Meet Your Dealer – Peter Tyson – Newcastle-Upon-Tyne

With its three centres spanning the top of England and for the last 56 years Peter Tyson has developed a commanding name for itself as one of the main audio and audio video dealers in the country.

It has built that reputation on good service, top-notch prices, excellent facilities and an almost psychic ability to second guess what the Next Big Thing in audio will be. Peter Tyson is geared toward the practical and attainably-priced side of the audio world.

This has always been an important part of the audio market; while hi-fi+ has a reputation for dealing in the luxury end of the market, in fact we’re passionate about music played right. While high-end audio has a reputation for being snooty, snobby and all about the bling, many of us are just as happy with intelligently-designed, well‑made and practical audio equipment that meets the demands of a more metropolitan audience. And it’s in the design and execution of such systems where companies like Peter Tyson’s stands out. 

My father started the family business in 1966 and as a family we always enjoyed having a great system at home. That’s a tradition I’ve adopted for my own family.

One of the company’s smartest moves is to create pre-configured systems on its site. While this sounds like an obvious move, it’s actually rarely conducted in audio at any level. Of course, the company also designs systems of a more bespoke nature alongside such turn-key audio set-ups, but in doing the selecting in advance, this helps take some of the worry out of selecting a system, especially for those taking their first few steps into separates component audio. 

Naturally, for those who prefer ‘bricks’ to ‘clicks’, the company has three showrooms. However, for our Meet Your Maker this month, we chose to concentrate on the Newcastle store. This elegant, light and sophisticated store is a not only a great audio destination in its own right, but a fine example of how a modern audio store should look.

We spoke to Martin Tyson, son of the founder, about working in the family business, the focus of the Newcastle branch and more…

What brands/products do you stock?

We have dozens and dozens of partners but at the Newcastle branch we focus on Linn, Naim, Focal, Kudos, Chord, AudioQuest, Bower & Wilkins, Devialet and REL.

What inspired you to get into the industry?

My father started the family business in 1966 and as a family we always enjoyed having a great system at home. That’s a tradition I’ve adopted for my own family.

I love hearing music pouring out of every room in the house, and the mix of music is fantastic! 

I have an LP12 at home, but I mainly stream for convenience. The thing I love about streaming services is that they introduce you to so many new artists.

Who has been your biggest influence? 

My parents. They set me a great example of working hard and being honest. 

What music do you listen to when doing a demonstration?

I like hearing what customers enjoy, however one of my favorite tracks is by Joan Armatrading – ‘Ma Me O Beach’ – it really puts a system through its paces.

What is the best piece of advice you can give to someone who is looking to improve/upgrade their system?

To remember that investing in quality audio is a sound investment that you will enjoy for decades. You need a system that makes you grin and smile. You will never be at home enjoying a great system and regret having spent so much, but you will probably kick yourself if you were tight and don’t have a system that you can’t wait to use when you get home! 

Which do you prefer: Vinyl, CD/SACD, or downloading… and why?

I have an LP12 at home, but I mainly stream for convenience. The thing I love about streaming services is that they introduce you to so many new artists – some of my favourite artists I have only discovered over that last couple of years through streaming services.

Is streaming taking over from downloading?

Absolutely. Obviously if you download its better but I just don’t have the time or inclination.

How do you see the industry in five years from now?

I think there will be less dealers. I split my time between existing customers and acquiring new customers. So many people need to be introduced to what a real hifi is – most people have never heard one! There is so much demand for people to invest in cars, kitchens, holidays etc but they rarely see that they could invest in a fantastic home hi-fi that the whole family can enjoy. 

Peter Tyson Audio Visual

6 Kingston Court, Kingston Park, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, NE3 3FP

petertyson.co.uk

+44 (0)191 285 7179

[email protected]