Are we a hi fi dealer? We offer hi fi equipment for sale, however we are not shopkeepers and we don't think in terms of selling boxes. We also offer our own Artisan phono cartridges and tone arm, and cables and interconnects, however we're not just a manufacturer.

We see ourselves as explorers who are fascinated by the way components of an audio system interact with each other, sometimes with very pleasing consequences. We enjoy the challenge of working with our clients to help your system play your music collection in a way that gives lasting pleasure.

We don't believe that new is automatically better. We don't much like the word "upgrade" - too often, in the past, we and our friends have bought the same amplifier circuit several times in a row, albeit in different cases.

We think the most flawed component in an audio system is the loudspeaker - the wrong choice puts a limit on the ability of a system to convince, satisfy and delight. We believe it's important to audition a broad range of music styles when choosing hi fi - otherwise flattering colourations may pass unnoticed.

We have experimented with cables and room treatments and we have the theoretical knowledge, the measurement tools and the practical skills to make a set of audio components perform at its very best in any room. It is very rarely that the answer is as simplistic as the audio magazines would have you believe.

Every challenge can be addressed with several solutions and we like to provide a choice and learn from trying things out. Through many years of study and experimentation, we believe we know how to build an audio system that will play music that provides a satisfying illusion - of musicians playing for you in your room.

So let's not worry about labels and pigeon-holes - just sit back and enjoy the music!

The seeds of Artisan Audio were sown in January 2005. We wanted to buy a new CD player, with a budget of up to £5,000. We did our research online and asked our friendly hi-fi dealer for a home demonstration. The demo didn't impress and we had a re-think, instead exploring what was possible using vinyl as a main source instead. We had always known that a record holds much more information than a CD sampled with 16 bits at 44.1kHz.

We were impressed by what the most expensive turntable/arm/cartridge set-ups could deliver, however we were disappointed on a number of occasions because the equipment was not set up to deliver its full potential.

We observed that some equipment was clearly designed for convenience and ease of use (ahead of sound quality), some was designed to look spectacular (rather than sounding spectacular) and some was designed to incorporate exotic materials and novel features. Our first question is always "Does it sound convincing?"

This was the inspiration for a lengthy research project to understand the factors that influence good sound from a phono cartridge, tone arm and turntable. We experimented with belt drives, idler drives, direct drives, 12 different tone arms, and many cartridges. We even designed and made our own set up instruments to ensure accurate cartridge/arm geometry.

As we delved deeper, we appreciated that the best innovations in two channel audio are now coming from small, entrepreneurial specialists who are unconstrained by huge overheads and market pressures. Because the commercial hi fi industry has a top-heavy cost structure, these new innovators are able to bring unprecedented sound quality direct to audiophiles at highly affordable levels of investment. We are proud to be working with several leaders in their fields, bringing the very best available to the UK.

Our ethos is different too - we will only offer a product for demonstration if we are happy to live with it in our own system. We continue to trust what our ears tell us and encourage everyone to do the same.

I was sponsored through University by BICC, a cable manufacturer, where I was trained in cable design and manufacturing. Moving to the nuclear power industry, I developed machining processes for reaction-bonded ceramics and selected machine tools before moving into manufacturing management with a high volume electronics company that was at the leading edge of electronics manufacturing.

I then moved into management consultancy, working on a succession of projects where significant change was required including relocation, resourcing policy and distribution, in parallel with several start-up companies. I have always been passionate about music and have been working with hi fi since my student days. I continue to draw on my engineering training when evaluating components and systems.

RB

My career as a manager in business coincided with the growth of the total quality movement. I was sent on courses and exhorted to think about my customer, who always came first.

Now think about commercial audio. A dealer has to commit to some stock (which he must pay for within his credit terms). He has outgoings - his rent, rates and utility bills. He needs turnover and profit. His inclination will be to stock products he is confident he can sell (and in volume)- either because he can pinpoint known customers with an interest, or because he is confident that customers he does not know will come into his shop. Probably because the brand is well known or a product has been well reviewed in the audio magazines. Fashion plays a part - he will want to catch any passing trend - so he/she may diversify into home cinema, flat screen TV, ipod docks.

And what about audio magazines? They too are businesses, run to generate a return for their owner. They need to publish new product reviews to give their title authority and credibility. It's inconceivable that they would ignore a new product from a regular advertiser. And how critical would you expect a review to be of any of their major advertiser's offerings?

This sets up a treadmill in which brands and products have a life of a few years before they are displaced by new introductions. For a manufacturer to have a new review published they must launch a new product. It's a game. It's also expensive - needless change, big advertising budgets, review samples - all those costs can only be recovered in the retail price we pay.

We have chosen a different path. We have selected our product range because we like the way it sounds. We think they stand out as particular value for money. Part of the reason for this competitive pricing is that the manufacturers do not buy advertising or send out large numbers of review samples.

Our approach is somewhat different - audio is a labour of love - a quest for that elusive synergy of components that sound realistic, without artifice, on all types of music. We have deliberately chosen a low overhead, off the beaten track location for our demonstration room and there is no pressure on us to make sales. We like to think that you will benefit from our approach.