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Reviews 81
Svein-E
May 31,2018Thanks for great service. The diy TPR4 module is of excellent quality and improved up the sound in every way, and more than I thought was posssible. Many thanks!
Mr Jeremy Roebuck
May 18,2018Les has just serviced my four 1980's vintage NAP250 power amps and I'm absolutely delighted with the results. The care and attention he places on every task is evident and his years of research into all aspects of audio electronics certainly shine through. Frankly, I wouldn't go anywhere else but Avondale. Highly recommended.
Bresolin Alberto
May 04,2018I had problems with an oval module TPR 4 regulator, Les and 'was very kind, I' had a new form in a short time in Italy without any charge, Les and 'a man works with passion and especially not just for money. greetings Alberto Bresolin
J Dodgson
Apr 26,2018Les at Avondale Audio has been making and selling all sorts of Hi-Fi equipment for many years and he is well respected among those in the know. I have just bought some specialist crossovers from him and he is a very genuine guy whose main desire is simply to provide well designed and well made products which will satisfy the discerning music lover. Dealing with Les is a pleasure. Highly recommended.
P Sartoris
Apr 05,2018Peerless service and wonderful products. Unreserved recommendation.
Peter Mortimer
Feb 19,2018I have used Avondale in the past and found Les to be very helpful on all occasions, always willing to impart his extensive knowledge and make constructive suggestions. I recently fitted a pair of his latest amplifier modules to my Naim NAP180, replacing a pair of the previous Avondale modules (excellent in themselves), and I'm hearing new things on every record I play. Not only are extra details appearing on familiar records but it's all presented in a more natural and musical manner. Throughout my recent dealings with Les he has been facing some difficult situations which might have made some people intolerant of outside callers but Les has remained courteous and helpful as always, whether replying promptly to emails or finding time to chat on the phone. I can't recommend Avondale Audio highly enough both for service and the quality of the products. Good luck Les and thank you!!
Jon Vogel
Jan 30,2018Quality sound from quality components. If you can DIY buy from Avondale audio. I have a Avondale modded CD player , Power amplifiers but the Pinacle of Avondale is the GRAD1 pre amp
Ian Allen
Jan 23,2018Excellent service from Avondale Audio who kept me informed of the progress of my order from when placed to dispatch. The product quality is excellent and finished to a high standard with high quality components and hardware throughout. I have no reservations in recommending Avondale Audio as a trusted manufacturer of specialist audio components. Ian Allen, Milton Keynes
Sreyleak Sum
Jan 22,2018supers produits les conseils en plus vraiment top
Graham Brown
Dec 14,2017I've been a HiFi enthusiast and DIYer most of my adult life and over those years Ive purchased various items from Avondale Audio (Les) to build items of Hi Fi. I would make a phone call or some times email to confirm if the parts where available. As yet I have never been let down, a better service I find hard to recall if at all. Only in the past few weeks Les has come up with the goods for me again. The advice and knowledge and technical knowhow Les is willing to impart was/is/and always has been of trumendous importance to my learning curve over the years especially in the beginning. I doubt if I could of completed many projects without him. Great products, great service, great company and has always been a pleasure to deal and do business with.
Steven Bill Wilkinson
Sep 27,2017Superb top quality products. Les is a very helpful guy and always replies promptly to email requests for information or help with his range of products. I have no reservation in recommending this company to anyone desirous of upgrading their naim gear, in my case quite old equipment, to bring it up to the performance on a par with much more expensive new amplifiers.
Rob
Aug 24,2017Les serviced two of my NAP135s about 10 years ago, so I already knew how competent he was and had no hesitation in supplying the other two to be serviced, as well as the Supercap which powers a NAC52. I expected to hear some improvement but not as much as does come through, both from the existing sources (Blu-ray and CDS II), but also from a now, far superior turntable source. The 20 year old TDL Studio Monitors are faithfully reproducing the output and between my ears there is space only for a beaming smile.
Bendigo1
Jul 28,2017Really consumer consumer focussed business . Cannot recommend too highly.
dave Johnson
Jul 19,2017Having bought my Naim system new back in the early eighties it had given many hours of pleasure but was a little 'tired' to put it simply. This was some 10 or so years ago now and Avondale audio was recommended as a very good alternative to a high street dealer or back to naim service option. I rang and had a nice chat with Les who was very knowledgeable and helpful and was happy for me to call at his workshop with my nap-250 and he would open her up and see what was needed there and then. Duly arranged I arrived to a nice 'personal' welcome and a great coffee. Case removed and examination complete I was offered the option of DIY or leave it for him to do ?.I explained I was not really up on electronics but he went through what was required (new caps and a few items to solder into the boards) so I thought I'd give it a go!. Not at all expensive and a free circuit tester thrown in for good measure! Well the old 250 was singing once again, very pleased indeed. Over the next few years when funds permitted I was back to Chesterfield many times, always to a warm and friendly welcome, and a great coffee, and upgraded my entire system to a level way above what I could of achieved from, I believe, any other source and for a fraction of the cost. The quality of Les's products and service has been first class and I would highly recommend Avondale Audio.
