What became of Derek Whittington?
- Thread starter alindsay
- Start date
Don't know the chap..probably because (a) I am not a Linnie, and (b) live in the South.But might I suggest that one reason Mr Whittington has struggled might be connected with the way many of us hobbyists behave. If you read the forums, as we all obviosuly do, you will see that 'bargain' is the single greatest obsession. Price has overwhelmed quality for some people.Hardly suprising in such hard times, but it is probably driving decent dealers out of business.They can't make a living when people want all sorts of services but also want to pay rock-bottom prices. Something has to give. I'm as guilty as anyone else, but it is wrecking the hifi industry.
I once read in a mag (Gramophone or Hifi News IIRC), or maybe it was an online mag pdf of something.... anyway, it said that Brits would rather spend £100+ on beer than on a pair of speakers. They were referring to the haggle and waggle brigade who'll cringe at the diff between £69 and £75 in a Richer Sounds window display
Evil Emperor
Taller Than Stalin
Of course we don't support good dealers. We will happily eat our own young in order to save a fiver, use dealers as a free demonstration service for online box-shifters, insist they bend over backwards for our every demand (and slag them off mercilessly online if they don't), swallow whole the dealer-FUD hype of those who sell direct, and spend hours and hours tying up their staff with questions in microscopic detail, only to buy secondhand.
We treat good and bad dealers the same. We treat them like crap. The bad ones treat us like crap back.
Steven Toy
Accuphase newbie
DW was a gent to deal with. He sold me my last solid state amp before I moved over to the dark glowy side. He delivered the amp, a Densen B330 in person and had a good listen to the system that included a pair of Piega TS5 speakers that he had also supplied before he left.
As I recall, I managed to damage a grille on said speakers a day or so after I received them. He arranged for a replacement grille at material cost.
A great dealer and music lover. As I recall, his personal music collection amounted to some 13,000 albums on vinyl and CD.
As I recall, I managed to damage a grille on said speakers a day or so after I received them. He arranged for a replacement grille at material cost.
A great dealer and music lover. As I recall, his personal music collection amounted to some 13,000 albums on vinyl and CD.
Just come across this thread - I was one of those happy punters back in the 1970s and 80s who used to go up to Loughborough and see Derek to buy some "decent" hi fi. I first met him after a friend recommended him having bought a Rega 3.
I later took my then girlfriend to see him where he demonstrated a "budget" system an Arcam Alpha 2 amp with Linn Kans from a LP12. She fell in love with it and bought the system there and then. I later also bought an identical Arcam Alpha amp from him (which I still have and still use sometimes) and and Rega 2 as I could not afford an LP12 or even a Rega 3! Later he introduced me to Linn Sara 9s' following an accident which befell my beloved Strathearn speakers - as these were an insurance job the price did not matter - I still have the Saras - and still love them.
Over the years I took several of my friends there to hear what hifi should and could sound like when they were considering buying the latest midi units. He was always most accommodating and took time to listen to what they said and their sometimes awfull taste in music. He had the magic of being able to demo something which fitted their taste and still showed of the kit to its best. Most ended up as customers.
A great guy - always respectful of people's budgets and tastes and always keen to help anyone get the best bang for their buck. I have often wondered what happened to him. Another man of magic in those days but for different reasons was a Rugby man Ken Dibble - also wondered what happened to him!
I later took my then girlfriend to see him where he demonstrated a "budget" system an Arcam Alpha 2 amp with Linn Kans from a LP12. She fell in love with it and bought the system there and then. I later also bought an identical Arcam Alpha amp from him (which I still have and still use sometimes) and and Rega 2 as I could not afford an LP12 or even a Rega 3! Later he introduced me to Linn Sara 9s' following an accident which befell my beloved Strathearn speakers - as these were an insurance job the price did not matter - I still have the Saras - and still love them.
