EDITOR’S REVIEW - AUDIONAUTES RECORDINGS
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When preserving recorded music becomes an act of craftsmanship
In an audiophile market crowded with remasters, anniversary editions and increasingly elaborate claims, AudioNautes Recordings has established a distinctive identity: a small Italian label pursuing definitive editions of exceptional recordings rather than producing reissues for the mass market.
Founded in 2010 by engineer and lifelong audiophile Fabio Camorani, AudioNautes was created to revive remarkable recordings - some celebrated, others unfairly overlooked - with their musical character, historical importance and original atmosphere intact.
The catalogue now reaches across classical, sacred choral music, jazz, world music and carefully selected popular recordings. Releases appear on premium vinyl, UHQCD, Crystal Disc CD and 15 ips reel-to-reel tape.
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THE SOURCE COMES FIRST
AudioNautes states that it works with original master sources - including analogue tapes, digital files and DAT masters - rather than relying upon commercially remastered editions. Its declared ambition is to create the finest possible versions of treasured and sometimes forgotten recordings.
In an extensive interview with High Fidelity, Camorani explained that the label requests original session tapes, original masters or an exceptionally good authorised copy. If suitable material cannot be obtained, AudioNautes does not proceed.
Its mastering objective is not to impose a recognisable “house sound,” but to recover the sensation of being present at the original musical event. That requires repeated listening, comparison, correction and collaboration - not simply applying an EQ curve and approving the first result. High Fidelity interview with Fabio Camorani
That distinction matters. A reissue may be technically clean yet emotionally distant. AudioNautes aims for something more difficult: clarity without sterility, resolution without exaggerated brightness and dynamics that retain the natural energy of the performance.
PRAISE FROM THE AUDIO PRESS
Fidelity Magazine described AudioNautes as proof that “outstanding sound quality and high-end presentation” can flourish within the specialist reissue market. The magazine argued that these releases can compete with - and sometimes exceed - the work of far larger audiophile labels.
The review also praised the label’s physical presentation and unusually detailed documentation. Recording dates, venues, original equipment, instruments and the components used in the reissue chain are frequently identified instead of being hidden behind vague phrases such as “audiophile remaster.”
This transparency demonstrates respect for three groups: the musicians who created the performance, the licensors who preserved and supplied the source material, and the collectors investing in the finished edition.
CANTATE DOMINO: REEL-TO-REEL AS THE REFERENCE
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One of the most revealing assessments appeared in Positive Feedback, which examined the AudioNautes 15 ips, two-track reel-to-reel edition of Oscar’s Motet Choir’s legendary Cantate Domino.
The production team reportedly devoted approximately 100 hours to refining the running master, evaluating individual tracks, consulting original notes and repeatedly returning to the material after listening breaks.
Production copies were duplicated individually rather than through a high-speed mass-copying process. The reviewer also considered the presentation among the finest encountered from any commercial reel-to-reel label.
Most importantly, when the AudioNautes tape was compared with several respected vinyl editions, the conclusion was decisive: the tape surpassed the LP versions by what the reviewer called a “country mile.” It was ultimately recommended as the edition to place at the top of a serious tape collector’s wish list.
That is substantial praise for an album already regarded as one of the great demonstrations of choral scale, organ power, acoustic space and natural reverberation.
JAZZ AT THE PAWNSHOP: PRESENCE, SCALE AND REALISM
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AudioNautes’ reel-to-reel edition of Jazz at the Pawnshop has received similarly enthusiastic attention.
Writing in Copper for PS Audio, Adrian Wu praised the exceptional packaging and examined the production history behind the release, including access to the Proprius session material and the preparation of production masters intended to protect the fragile original tapes.
In the extended listening report, the tape was credited with:
• a wide and deep soundstage
• realistic, unrestricted dynamics
• substantial piano weight and solidity
• natural instrumental reverberation
• crystalline but rounded vibraphone tone
• vivid three-dimensional imaging
• remarkably little intrusive tape noise
• an immediate sense of sitting close to the stage
The reviewer found the original LPs impressive but concluded that the tape offered greater density, more saturated tonal colour, stronger dynamics and a more lifelike flow.
WHAT DO OWNERS SAY?
Customer and collector feedback naturally varies by system, format and personal taste, but several recurring descriptions appear: naturalness, silence, dynamics, presence and exceptional packaging.
One owner of the Cantate Domino 1-Step vinyl edition described its combination of sound, quiet surfaces and natural presentation as deeply impressive. Another collector who owned the AudioNautes tapes of both Cantate Domino and Jazz at the Pawnshop called them some of the finest-sounding tapes in his collection.
These are individual owner reports rather than controlled laboratory findings, but they closely reflect the qualities identified in the professional reviews.
UHQCD OR CRYSTAL DISC?
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AudioNautes’ digital catalogue deserves equal attention.
A 2026 High Fidelity listening session compared AudioNautes UHQCD and Crystal Disc editions of titles including Belafonte at Carnegie Hall, Miles Davis’ Kind of Blue, Dave Brubeck’s Time Out and La Spagna.
Many participants heard the Crystal Disc editions as more detailed, dimensional, coherent and spatially precise. With Time Out, listeners highlighted stronger bass definition, clearer instrumental placement, greater rhythmic energy and more realistic textures.
The results were not completely one-sided. Some participants preferred the smoother and more emotionally forgiving presentation of UHQCD, particularly with Kind of Blue. Others questioned whether the audible improvement of Crystal Disc justified its considerably higher price.
That difference of opinion makes the test more valuable. It suggests that AudioNautes’ UHQCD editions are already operating at an extremely high standard, while Crystal Disc is intended for collectors seeking the final degree of physical-disc performance from a suitably revealing system.
THE EDITOR’S VERDICT
AudioNautes Recordings is not merely selling familiar music in expensive packaging.
Its strongest releases reveal a consistent philosophy:
🎵 begin with musically worthwhile material
🎵 obtain the best authorised source available
🎵 preserve the character of the original recording
🎵 master through careful listening rather than fashionable processing
🎵 document the production history properly
🎵 manufacture the edition to a standard appropriate to the music
The catalogue is deliberately selective, production can be slow, and the most exclusive formats are undeniably expensive. These editions will not be necessary for every listener.
But for collectors who value provenance, physical craftsmanship and the closest attainable connection to the recording session, AudioNautes has become one of Europe’s most interesting specialist audiophile labels.
The company’s achievement is not that every release sounds spectacular in exactly the same way. It is that the original personality of each recording is allowed to emerge - whether that means the acoustic majesty of Cantate Domino, the intimate club atmosphere of Jazz at the Pawnshop, the rhythmic intelligence of Time Out or the tonal colours of Kind of Blue.
That is the difference between making a louder, brighter reissue and undertaking genuine musical restoration.
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Which AudioNautes format would you choose: 1-Step vinyl, UHQCD, Crystal Disc or 15 ips master tape - and which album should the label restore next?
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The Sound of Tape - Music for Life | Audiophile Quality - www.thesoundoftape.com
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