|
|
|
Letters, we get letters. Here are some of
our favorites.
|
|
On the Road to Hi-Fi
Dear Ultra Fidelis,
I came in last week and spoke to Dave for perhaps an hour. Though I was only there for some interconnects totaling $150, he went out of his way to take his time
to explain a lot of different things to me. As someone who is on the beginning of the hi-fi journey and not particularly informed, I quite often feel like an
oaf going into shops and asking the most rudimentary of questions, but that wasn't the case at your store. I left with a better concept of my system and where
I'd like to go with it. Consequently I will be back when I'm shopping again. I've put your website into the StumbleUpon.com database so others who are interested
in music may be exposed to your shop as well. Thanks for everything. The Audioquest cables I got to hook up my Kairn are superb.
Tim P.
Back to Top
|
|
No Buyer's Remorse Ici, N'est Pas?
Just the other day one of my customers,
Steve, who I haven't seen for about a year walked into the store. He said he
needed a really nice integrated amp that was musically engaging and not
terribly expensive. I told him that my favorite in that category was, by
far, the new YBA Design YA-201 at $1,495 (the machined aluminum remote is an extra
hundred bucks). He asked me how it sounded and how it would get along with his gear
and I told him about my experiences with it for the last couple of months and how
well it got along with everything I've plugged it in to. Well, I'll make a long story
short and let Steve's next-day email explain the rest. -Dave
Dear Ultra Fidelis,
Timeline:
Got home about 1:30pm and immediately unboxed amp and plugged it into a kitchen wall outlet, determined NOT to
listen to it until the next morning...
Whacked on my drums 'til 2:30pm...
Cleaned the cats' litter boxes 2:45pm...
Unhooked the Luxman and cleaned all the interconnect contacts with Craig 3:15pm...
COULDN'T WAIT ANY LONGER 3:45pm...So much for willpower!
Wow. It's small, as you said. But it's like a fresh rose in a vase: while it's closed in, it still looks like a rose, smells like a rose, and will only get better as it blooms.
After a couple of Janis Ian, Bruce Cockburn, Ray Brown and Viktor Krauss tunes, I can tell it has "the right
stuff": subtle nuances are more distinct and the depth of image is way better than the unit it's replacing. There's something almost romantic about the sound.
Of course, what else should I expect from something of French origin...
Thanks again for your honesty and expertise and for making the 4-hour round trip
worthwhile, as is always the case. Those are the reasons why I keep coming back to you folks (plus the really cool stuff you carry helps too).
Best wishes on your continued success,
Steve G.
Back to Top
|
|
Good Vibrations
Dear Ultra Fidelis,
The VPI (record cleaning system) is now continuing to be one of
the most satisfying pieces of audio gear I've bought through you! It really
allows one to hear clearly all the way through recordings and makes my
turntable and 5A's sound downright magical. I've never heard a stereo do
what mine is doing now! There were things that I heard that took the "wow"
away, initially, from cleaning the first few albums at home. I am now no
longer listening to the sonic qualities of dirt! Every time I put on a new
album that I thought I was familiar with I relearn how good the VPI cleaning
is and am shocked at what is actually on an album. You've also intrigued me
with the PH5 and, of course, a new turntable way down the road is not out of
the question.
The VPI, DBS cables and Audio Refinement
amp have really made satisfying and thorough improvements in my system. I am
experiencing muscle atrophy from sitting too long in one spot on my sofa.
Thanks again,
Dave G.
Back to Top
|
|
Reasons to Stop In, Look & Listen
Dear Ultra Fidelis,
Just a few words to all of you, since I got so much attention from all of you!
1) Mission Accomplished
The Pro-Ject is delivering exactly what I hoped to gain: midrange bloom and sparkle and a sense of increased
dynamics. In a word, I am pleased. To paraphrase The Stones, "I may not have
gotten what I wanted (PH5), but I got what I needed."
2) Your Product Presentation
Dave, you masterfully treaded extremely challenging ground as a high-end sales rep yesterday: You "took your
best shot" at recommending a clearly superior piece of gear without maligning
the lesser of the two products under consideration. Despite my purchasing the
latter, you did not choose to denigrate my choice, which ultimately results in
creating some measure of buyer's remorse by invalidating the customer's
decision. After working the audio sales floor for 20-some years, I can't count
how many times I witnessed this sad event occur. Please accept my personal and
professional kudos for "delivering high-end w/o the attitude."
3) The Shopping Experience
Simply, the best I've encountered since being on the "other-side-of-fence". Your considerable knowledge combined
with your enthusiasm and total lack of "talking down" created a most comfortable
atmosphere. I thoroughly appreciated meeting all of you, and sincerely want you
to know that you've earned a new customer for life, and a spokesman for the best
place to shop for audio toys. What a great hobby this is!
IMHO "Relationship Selling" is the name of the survival game in your business, and
you folks "get it" if I may return your words. Hobby-turned-avocation translates
into hard work, never more so than in this info-glut world of today. Consumers
have easy access to all the facts and opinions (and products) they need to make
buying decisions without ever darkening your doorstep. But there is no
substitute for connecting with another living being so cranked about this hobby,
someone who makes music or video as much fun to shop for as enjoy once the magic is home. This is where Ultra Fidelis excels.