Mikey Clarke
Jul 06,2017I have bought many items from AvondaleAudio and never been disappointed, well packaged, fast shipping and service second to none. Highly recommended.........Les you are an absolute gentleman.
David Thanks
Jul 05,2017Excellent service and products, I had the following work done on a my Naim 250 and Naima72 the following comments are my opinion on improvement made to my equipment. Well after few weeks my ncc200/hcr200 equipped Naim 250 sounds absolutely stunning, I also took the opportunity to install the 821 cards into my Naim 72. The Naim PRAT is still very much in evidence, but there is also a massive improvement in the amount of musical detail. The issue of a somewhat booming bass from my Linn Keleidh speakers has been completely eradicated, they sound amazing, especially with the Hiquphon tweeters which replaced the originals, one of which blew. If anyone has a Naim 250, I wholeheartedly recommend these upgrades. I am curious as to how the 821AR cards would sound though, but for the time being I am a very happy bunny indeed, thanks Les and to the guys at Witchhat who did the work.I would like to also say that the extra detail you hear is totally natural and realistic in the way it's portrayed, not at all etched. Instrument decay on things like acoustic guitar, cymbals, piano amongst others has to heard to be believed. Female and male vocals are very realistic, pocessing an in the room quality. Bass is impressively deep, but at the same time controlled. The other plus there is no more hiss from the speakers, I believe this to be an effect of the 821 cards. The gain is a little lower than the original naim boards, but is more than enough for my Lp12 / Ittok and Karma. Full system including the Linn and a Sony tuner is as follows, Naim CDX/XPS, NAC72 with 821 boards, TPX1.5, Naim 250 with mods as above, Linn Keleidh speakers with upgraded Hiquphon tweeters. Cables used Nordost Red Dawn and Nordost Solar Wind interconnects and Nordost Blue Heaven speaker cables. One thing however, the 250 does run quite a lot hotter than a standard 250 though.
Nic Robinson
Jul 05,2017I am a very happy customer of Avondale Audio and have known Les Wolstenholme for several years. Avondale's customer service is 100% exemplary as is their commitment to quality and innovation. Currently I run a dual mono power amp containing the Minicap 6 modules and NCC200 amplifier boards. It's a brilliant amp and I have no desire to change it. It does the job supremely and massively outperforms the Naim amplifier it replaced.
Benjamin
Jul 03,2017I had a supercap restored and upgraded to the best spec offered. I mailed the supercap to Les, and 2 weeks later, I collected the Supercap from him. In short - it sounds fantastic. Music sounds very realistic. Thats what I wanted.
SIMON HAMNETT
Jun 30,2017My experience of dealing with Avondale Audio goes back more years than I care to remember ! I first contacted Les Wolstenholme, the owner of Avondale Audio many years ago now, enquiring and wanting to discuss my ideas for building a really good Hifi amplifier. Les’s response to my enquiries was as ever quick, supportive and interestingly reassuring ! Les wanted to share his experience and empower my efforts to succeed ! Very refreshingly, he’s not that interested at all in just selling - ‘stuff’. This approach, I believe, is unique in most fields of commerce that I’ve come across, but though rare, not totally unheard of in the Hifi field. To be clear; Les Wolstenholme of Avondale Audio is a true audio enthusiast, a man passionate about his art and craft. A true devotee of real old fashioned no compromise quality, excellence, attention to detail and the very best customer service. He offers these paradigms as he expects no less from himself, or others. He is man of the very highest standards – so please don’t pressure him to come down to yours. Very quickly I realised Les of Avondale Audio is definitely NOT some electrical repair man, and people would be under a severe misapprehension, if that is what they might require. As it happens I never did get around to building that amp ( yet ). But Avondale's and Les excellent reputation preceded him, and when I finally did need to address an urgent need for a decent and cost effective power supply solution for my Naim active Naxo cross over, I had the suspicion there was only one place to go – Avondale Audio ! Even back then a used Naim HICAP was going cost around the best part of £350 hard earned great British pounds. So, after brief enquiries I was rapidly lead to understand, by very many Hifi enthusiasts around the country, that Les at Avondale was the man to see and speak to ! I was told that not only could he supply me with a superior product, that I could construct myself, but also that it that would also easily out perform Naims finest ! The rest, as they say, is now - history…… So began for me a long association with Avondale Audio which I hold in highest regard, and carefully cherish to this day ! For purely selfish reasons of course, because : I want the very best - and Les is the man whom delivers - Every time ! I was invited by Les to attend Avondale Towers to chat with him and his then assistant Ben, regarding my Hifi needs. I must say it was not without a great deal of excitement and not a little trepidation, that I drove to Chesterfield that day to meet the famous (some would say infamous LOL !) man