An evening of music and listening
An unforgettable day of live music, extraordinary vinyl and wonderful company at Kronos AV Staplefield.
Last weekend, our Staplefield store played host to something rather special: our very first Voice to Vinyl event. Bringing together live performances from two fantastic artists and a remarkable reference vinyl system, the day was an opportunity to experience music from both sides of the recording process—and to celebrate the connection between the artist, the recording and the listener.
I must admit, I was more than a little nervous beforehand. An event like this involves a great many moving parts, and however carefully you plan, there is always that nagging thought about what might go wrong. Thankfully, once the music began and everyone settled in, those nerves quickly disappeared.
To borrow the words of Lou Reed, it really was “A Perfect Day”.
On Saturday 26th September, our West Sussex store welcomed customers, artists and friends from across the industry for an afternoon devoted to music. Even the weather played its part. Glorious sunshine meant we could put seats outside in the courtyard, giving everyone the chance to enjoy the surroundings and spend time chatting between listening sessions.
That relaxed, personal atmosphere was exactly what we had hoped to create. Wonderful equipment was certainly part of the occasion, but the heart of the day was the music—and the people who make it.
From the artist’s voice to the vinyl groove
The idea behind Voice to Vinyl was simple: give our customers the opportunity to hear an artist perform live in our demonstration room, then experience their recorded work through a system capable of revealing just how expressive and convincing vinyl playback can be.
We were delighted to welcome the wonderful Reema, a singer-songwriter from Brighton whose performance brought that idea to life. Hearing an artist in such an intimate setting is a very different experience from listening in a larger venue. You have the opportunity to appreciate the character of their voice, the nuances of their playing and the expression behind the songs.
As an additional treat, we were also joined by the excellent Alon Lotringer, who was visiting the UK and generously gave us the opportunity to hear him perform live as well. Having two such talented artists in our demonstration room made an already special occasion feel even more memorable.
Both artists record with LowSwing Records, a Berlin-based label dedicated to purely analogue record production, without computers or AD/DA conversion in its recording chain. That commitment made LowSwing a particularly fitting partner for the event, allowing us to explore the journey from live performance to analogue recording and, ultimately, to vinyl playback.
Jason Forde, LowSwing’s UK distributor, also brought along a selection of his Supersense Mastercut albums. These were a real highlight and, quite honestly, included some of the finest records I have ever heard.
The live performances gave the listening sessions a wonderful sense of context. Having heard the artists in the room, we could then appreciate how their voices, instruments and musical personalities came through on record. It was a fascinating reminder of what we are all trying to achieve with a great HiFi system: a closer connection to the performance.
Our Voice to Vinyl event brought our growing artist collaborations to life, welcoming Reema and Alon Lotringer into the intimate surroundings of our Staplefield demonstration room.
Brighton-based singer-songwriter Reema and fellow LowSwing Records artist Alon Lotringer, who joined us during his visit to the UK, gave customers a rare opportunity to hear their music performed live before experiencing their recorded work through our reference vinyl system. Hearing both artists in the room brought a personal connection to the records that followed—a chance to recognise the character of a voice, the expression in a phrase and the emotion behind a song.
For Kronos AV, these encounters sit at the heart of what we believe great HiFi should achieve: preserving the identity of the performance, without adding artificial brightness or exaggeration. With the artists themselves present, the focus returns to what matters most—how naturally and convincingly the system communicates their music.
Our sincere thanks to Reema, Alon and Jason Forde of LowSwing Records for making this collaboration possible. It was a wonderful reminder that behind every record is an artist with something to say—and our role is to help you hear it.
To do justice to the music, we assembled a truly exceptional vinyl system, bringing together some remarkable engineering from a number of specialist manufacturers.
For those who were unable to join us, the system comprised:
An event like this only happens through the generosity, enthusiasm and hard work of a great many people, and there are several to whom I would like to offer my sincere thanks.
First and foremost, Jason Forde, distributor of LowSwing Records and Supersense Mastercuts, together with Reema and Alon Lotringer. Thank you for bringing the music, sharing your talent and helping us turn an idea into such a memorable experience. Having the artists themselves at the heart of the event made all the difference.
A huge thank you also goes to Andy Baker and Dave Sprake from Sound Distribution, who supplied the extraordinary ONKK turntable, Tri-Planar arm, Charisma cartridge, Grimm Audio electronics and AccuSound cables. Their support throughout the event, and the time they spent with everyone who attended, were greatly appreciated.
Thank you to Gary from Titan Audio for supplying the HS3 and HS6 mains cables and HS mains block, and to Martynas from Silent Pound for providing the superb Bloom loudspeakers. Both played an important part in bringing this exceptional system together.
We were also delighted to welcome Alan Sircom, Editor of Hi-Fi+ magazine. My thanks to Alan for taking time out of his very busy schedule to attend and chat with those who joined us. It was a pleasure to have him there.
Finally, thank you to the entire Kronos AV team, particularly Damien, our Staplefield Store Manager, for all his work in helping make the day happen, and Matty, who handled the photography and captured the occasion for us.
And, of course, thank you to every customer who came along. Your enthusiasm, company and love of music gave the day its atmosphere and made all the preparation worthwhile.
Hopefully, the first of many
There is a huge amount of work involved in putting on an event like Voice to Vinyl. Much of it happens behind the scenes, long before the first guest arrives or the first record is played.
But when it all comes together—talented artists, beautiful recordings, a superb system and a room full of people enjoying the music—you remember exactly why it is worth doing.
For me, it was a genuinely magical day and a wonderful reminder of what a specialist HiFi store can offer: a place to discover music, meet the people behind it, share experiences and hear something that stays with you long after you leave.
Thank you to everyone who helped make our first Voice to Vinyl event so special.
Let’s hope it was the first of many.
David Campbell - Kronos AV MD
What happens when you put a live voice and a £200k+ vinyl system in the same room?
Our latest Voice to Vinyl night did exactly that — intimate audience, reference amps and turntables on show, then Reema live for a stripped-back acoustic set.
Tap play for the 2-minute highlights — gear, room, and that "pure joy" moment.
