When we began the project on the Tilia, the idea was to create another Bacillus, but with different electronic specifications that gave it more verve and clarity. There was some linden wood knocking around the workshop so we began experimenting with various dynamics.

Linden wood (lat. Tilia) is interestingly textured and easy to manipulate when you work with it. In Slovenia, it is traditionally used for art and decorative carvings. Bacillus Tilia therefore pays homage to Slovenian heritage where the linden tree is a symbol of the country.

The design was inspired by my vision of a listener relaxing to music in an antique-like study surrounded by towering shelves stacked with books. The dark wooden chassis was artificially aged to produce the rugged finish that gives it an air of sophistication. We kept the front panel aluminum in line with the classic Bacillus and gave it an appearance that resembles a vintage concert piano.

The Bacillus Tilia is essentially built using the same technology as the original Bacillus but with slight improvements to the chassis, top-of-the-range input capacitors and better quality op-amps. But what is special about the Bacillus Tilia is that the chassis is individually hand carved and painted with seven coats of four different varnishes – and this gives every unit its own unique pattern.