What Audio Affair does

Audio Affair (trading as Alexander Michael Limited, UK company number 05750850) is an independent hi-fi and AV retailer founded in 2006 and headquartered at 3 Gibb Street, Custard Factory, Birmingham. The company sells over 4,000 carefully curated audio products across more than 100 brands — including KEF, Naim, Focal, Bowers & Wilkins, Sennheiser, Pro-Ject, Marantz, Denon, Technics, Linn, Devialet, and Cyrus — spanning speakers, hi-fi separates, headphones, home cinema, turntables and analog, streaming components, cables, furniture, and accessories. The technology stack is standard retail e-commerce (Magento storefront with Algolia search), not proprietary; the differentiator is merchandising expertise and a curated assortment rather than technology ownership.

The business operates a hybrid distribution model: a Magento e-commerce site at audioaffair.co.uk with multi-currency checkout (GBP, AUD, EUR, JPY, USD), same-day shipping for in-stock orders placed before 3pm, and free UK delivery over £20; complemented by a 3-floor showroom in Birmingham featuring dedicated hi-fi/speakers demo rooms, two headphone bars, a wireless speakers area, and a home cinema demonstration room (by appointment). Sales channels include phone, WhatsApp, live chat, and email. The company runs an in-house custom installation team with 50 years of combined experience, serving residential and commercial projects in the Midlands, London, and beyond, and a dedicated B2B enquiry channel. Sister website DJ Tech Direct (launched 2012) extends into the DJ and pro-audio segment with a separate showroom.

Revenue is generated primarily through one-time product sales, supplemented by finance commission on 0% finance orders over £500, trade-in margin, and professional services revenue from custom installations. Customer segments include audiophiles and music enthusiasts (primary), home cinema buyers, B2B/commercial customers, and gift buyers/beginners. Supporting services include a 30-day money-back guarantee, a loyalty points program, and brand-sponsored trade-in promotions. The business has not raised external funding and is privately held; no management team, leadership changes, or M&A activity are disclosed in the input data.

Name

Audio Affair

Legal name

Alexander Michael Limited

Website

https://audioaffair.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Audio Affair is an independent UK hi-fi and AV retailer based in Birmingham, founded in 2006, selling 4,000+ products across 100+ premium audio brands via its e-commerce site, a 3-floor showroom, and an in-house custom installation team serving residential and commercial customers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Consumer Audio Equipment Retail

NAICS

Electronics and Appliance Retailers (4492)

SIC

Retail-Radio, Tv & Consumer Electronics Stores (5731)

akta.pro primary industry

AV Receivers, Amplifiers & Hi‑Fi Components Retail (CRACAEAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Headphones & Personal Audio Retail (Earbuds, ANC, DACs) (CRACAEAG), Turntables & Vinyl Audio Equipment Retail (CRACAEAH), Home Theater Audio Systems (AV Receivers, Speaker Packages) (CRACANAH)

Keywords

• Hi-fi retail
• Audio equipment
• Home cinema systems
• Headphones and speakers
• Turntables and vinyl

Headquarters

HQ city

Birmingham

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Product Sales: Retail sales of hi-fi equipment, speakers, headphones, home cinema systems, turntables, cables, and accessories. Revenue generated through one-time transaction sales with varying price points from budget to high-end products.
2. Finance Commission: Earn revenue through 0% finance partnerships on orders over £500, with deposits from 10%.
3. Trade-In Services: Generous part exchanges and trade-ins on customer old equipment, generating additional revenue streams.
4. Custom Installation Services: In-house installation team for residential and commercial installations with 50 years of combined experience, serving Midlands, London and beyond.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Audio Affair is an independent UK retailer selling over 4,000 curated audio products from 100+ brands across categories including speakers, hi-fi separates, headphones, home cinema, turntables, streaming components, cables, furniture and audiophile vinyl. The company operates a 3-floor demonstration showroom in Birmingham alongside an e-commerce storefront, supplemented by custom installation services, 0% finance options, and a trade-in program for old equipment.

