As a specialist retailer we believe we can bring a lot to the table. We've learned a lot in our 41 years in business. Our customers have been loyal and have enabled our business to grow and for this they deserve to be looked after. In fact looking after our customers is something we see as our most important job! But the fact is you'd expect us to say that. With this in mind I'd like to share an article written by Bill Leigh from Auden Distribution. It his explains how an independant retailer can help you and in a "click n collect" culture it has never been more important than it is now.
"Having spent many years in the Hi-fi business in various roles in retail, on the road as a manufacturer’s representative, and now with my own distribution company, I’ve seen much change in Hi-fi retailing. Manufacturers marketing and selling direct to the public, and the increased shift towards online purchases during recent CoVid19 restrictions has led some to once again sound the death knell of the more traditional specialist Hi-Fi retailer. I want to put the case for why we need them, along with the other routes to market"
Click the link for the full article.
Hope you enjoy the article and thank you to Bill for the share. Please feel free to engage with us if you'd like to discuss anything further.
UHQR (Ultra High Quality Records)
This technology is almost thirty years old and represents what some believe is the pinnacle of audiophile vinyl. It is a combination of ultra quality in every stage of the production process to produce something that is close to the master tape in all aspects.
The Role of recording engineers
This can't be underestimated. If the original recording and mixing is done poorly then there is only so much that can be achieved by remastering and pursuing expensive production techniques like the above. For this reason audiophile vinyl companies tend to pick recordings and the work of engineers that are already lauded for their quality. Bernie Grundman is an example of an engineer who has one of the best reputations in the industry and as a result has been hand picked by many artists and labels to produce and oversee their work. Without things been done properly at the start it is much harder and less viable to follow these additional steps to achieve perfection.
How do these audiophile pressings sound?
They sound superior, clearer, with greater dynamic range and with less background noise. This is apparent on a fairly modest system and extremely so on better equipment. We did some listening to the Mobile Fidelity Love Over Gold pressing on our Rega P1 based system. We compared it to the standard pressing and found substantial improvements in detail, clarity, bass reproduction and dynamic range. We did the same test with a Speakers Corner pressing of Lou Reeds' Transformer and again compared it to early repress. Same sort of difference.
Cost
This varies using depending on the time, care and the production techniques that are used. The Speakers corner represent the best value for money whilst the Mobile Fidelity One Steps and the Analogue Productions UHQR are the most expensive. All points between are covered.
We stock audiophile vinyl in our sister Record Store Wax At Moorgate. This link will take you to the current stock of audiophile vinyl.