himself! As Les has a reputation for being a rather larger than life character ! On arrival I was treated to a fascinating tour of his artisan workshop along with a patient, understanding, and listening ear from the start. Even today on my regular visits to Chesterfield, I still have the same excitement as I ponder what startling and stunning electronic wonders I will be blessed to see when I arrive! Les usually has some new and fascinating engineering project in full swing as he exercises his strikingly imaginative and uniquely inventive mind to the full. The place where Les works his electronic miracles is an electrical AND mechanical engineering technicians dream. Stacked from floor to ceiling with all manner of specialist electronic measuring equipment, that Les has carefully assembled over many long decades of dedication to his craft. Oh - and of course, a vast and most probably unmatched collection of Naim equipment spare parts, of all vintages, the like of which is probably not exceeded outside of Southampton road Salisbury! This is not to mention Les’s encyclopaedic knowledge of the Hifi industry and it’s many designers and characters stretching back more decades than he might care to remember. Yes Les was there, some might say before the beginning, in the thick of it, when other Hifi legends such as Julian Vereker were just getting going. Les can tell a tale or two ! Sadly that's a whole other story ! At my personal Avondale Audio visit, soon conversation was flowing, lubricated with liberal quantities of freshly brewed coffee and delicious sandwiches supplied by Les’s wonderful good lady - Jen. Les was particularly concerned that I should receive from him EXACTLY what I needed to meet my precise requirements, and even though my order was trifling, he spent a whole enlightening afternoon helping me work through my options and making sure I had just what I needed. Nothing was too much trouble for Les, and I left with everything I needed to complete my power supply. – It goes without saying it worked flawlessly and still does to this day I’m informed, as I sold it on ( at healthy profit I might add, as by then it was a built item ) to a new and very satisfied owner, as I moved up the Avondale upgrade path. Another time I contacted Les in bit of flap, as I required some speaker terminals for a Naim 250. The terminals arrived within the week, with a brief note from Les apologising for the delay. And what was the cost of this wonderful service you might ask? For a man to go searching around for a piffling little order ? To put the said trifling item into padded envelope and get them off to the post office ? Probably the work of near on a couple of hours ? – FREE OF CHARGE ! – that’s how much – unbelievable! But I assure you this is true. I still have the note to prove it. Now that's what I call customer service ! Avondale is a bijou artisan company set up to carefully craft hand made bespoke electronic sonic gems to individual order. Les has to slave for long long hours, often deep into the night to produce Hifi equipment that will rival the worlds very best. He may not be able to instantly answer the very many phone call he gets, from all over the world, each and every single day. Not to mention the scores of emails! Not to mention keeping in line all those wonderfully busy chaps on the Hifi forums and social media and the like ! Avondale is not the kind of company that has a large call centre to deal with customer enquiries. If you are looking for that kind of gear, may I recommend Dixons? Most likely when you do call Les at Avondale, you may be privileged enough speak to the man himself. He will do his very level best to help you, assist and support you in obtaining what you need, or build it to your specification. I suggest when you do call him you have a semblance of an idea of what you need. Because he has a long waiting list, and has little time to spare, although he always seems to make time for all the vast following of loyal clients and customers Avondale Audio has, whom would never dream of going anywhere else to have the their bespoke Hifi equipment, made especially for them by Avondale Audio. Be it from turntable tone arms, to the finest world class amplifiers, to innovative speaker systems and everything in-between, and all loving and painstakingly bespoke built to order by hand by Les and his small team. Personally I’d never go anywhere else. The man Les Wolstenholme and the company he has built up for well over 30 years – Avondale - is quite frankly - a legend. Though he hates the title, and though he can be of course incisive, an bold at times, he is, in all actuality, far too modest to actually admit his true status in the Hifi world, and the world beyond for that matter. But for me *legend* is the only word I have for him. I think you might, see I can thoroughly and whole heartedly recommend Les and his company Avondale Audio. If you’d like to talk to me personally about my recommendation please feel free to call me any time – 07957 203218. If don’t answer immediately, I might be busy so forgive me and just leave a message and I’ll call you back. Thanks !
2 Avondale Road Newbold, S40 4TF, Chesterfield, GB
http://avondaleaudio.com
Mark Gibson
Aug 28,2018Cannot recommend this company highly enough. Les is so helpful and nothing is too much trouble. Other companies should look here to improve their customer service!