Over the years I took several of my friends there to hear what hifi should and could sound like when they were considering buying the latest midi units. He was always most accommodating and took time to listen to what they said and their sometimes awfull taste in music. He had the magic of being able to demo something which fitted their taste and still showed of the kit to its best. Most ended up as customers.
A great guy - always respectful of people's budgets and tastes and always keen to help anyone get the best bang for their buck. I have often wondered what happened to him. Another man of magic in those days but for different reasons was a Rugby man Ken Dibble - also wondered what happened to him!
JemHayward
pfm Member
I used to travel up from Warwick to Sound Advice in the 80s... best dealer within driving distance, bought my Nytech gear from him, my Rega 3, my Nait, My Linn, later my Ittok, and so on... Claire was lovely, the whole experience was a great day out. Maybe he was destined never to make a fortune, as he genuinely wanted to get you a system you were happy with, and so you then just kept listening to music. Usually came back from my trips the L'bro with a shopping list of albums too... nice to know he's still about.
Hi all
Derek is my dad, so it was lovely to see all these nice comments!
He is still trading and is Shepshed based. He no longer has a dem room so works on a ‘mobile’ basis bringing equipment to your home to demonstrate.
If anyone wants to get in contact his business number is 07709 104435
Derek is my dad, so it was lovely to see all these nice comments!
He is still trading and is Shepshed based. He no longer has a dem room so works on a ‘mobile’ basis bringing equipment to your home to demonstrate.
If anyone wants to get in contact his business number is 07709 104435
Don’t try to blame consumers like me when we have supposedly reputable manufacturers scamming people with nasty cheap blinged up product to try to keep venture capitalists satisfied. Price has sure overwhelmed quality in terms of what is offered to people. Some dealers have had a bad time but you need to look at manufacturers and their agency arrangements for the causes, not punters. Suggest you stop trying to take hobbyists on a guilt trip - next you’ll be trying to tax online purchases instead of fixing some shitty shop chain nobody uses anymore.
Pete MB&D
Pete Maddex, the one and only!
Thanks Nancy.
Its good to know he is still about and working.
He is a top bloke.
I used to enjoy a blast out to Loughborough on the motorbike to take him some home made jam.
Pete
I got to know Derek and Claire very well as a customer back in the early 80s, certainly inspired me and introduced me to genres of music and artists that are still important to me today. I’ve moved on from the Linn/ Naim kit I bought from those many visits to Duke Street but still have an original pair of Kan Stands and a Nytech amp which has been recently serviced and I intend to use it in a retro system. Not sure why SA failed as that business model was so different to anything I’d experienced and certainly without meeting Derek maybe I would have had a very different hifi journey?
pocketkitchen
Registered User
I used to love going to see Derek and Claire when I worked for Rega. One of my favourite calls. He was never likely to make himself rich - one of the things to be treasured about Derek were his faith in what he did and his inability to compromise when it came to sound. Best coffee I ever had, too. The first time he offered to make me a cup, he didn’t explain what he was doing. I thought he was on a long phonecall or something. It turned out he’d actually roasted the beans, ground them by hand and then made me a cup! Top man, I’d love to catch up with him again someday.
steveinspain
pfm Member
I may have met you then. I went to Granby Street once - the corridor was narrow due to speakers and boxes piled high, your mum was so warm and welcoming, and your dad was without the best person I ever met selling hifi. I seem to remember a young girl being around, but was so overwhelmed by the house-full of gear, I'd never seen anything like it.
I can't remember what I bought, but I do remember being pushed towards a cheaper product than what I ended up with. My brother in law lived in Arthur Street until he died about 8 years ago, so you may have known him, the inlaws are still in Nanpantan.
How wonderful that you have seen this thread, and I'm guessing that Derek has too by now.
Seems a lot of us own him a big thank you !
Enfield boy
pfm Member
Thanks for the update Nancy, your dad is a top man and certainly set me on the right path. First met him at a Naim open day, had many enjoyable visits to Sound Advice.
Very best wishes
Steve
Very best wishes
Steve
