HIFI Guru — A Journey of Passion and Evolution
by Bjorn Bengtsson
Shortly after knocking on the front door of a quaint home-turned-into-hifi store in St Peters, Adelaide, Ben Adams, the owner of Hifi Guru, greeted me with a warm smile and a firm handshake.
Welcoming me with open arms, Ben swiftly showed me into one of his main listening rooms, proudly showcasing a Linn Klimax LP12, McIntosh, and Kharma Exquisite system. It was there we sat down for a chat, starting with reminiscing over our first meeting 19 years ago when Ben was working in a HiFi store in Melbourne, and then moving on to learn more about Ben and his current operation.
The driving force behind forming the Hifi Guru concept started in 2018. Having traveled Australia as a representative for a distributor, Ben was exposed to many retailers around the country. During his travels, he realized that, while South Australia had some level of audio representation, he believed his experience and knowledge would be a great asset to the hifi market of his home state. In particular, he felt that customers based in South Australia would benefit greatly from being able to audition high-end audio gear in their backyards, rather than having to travel to the west or east coasts of Australia.
This realization, coupled with a healthy dose of drive and entrepreneurial spirit, ultimately led Ben to take the leap and establish Hifi Guru. With a rich history in the audio world, including his first Nordost experience back when I met him 19 years ago at Carlton Audio Visual, Ben was up to the challenge of bringing hifi to Adelaide.
One of Ben’s deepest affinities for Nordost products stems from their ability to deliver positive experiences, rigorously backed by scientific principles. He’s a true believer in the philosophy of trusting one’s ears, then validating that experience with scientific understanding. For Ben, Nordost products excel because they “get out of the way of the music”, allowing the music to shine through.
The greatest source of pride for Ben in his business is the satisfaction of his customers. Their happiness is the ultimate testament to Hifi Guru’s mission. However, no business is without its hurdles. The sheer volume of product choices available today is a significant challenge. Ben’s ongoing task is to sift through the plethora of hifi products and identify the right solutions for his customers in a market that is oversaturated with options.
Looking to the future, Ben sees Hifi Guru as an ever-evolving entity. “The world is Hifi Guru’s oyster,” he says with a big smile, emphasizing the business’s adaptability. Hifi Guru’s development is entirely based on its customers’ interests; if they gravitate toward a particular aspect of audio, Hifi Guru learns and responds appropriately. There are no fixed end goals, only a continuous process of learning and adjusting to meet the customer’s needs.
| Address: | 58 King William St Kent Town SA 5067 |
| Phone: | (08) 8122 5652 |
| Email: | ben@hifiguru.com.au |
| Web: | www.hifiguru.com.au |