I know how emotionally and financially draining it is as a dealer to lose biz to internet
shoppers, and endlessly wondering just what it’s going to take to get the latest
generation into the fold, an issue in which the industry has been painfully
remiss. The marketing approach you’ve adopted of offering the physical
availability of great products and providing a high degree of personal connection through your superb website is
one of great strength. Treating customers respectfully and enthusiastically to the point that one feels valued
is powerful stuff that fosters loyalty and referrals, time-honored building
blocks for long-term success. Utilize the techno tools of today such as email to
keep in contact with your customers, reminding them you’re still here waiting to delight them with the latest great toys! Jon, the
smartest businessman I’ve ever known is Gary McCormick, owner of Ovation A-V based in Indy. Keeping yourself in the customer’s consciousness by all means
possible is one of his unwavering philosophies, one that’s served him well for nearly twenty years in this business.
Sorry I wrote a book there, I really got on a roll!
Thank you and best wishes for your continued success,
Steve G.
Back to Top
|
|
Age Doesn't Matter
Dear Ultra Fidelis,
Thanks for getting back to me so quickly. I really appreciate all of your help at the store the other
day. I would also like to compliment you on how nice your store is. Out of all of the hi-fi stores that I have been to: Sound World in Appleton, Hi Fi
Heaven in Green Bay, Seuss Electronics in Appleton, etc, I was really impressed with your selection and how well I was treated at your store. Due
to my age, I am often not taken very seriously when it comes to 2 channel hi fi, and am often not helped. However, this was not the case with your store,
and in fact I was actually quite shocked when I was treated so kindly. So, once again thank you for all of your help.
Happy Holiday Season to you as well,
John B.
Back to Top
|
|
Joining the Vinyl Revolution
Dear Ultra Fidelis,
Just wanted to let you know that I am very happy with my purchase of the LP12, Lingo and Blackbird cartridge. I am listening more often, for longer periods,
and really enjoying it. The sound seems natural to me, neither "detailed" nor "smooth". This is quite an accomplishment given my propensity for buyer's
remorse, and I attribute the lack thereof to the amount of time you devoted to the audition, set up and delivery process. I am sure that your focus on service
will be rewarded over the long term. You will be at the top of my list when I am in the market again.
John D.
Back to Top
|
|
In Search of Hi-Fidelity
Dear Ultra Fidelis,
For years I have been driven to bring the excitement of live music into the confines of my home. Despite having a background in music performance
and being an avid listener, this goal has eluded me. I’m sure this is true of many other
listeners as well. Why is it so hard to accomplish this seemingly simple task? Well certainly
the technology that is available has its limitations (and its price!), but that's not the
whole story. I believe that, more than that, it is the process and the implementation of that
process where we find roadblocks. That is where Ultra Fidelis has so successfully filled the
void for so many of us on this path to musical enjoyment and satisfaction.
There have been plenty of companies that haven't met the need, but let me focus on why it
is that Ultra Fidelis falls into a unique category as the one that has. Bear with me as I
attempt to break this description of a great audio retailer into bite size pieces. I believe they
could look something like this:
The Audition - There is much to learn from auditioning components and systems that is
important to my decision making, perhaps the least of which comes from your basic A - B comparison.
Since there is no way in any other room to know what the unit will sound like when I get it home, you
make available many different forms of auditions. These are really tailored to the needs, including
emotional ones, of the potential customer. Whether their time only allows a brief listening in your
excellent sound room or they want to audition the product in their system for an extended period,
Ultra Fidelis is there to provide the service in the proper mix. There is never a sense of pressure
or a feeling that we don't have your attention. You are there with the customer to explain both the
technical and the musical attributes of any link in the musical system chain. Products are experienced,
not pushed.
The Advice - Communication is a two way street. I always feel as if you are listening to my thoughts
and desires. You would never recommend a product that is outside the scope of the customer's application.
What a customer gets from Ultra Fidelis is an honest recommendation of products that will meet the
long-term needs of the customer. It is this long-term satisfaction that appears to be the utmost goal
of your company. You have told me on several occasions that a certain purchase I was considering was
not the best way to go or did not have the proper pay back. I need that advice. That is what keeps me
coming back. You want to have customers that will return as their desire to expand their systems arises,
but even more than that, you want them to be home enjoying the music now. I have met many of your customers
and I do feel like part of a family of music lovers, not gear collectors. The focus is always on the final
musical experience.
The Service - If it's home delivery, calibration, set up or follow on advice Ultra Fidelis is there.
I have never seen an audio dealer with such a sense of personal service. You make it a point to know your
customers and to bring them into the Ultra Fidelis family. No sale is ever complete if there are still
questions or advice is needed. That is service!
The Product - Ultra Fidelis strives to know its product better than anyone I have ever worked with.
You keep a limited number of the "best" products and know them and how they interact with one another.
Having a wide selection of second rate products does not help your customers. Making the selection of
the specific products from the best designers in the industry is what helps us. Having the expertise
and taking the time to determine the best is your job and you do that very well.