Product overview

Audio Affair is an independent UK hi-fi retailer offering over 4,000 carefully selected audio products across multiple categories. Their core product portfolio centers on speakers (bookshelf, floorstanding, active, wireless, custom installation, home cinema packages, soundbars), Hi-Fi separates (amplifiers, DACs, streamers, turntables, phono stages), headphones (open/closed back, wireless, noise cancelling, electrostatic, IEMs), home cinema equipment (projectors, AV receivers, surround sound), and supporting accessories (cables, furniture, vinyl). The company operates a physical showroom in Birmingham with dedicated demo areas and provides installation services, 0% finance options, and trade-in programs. Their offering spans from budget wireless speakers and headphones to high-end stereo systems and multi-channel home cinema solutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Speakers Range of loudspeakers including passive bookshelf and floorstanding hi-fi speakers, active/powered speakers, wireless speakers, custom installation in-ceiling and in-wall speakers, home cinema packages (5.1), soundbars, subwoofers, outdoor speakers, and portable speakers from brands such as KEF, Dali, Focal, and ProAc.
• Hi-Fi Separates Standalone hi-fi components including integrated amplifiers, power amplifiers, pre amplifiers, stereo receivers, valve amplifiers, headphone amplifiers, CD/SACD players, DACs, streamers and media players, DAB/FM tuners, and audio recorders from brands including Arcam, Naim, Pro-Ject, and Audiolab.
• Headphones Headphones and personal audio including open-back, closed-back, wireless, noise-cancelling, and electrostatic headphones, in-ear monitors (IEMs), desktop and portable headphone amplifiers, digital portable players, and headphone accessories.
• Home Cinema Home cinema and AV equipment including TV soundbars and soundbases, 4K and 8K projectors, short-throw projectors, surround sound systems, projection screens, AV receivers, AV power amplifiers, AV processors, and video distribution equipment.
• Turntables and Analog Turntables, phono cartridges (78rpm, moving coil, moving magnet), stylus replacements, phono stages (solid state, valve, step-up), turntable accessories (alignment tools, headshells, platter upgrades, record brushes, clamps, drive belts, speed controllers, tonearms, dust covers, mats), and setup tools.
• Streaming Music streaming products including hi-fi streamers, DACs, Roon Ready streamers, streaming systems, NAS drives and servers, wireless adapters, multi-room systems, wireless speakers with AptX Bluetooth, and dedicated ranges from Naim, Linn, and Devialet.
• Cables Audio cables including hi-fi interconnects, digital cables, DIN cables, Ethernet cables, HDMI cables, headphone cables, 3.5mm minijack cables, mains cables, optical cables, speaker cables, USB cables, subwoofer cables, turntable cables, plus connectors, switch boxes, grounding solutions, and a cable burn-in service.
• Furniture and Stands Audio furniture including fillable and non-fillable speaker stands, AV stands, hi-fi stands, headphone stands, storage and display units, wall brackets and shelves, product-specific stands, isolation products, and acoustic room treatment solutions.
• Music Systems and Radios Complete music systems including DAB radios, Bluetooth radios, FM radios, WiFi and internet radios, alarm clock radios, portable radios, hi-fi radio tuners, one-box hi-fi systems, mini hi-fi systems, and package deals.
• Vinyl and Accessories Audiophile vinyl records including LPs, SACDs and R2R (reel-to-reel) releases, plus turntable essentials and vinyl cleaning products.
• Custom Installation Services In-house installation team catering to residential and commercial installations across the Midlands, London and beyond, with 50 years of combined experience. Includes home cinema, multi-room audio, and commercial AV fit-outs. B2B enquiries handled via [email protected].
• Hi-Fi Demonstration and Advice In-store product demonstration and expert sales advice across a 3-floor Birmingham showroom featuring dedicated hi-fi/speakers demo rooms, two headphone bars, a wireless speakers area, and a home cinema demonstration room (by appointment). Customers can audition equipment with their own music before purchase.
• 0% Finance Options 0% finance available on UK orders over £500, with deposits from 10%, applicable at checkout, in store, or by phone.
• Trade-In Program Generous part exchanges and trade-ins accepted on customer old equipment toward new purchases, including periodic brand-specific trade-in promotions (e.g., Linn DSM, Primare AV, JBL summer offers).

Quantifiable outcome

• 30-day money back guarantee on all purchases
• +3 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• DJ Tech DirectminorOthers · 1 January 2012Sister website launched in 2012 selling DJ and pro music equipment including DJ decks, mixers, music tech, monitors, and music production equipment. Located around the corner from Audio Affair's main showroom in Birmingham.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves14 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Devialet: Premium French audio brand sold through Audio Affair's streaming and wireless category. Included as a partner/supplier-side peer illustrating the brand ecosystem and the manufacturer-D2C trend relevant to Audio Affair's go-to-market.
• Bowers & Wilkins: Premium UK audio brand (added to Audio Affair's lineup in 2023) that sells direct-to-consumer globally. Representative of the high-end brand relationships Audio Affair depends on and the D2C competitive pressure the retailer faces from its own suppliers.

Broad incumbents

• Amazon UK: Dominant generalist online marketplace that competes with Audio Affair on price, selection and delivery speed across speakers, headphones and AV. Represents the broad-incumbent competitive threat against which Audio Affair's showroom and expert-advice positioning differentiates.
• Crutchfield: Large US-based consumer electronics retailer with deep catalog across hi-fi, home cinema, headphones and AV receivers plus strong online content and advice-led sales. Comparable retail model and product breadth, though operating in North America rather than competing in Audio Affair's UK territory.

Direct peers

• Audio T: Multi-branch UK hi-fi specialist retailer offering separates, speakers, headphones and custom installation. Comparable in physical showroom model, premium brand selection and consultative sales approach for audiophile and home cinema customers.
• Richer Sounds: UK independent hi-fi, home cinema and TV retailer with physical stores and strong online presence. Directly comparable to Audio Affair in target customer (UK audiophiles), product categories (speakers, separates, headphones) and value proposition of expert advice with demonstration facilities.
• Doug Brady HiFi: Long-established UK independent hi-fi specialist with showrooms and a deep catalog of premium separates, turntables and speakers. Comparable audiophile-focused positioning, demonstration-led sales model and high-end brand portfolio similar to Audio Affair.
• Peter Tyson: Northern UK hi-fi and home cinema retailer combining e-commerce with physical showrooms. Comparable in carrying premium hi-fi separates (Naim, Linn, KEF), offering trade-in/ex-demo schemes and providing expert advice-led sales to audiophile customers.
• HiFi Sound Connection: UK online and showroom hi-fi retailer selling speakers, amplifiers, turntables, headphones and AV. Overlapping brand mix (Naim, KEF, Marantz, Denon) and customer base of audiophiles and home cinema buyers make it a direct comparable to Audio Affair.
• Sevenoaks Sound and Vision: UK specialist retailer of hi-fi separates, home cinema, headphones and AV receivers with multiple showrooms. Closely comparable premium positioning, brand portfolio (Naim, KEF, Bowers & Wilkins) and custom installation services overlapping with Audio Affair's offering.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/audioaffair
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCGPKknUlpeoxGOYwovjH_Pg
• Facebookfacebook.com/audioaffair.co.uk
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/audio-affair
• Instagraminstagram.com/audioaffair

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Audio Affair