ADVERTISING FEATURE
Breaking the sound barrier
Mark Fisher tunes in to the finer sounds of Edinburgh audio specialists, In Hi-Fi.
There‘s nothing more daunting for the enthusiastic amateur than the threat oftechno-speak in a specialist shop. It doesn‘t matter ifit's a computer. a camera. a car or a compact disc player. there‘ll always be a salesman who‘ll try and fast talk you into buying something you didn't want. Worse still is the kind of chainstore guru who clearly knows
less than you and can't wait either for
a quick purchase or for you to get out ofthe shop.
Not so at Edinburgh‘s In Hi-Fi. Specialists they may be. but the staff in this three-storey Stockbridge shop. recently moved down the hill from the New Town. pride themselves on a plain-talking. in-depth quality ofservice that ensures that when you finally take home your new hi-fi product. it‘s a product that you definitely want.
i for whom nothing less than a £4000 turntable will do. Manager Alan
Rattray, working alongside directors
i Nigel Kinniburgh and David
Roberston. explains that while his customers do include the hi-fi buffs
who are enthralled by the technology ; itself. the vast majority come in
because they are music fans. And ifyou‘re the kind who claims not to be able to tell the difference
5 between a Dansette and a surround
sound system. Rattray guarantees that a demonstration in one ofthe shop‘s two listening rooms will
i quickly change your mind. In Hi-Fi‘s : philosophy is that every customer brings with them the two most
sophisticated and reliable
3 instruments available for judging a
Not that they can't match you woofer
for tweeter ifyou have a leaning towards the technical. In Hi-Fi caters for everyone. from those looking for an entry-level music system to those
music system: their ears. By all
1 means checkout the consumer press.
says Rattray. but come to the shop with an open mind and. most essentially. 0an cars — it's important to believe what you hear, not what you read in a magazine.
The argument behind this
3 IE "I?
‘ Hi. i
reasoning is that every customer is different. Before they even think about products, the staff at In Hi-Fi will need to know all kinds ofthings about you; the music you listen to, the room you listen in, the volume you play it, your preference for vinyl, CD or cassette. the equipment you have already. . . Each element in the hi-fi chain — the source, the amplifier. the speakers— has its own character, its own qualities, which affects the music you play. Just because What Hi-Fi says it's a best buy, doesn’t necessarily mean it‘s a best buy for you.
So In Hi-Fi lets you take your time. It lets you listen to different combinations ofequipment under conditions akin to your own home. It lets you bring in your existing equipment to compare and contrast. And crucially, having helped you
l\lll
instal a system, it will give you a week to decide if this really is what you’re looking for.
But the extra service won't necessarily cost you. Go to a High Street chainstore, says Rattray. and
they‘ll sell you a lowest-common-denominator product that offers something for everyone. but is unlikely exactly to suit your personal audio needs. Go to In Hi-Fi with the same sum of money, and buy something that you want, not what the mass marketeers tell you that you want. And when you‘re there, you’ll see why not just word of mouth, but also the evidence of customers' own ears has helped build up In Hi-Fi’s ever so sound reputation.
In Hi-Fi, 8—10 Baker’s Place, Stockbridge, Edinburgh, 031225 8854.
IN HI-FI
NEW CUSTOMISED SHOP! GALLOWAY HOUSE, 8 - 1o BAKERS PLACE CORNER OF ST. STEPHEN STREET
STOCKBRIDGE, EDINBURGH EH3 GSY
LOTS OF INTERESTING HI-FI, TV & VIDEO WE CAN DELIVER AND INSTALL EXCELLENT SERVICE & COMPETITIVE PRICES MULTI ROOM SYSTEMS A SPECIALITY
Bringing a Movie Theatre
Into Your Home
Why do movie theatres sound so good? HOw can DSP recreate sound fields in my home? Why is Dolby Pro-Logic so important?
Does Cinema DSP really offer the best sound? How do I arrange my new Home Theatre?
CONIE INTO IN HI-FI TO HAVE ALL THESE QUESTIONS ANSWERED WE'RE NO ORDINARY HI-FI SHOP
SEPERATE MOVIE THEATRE DEMONSTRATION ROOM SEPERATE HI-FI DEMONSTRATION ROOM
LOTS OF CHRISTMAS GIFTS, VIDEO PACKS, HEADPHONES ETC.
OPEN SUNDAYS DECEMBER 20TH 12 NOON - 4.30 PM
THURSDAY NIGHTS 17TH, 24TH DECEMBER UNTIL 7.00PM
NORMAL OPENING TIMES 9.30 AM - 6.00 PM MONDAY - SATURDAY 3
TEL: 031 225 8854
FAX: 031 220 0710
_J
The List 18 December—19% — lit—January 93