The Musical Experience - Finally, it's obvious that Ultra Fidelis strives to help each of its
customers to experience music to the highest degree possible. No matter what our musical tastes,
you want the best for each and every customer.
It's been a long and, in the past, often frustrating road to travel but I've arrived at my
destination. Being part of your audio family has taught me so much about the enjoyment of music and
how a proper dealer/customer relationship is supposed to be. Thank you for being what I have looked for
my entire listening life and thank you for making me part of your family.
Brian
Back to Top
|
|
An Epicurean's Views
Dear Ultra Fidelis,
Yesterday, I made a few long-distance calls with my AT&T Sam's Club calling card, which costs 3.47 cents a minute. I put down the phone, and then two of us went out to dinner downtown for $230.
Later that evening, I printed some stuff from my computer using an eight-year-old machine whose ink cartridge I can fill with a syringe. This cuts the cost from $25 to about $2. Today, I listened to music on equipment bought from Ultra Fidelis for something north of $10,000. If we're traveling and staying somewhere for a night or two, we generally won't pay more than $40 for a hotel room. But when we go to Paris next summer, we'll spend $250 a night on an apartment near the Eiffel Tower.
Life in America. We order a quarter-pounder with cheese, large fries and a diet Coke. Are we crazy? Like foxes, I say. For decades, the telephone companies have been selling scoops of flour and charging for cherry pie. Even three and a half cents a minute is too much. Ditto on those printer cartridges. If you like the taste of Diet Coke, who needs the empty calories?
The $230 meal was at Locke-Ober restaurant in Boston. The main attraction was a 40-ounce porterhouse steak for two.
Now let's talk steaks. Those of us who have been road warriors know all about generic steakhouses, too many of which are named after a football celebrity. It's an easy business, because there's not a lot you can do to a steak. There's also not a lot you can do for a steak. But the porterhouse for two at Locke-Ober, an ancient and venerable Boston dining institution recently renovated and revived, is the exception to the rule.
Folks, that is why I can leave $230 for a meal and walk out thinking it was a bargain.
As for hotel rooms, I find that luxury is lost unless you "move in," and I can't "move in" for fewer than three nights. Besides, if it's just going to be one night, a cheap motel of the no-tell genre can make for some outstanding memories. My mind drifts back to a trailer court in Vancouver for $17 Canadian. But I digress.
Now that I've established my credentials as a bon vivant and bipolar cheapskate-spendthrift, I probably ought to get back to how any of this bears upon Ultra Fidelis.
I could always get my stereo stuff at Best Buy. Given that music does not necessarily drive my life, there would be a logic to doing exactly that. However, I've been either blessed or cursed with sharp hearing. This rules out commodity audio gear. But the specialized vocabulary of the stereo geeks generally leaves me cold. I don't care too much how it works or why. What I really care about is how it sounds.
This is rooted somewhere in my brain. I can hear things that other people and many dogs can't. A superior audio system is as close to a necessity for me as a discretionary consumer product can be. I don't disdain those who regard audio gear as a commodity, but my ears won't allow me to treat stereos the way I treat telephone service or diet Coke or short-stay motel rooms.
O.K., but why not buy Vandersteen speakers and Audio Research amplifiers and all the rest from a shop here in Boston? Or on EBay, for that matter? Why the long-term loyalty to Ultra Fidelis in Milwaukee?
I'd call it the Sommelier Factor.
Jon and Dave know me, both personally and as a customer. They know that, for me, "It's the sound, stupid." They don't bury me in the mechanics, the theory, the technology or the "prestige" of high-end audio. They've introduced me to audio equipment that sounds great, because that's what I want.
Frankly, I don't want to do a lot of research on the different brands. Audio magazines quickly confuse me, and I think blind buying of high-end audio equipment (or other high-value, specialized stuff) on the Internet is an invitation to misrepresentation and disappointment. Ultrafi has done that research for me, and they know which components fit together. They've made it easy to use, too. I've lived in three houses over the past 10 years, and Jon has installed the audio systems in each one of them. I don't have a clue. He does.
Locke-Ober has a really good sommelier. I still remember a meal last summer when he matched an Alsatian wine with my beef stroganoff. It never would have occurred to me to do this, and the result was fantastic. And he did it from the middle of the list.
My Vandersteen speakers are like that wine. I'd never heard of the brand, and now you'd have to pry 'em out of my cold, dead fingers. I have a pair of 3A Signatures that started as plain Model 3s. These speakers aren't cheap, but they are designed for value. It takes a lot of pennies to buy them, but they are worth every last one.
So, what makes a good sommelier? Thorough knowledge of the elements and their combination. The ability to see it from the customer's point of view. And integrity. Take any of them away, and the house of cards collapses.
The older I get, the more comfortable I become with my choices in life. What matters, what doesn't matter. What I know, what I don't know. When I want a result but don't know how to get there, I hire out the job. When it concerns my sound system, here's what I do: Whip out the Sam's Club card, pour a Diet Coke and call Ultrafi.
Charlie
|
|
|
Back to Top |
|
|
