Discovering the Son-Vidéo Strasbourg store with Clément

Located in the heart of the city, the Son-Vidéo.com store in Strasbourg welcomes you at 15 rue de la Nuée Bleue. Clément and his team will provide the best advice on choosing your equipment from the wide range on offer. We asked him a few questions to find out more about his background.

Which music/film experience sparked your passion, and how has it influenced your career?

I started learning music at the age of 3. My first memorable experience was Jimi Hendrix’s concert in Monterey on my father’s VHS when I was 6. I knew right away that the guitar would play a very important role for me. I started learning it at the Conservatoire the following year and haven’t stopped since.

Can you tell us about your career in the hi-fi and home theater industry?

I started at Son-Vidéo.com over three years ago. I was lucky enough to go on a training course in Bordeaux and meet my colleague Audrey, who shared her passion and expertise with me. I already knew a little about hi-fi and home theater, but I remember being dazzled by the amount of solutions on offer in this field… and I still am!

What was the most exciting listening experience you’ve ever had?

Along with some of my colleagues, I was lucky enough to attend the latest High End trade show in Munich. Among the many demonstrations, one listening experience has remained in my mind ever since. I remember rediscovering the sensations of live music, because the soundstage was so natural and the dynamics so impressive. A fine example of musicality. The system consisted of a tube preamplifier and two Jadis tube mono amps, powering a pair of Davis Acoustics The Wall speakers.

Can you give us an example of a customer who was deeply moved by a demo in the store?

I often think of a customer who goes to Corsica every summer to listen to Corsican polyphony choirs. She came to see me to design a system that would enable her to recapture the emotions she feels during concerts in the various places she visits, and whose memories she keeps by buying the artists’ CDs. After a pleasant listening session and discussion, I suggested a configuration that moved her to tears. She thanked me warmly for allowing her to travel and to have the sensation of being in front of the musicians, as she is accustomed to during her stays on the Isle of Beauty. I have very fond memories of that moment.

How do you listen to music at home? Are you team projector or TV?

I mainly listen to HiFi at home. I have an old Marantz 1550L amplifier, which is a bit like my hi-fi madeleine de Proust. It powers a pair of Elipson Planet L speakers. For audio sources, I have a turntable Pro-Ject Debut Carbon and a Marantz CD6007 CD player. I listen to a bit of digital music with Tidal on a Mac associated with an Audioquest Cobalt DAC. As for the TV, it’s a 50-inch LED model, which is more than enough for the use we have at home.

What’s the most innovative product or technology you’ve seen come onto the market recently?

I was impressed by the sound quality of the new soundbar Sennheiser Ambeo mini. The result obtained with a speaker of this size and price range is astounding. Add to this the dedicated subwoofer, and you have a truly immersive, compact, high-quality home theater solution within a reasonable budget.

Can you tell us about a particular piece of equipment or brand sold in your store that you’re particularly enthusiastic about?

I’m particularly fond of the world of vinyl. I’m fascinated by records, both for their covers and for the musical history behind them. The analog aspect from start to finish really appeals to me. We were lucky enough to receive the latest Technics SL 1200 GR2 in the store, with which we were able to put together a beautiful system with a tube amplifier. The result in one of our auditoriums has already impressed many of our customers, who have rediscovered recordings they’ve known since they were first released.

Do you like video games? If so, can you tell us about the importance of image and sound quality in gaming?

I play a few video games. My current experience stops at the Switch and especially Zelda. I used to play on a computer screen and be satisfied with that. I’ve just switched to a TV, and it’s clearly not the same experience. So I’ve started the latest opus all over again, for a much more captivating experience.

How do you advise people looking to buy their first audio or home theater system?

First and foremost, you have to listen to each person who enters the store, and identify their needs perfectly. You also have to explain things, without necessarily going too far into the technical side of things. You also need to reassure. Many customers think they won’t be able to hear the difference between one system and another. However, we are all made in the same way, and capable of feeling the emotions inherent in music or cinema. In my opinion, hi-fi and home theater systems are primarily designed to do just that.

In your opinion, why do Son-Vidéo.com stores have a good reputation?

The Son-Video.com stores are a great opportunity to get closer to music and movie lovers. We are a large family of enthusiasts, and we want to put all our knowledge at your disposal to provide the best personalized solutions for our customers. That’s why we provide demonstrations, as well as the opportunity to listen to and see exceptional equipment in our auditoriums and home theater rooms. We focus on the coherence of the systems we offer, as well as our quality of service, to ensure that every encounter at the store is a complete success.

Visit the Son-Vidéo.com Strasbourg store from Tuesday to Saturday, 10am to 7pm, at 15 rue de la Nuée Bleue.