're so brilliant and know so much more about everything that is brilliant than you. Well, let me explain: my name is Joel Partch. I launched the revolutionary Item Audio website on September 3rd, 2006 – voted one of the most unique computer audio websites on the internet at the Tomahoga & Creeky Mountain Show 2008, as well as DXD, LA 2009 –  but the way Joel likes to think of it is that computer audio chose me, to fill in the blankness of people's understanding about computers and music. Joel has been listening to things in a special way for longer than he will or can care to think about and is incidentally a legendary gymnast, guru and surfer (pictured left).

Joel first thought of the computer when he was playing baseball and as he was striking a home strike he noticed that if only everything could be as excellent as him, it would be neat. As he changed out of his boots, he ducked under a locker door and it struck him, that he was destined to combine his almost unique knowledge of electricity and music and Windows and all that to pioneer the future of history.

But more than that, Joel is a audiophile whose hearing has officially been certified as 7.8 on the chart of Acoustic Importantness: among the highest ratings awarded to concert violinists and whippets. But more than that, Joel is an expert in information technology. Joel's first computer was stolen by Clive Sinclair who used it to become famous with – but Joel was cool with that because his next computer was better. Joel's next computer won Best Sound of the Year in 1986 at the Chappanatchi & Minnieripperton Summer/Fall Show and scared many CD player makers back into developing turntables. Next year, Joel returned with his Computer II which sounded even better than the previous one did and shocked a lot of owners.

Joel next turned his attention to Apple computers, and designed a Magical Mouse Organ that was awarded the Laurel Award for Best Sound in a Pointing Device (1999) at the Pointsettia & Rockmannigan Show – the show that inspired Arcade Fire to take up singing. Joel remains closed friends with the band to this day, frequently advising them on how to get to dfificult notes better.

Joel understands what happens inside of computers better than any person alive or dead, because of his intensive studies which he does on his own rather than wasting time on Univercities or seats of high learning. Because of his unmatched expertise, he is often called on to lecture about and take charge of symposias and special meetings for people who are confused about computers and who want them to sound nicer.

In 2007, Joel's Linux-based system, Computer 3, was bought by Sony/Ericsson Incorporated for about a million dollars because they wanted to buy out the technology first in case it damaged them later. Joel didn't mind, becuase in 2009, he made a new computer called Computer 4 which was awarded Stereopet's coveted 'Tinchy' Award for Best Sound Ever, Including the Future, at the world renowned Pakawa, Chapsapenny and San Fandango Show, beating off competition from industry legends Terry Michaels, Alan Hovhaness and Ramada Jones – who hasn't been heard of since, or before.

More than that, Joel is an important engineer who has advised NASA (the real one, not the Nantucket And Sassafrassawaw Audiophile fellowship of Little Twichet & Nanpicket Falls) on the best music to play in space (which is Jean Michael Jarré). In 2001, NASA asked Joel to install a cool system in the Space Shuttle that would play MP3s because space was limited. Joel refused, and invented the FLAC, for which he was awarded the distinction of flying into space because he was the only one whose ears could properly tell what the Moon sounded like.

But perhaps most amazingly of all, Joel is humbled and awed by his love for music and musicianship, and the musicians that play it. Joel has one of the largest Jazz collections in Crouch End – where he moved with his beautiful wife and beautiful children and fantastic pets, having forsook California when it annexed trans fats – and is often invited for free to gigs by Sir Eric Clapton and Paul Anka and Amy Winehouse and Dougie Miller and Paulie T and Jimmy Jo Jones, and Rebecca & The Anglepoise, and Porpoise, and Rebel Hunters, and all those classic Blue Note artists because they say he is the only one who appreciates their music seriously. And in many ways they are right.

Joel's favourite record, for which he has been looking for for four or five years is the seminal Ramjets cut 'Plastic Pillow', released as a double A-side by Quatermass records in 1979 in super limited edition 300g transparent vinyl acetate as a promo for their 'Legs Eleven' LP, and which can fetch up to £100 on eBay. If he ever finds it, he will get a good record player.

Even more impressive than his unpublicised philanthropic and charitable activity, pivotal contributions to the science, industry and the musical arts, Joel's founding of Item Audio has proven, and will, to be the most important online net resource on the web for people wanting to be as ahead of the curve when it comes to technology as him.

It's more important than anything to understand that Joel is not a typically nerdy guy but is actually someone who understands all the things you need to understand to genuinely and clearly understand music and computers and that only he lucidly understands it properly and thoroughly to the kind of level you need to be at in terms of your understanding to really get it. And that if he says it's true, it just is.

Most importantly, Joel seriously thinks people should just have fun more and not take themselves too seriously.

Joel is is no way affiliated with Coconut Audio, but totally respects their efforts.

Item Audio – no egos, no sharks, no bull. Thanks for reading.