150 LUXURY HOMES
AN INTERVIEW WITH KRONOS AV
Kronos AV have become a huge name in the audio industry , and are now rated as one of the top audio retailers in the world . Having just collected two more awards , we sat down with MD David Campbell , and son Richie to find out more about this incredible company .
How and why did you start Kronos AV ?
“ I began Kronos AV literally from my bedroom . I always had an interest in music , and had been buying HiFi for a number of years . I started Kronos AV as locally I felt there wasn ’ t much choice for HiFi . There were a few dealers , but they only stocked a small number of brands and options . I think the final decision was made when I did an audition of turntables and was told by another dealer I ‘ couldn ’ t hear ’ because I didn ’ t like the sound of a particular turntable that he stocked . I knew I could offer better service to customers which focused on what they wanted , so with a £ 1000 loan from my uncle I started Kronos AV in1987 and has grown to the multi national company it is today ”
I understand it is a family affair ? You are still family owned and operated despite your growth ?
“ Yes that ’ s correct . I am very lucky to have my son ’ s Richie and Matty now involved in the business , and we have always kept it a very tight knit staff here . We want to keep the standards of our service very high , and all of our staff share the same passion as I do . Having my family involved is fantastic , they understand the company and they have brought in that modern way of doing things which has helped keep us moving forward .”
Richie , you were tasked with the online side of the business . How did you adapt Kronos AV to this style of business ?
“ It had its challenges . I knew the way my dad was with customers , so I wanted to create that personal experience . The challenge was how to do that from a distance . With our online side , there was of course the ‘ Click and Buy ’ option , but I wanted to make it more personal than that . Customers are encouraged to speak to us , as we want to tailor our service to each customer ’ s exact needs . Every customer is provided with a dedicated staff member , so they get to know you better , and know exactly what you want in a system . Essentially you are given a personal shopper with every order . I think it builds confidence , as the customers know what they are buying is right for their system and it removes that doubt when buying which makes the experience much more relaxing and enjoyable .”
For our readers who may not be as familiar with HiFi , what makes it different to normal “ day to day ” music systems ?
“ HiFi is an acronym for High Fidelity , which literally translates to ‘ the reproduction of sound with little distortion , giving a result very similar to the original .’ That is exactly what we are aiming to do , to create a sound that is as close to having the artist or band in your living room as possible . To achieve that , there are multiple products from speakers , to amplifiers , to cables etc … It all comes down to how close to ‘ real ’ you want to get , but unfortunately the limiting factor like all things is , the closer you want to get , the more it costs . The same way a chef can select specific ingredients to create a particular taste , we specialise in selecting the right equipment to make a sound that is individual to your tastes .”
THE ART OF LUXURY Issue 61 2023