Daddy-O

The sheer volume of e-mails I receive each day from readers inquiring about this crazy hobby — nay, passion — of mine is definitive proof that, indeed, AudioFile’s advocacy on how sound should be appreciated has been received with great enthusiasm. 

I feel disheartened if I sometimes fail to address my readers’ concerns, and when this column does not appear as regularly as it used to. Please accept my apologies. I run my own company, albeit small, and it is that time of year when my workload peaks. Column-writing is another hobby of mine that often takes a backseat to my bread and butter.

Anyway, the phenomenal comeback of vinyl, turntables, tubed pre-amplifiers and amplifiers worldwide has spawned another fascination among audiophiles and music lovers alike. This time, the rage is vintage audio gadgets. For the past few days, I have been deluged with questions on where to find these gadgets, still in mint condition.

Call it nostalgia or interest in anything retro, but demand for “antiquated” audio equipment has never reached this fever pitch. There’s only one place I know that is a veritable treasure trove of vintage audio gadgets: Daddy J’s Audio Boutique. Droves of audiophiles have already carted off their loot, but the shop has never run out of stock. In case you haven’t been there yet, the shop is at Unit 1, Emmanuel Commercial Center Bldg. 22 J. Elizalde Street, BF Homes Parañaque City.

Fisher, HH Scott, Luxman, Baldwin, Dynaco, Hafler, Carver, Arcam, Nakamichi, Rotel, McIntosh, Cary, Mark Levinson, Accuphase, Krell, Audio Research, Conrad Johnson, Magnepan, B&W, Revel, Epos, Bryston, Creek, Focal JM Labs, Linn, Cayin, Marantz, Dennon, Harman Kardon, Adcom, Jolida, Usher, Kenwood,  Sony, Yamaha…  Do any of these names sound familiar?  These are branded vintage and newer audio gadgets waiting for their rightful owners. You name it, Daddy J has it!

Daddy J is where you find brand-new and pre-owned, affordable, mid-level audiophile audio equipment such as pre- and power amplifiers, integrated amplifiers, floor-standing speakers, bookshelf speakers, subwoofers, interconnects and other audio accessories.

Daddy J is Joe Javier. That has been his moniker even when he was TV-5’s vice president for news and current affairs until his retirement in April of 2009, and when he became IBC-13’s president and CEO until 2010. It was also his pet name at Assumption College in San Lorenzo Village, Makati, where he taught Broadcast Journalism until he took a sabbatical last year.

By the time he retired, Joe had collected three amplifiers and four pairs of speakers: “Listening to music has always been my favorite pastime. In 2011, my wife Alice goaded me to get something more rewarding out of my passion. That was the spark, and from that moment on, everything just fell into place.”

Joe explains how he stocks up. “We source our equipment basically from four points: the US, Canada, China, Europe and Japan. I have been to estate auctions, garage sales, listening studios, brick-and-mortar shops, high-end palaces, electronic shows and many other unusual sources trying to find equipment for our customers.”

Daddy J stands out among other dealers of audio equipment for two reasons: its layaway plan and home trial.

The Easy Lay Away Plan offers zero-percent interest over 90 days. This is a deal that is hard to pass up. With a 25-percent down-payment, Daddy J puts the item back in its box, and seals and stores it. The item is taken out of storage only for another audition or after the final payment has been made.

“Our display inventory is ever-changing,” Joe says. “Should the customer change his mind within the layaway period and decide he wants another item instead, we apply his payment to the price of the new item. In other words, he can make payments and be assured that he can still change his mind within three months and opt for something in the store he finds more desirable.”

The other strategy that Daddy J has adopted has the semblance of a home trial. “We allow customers who intend to purchase, say, a pair of speakers or an amplifier for their system, to pick out up to two items that they can take home to make sure they match with their home system,” Joe explains. “Though limited in time and number of items that can be home-tested, we believe our customers benefit from this scheme by having a better appreciation of the improvement in the quality of the sound of their system should they decide to finalize their purchases.”

Joe still gets a kick out of demonstrating and explaining the merits of the equipment he sells. “I enjoy matching or pairing amplifiers with speakers and vice-versa, explaining the difference between analog and digital systems, or just having listening sessions with our customers,” he says.

For Joe, the reward comes when a customer brings in his favorite CD or vinyl record to play on Daddy J’s system, and discovers how much better it sounds compared to their old setup. “I remember the time one of our customers exclaimed, ‘Why, I never heard that maracas before!’ That kind of surprise makes my day!”

Who could blame him?

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For comments or questions, please e-mail me at audioglow@yahoo.com or at vphl@hotmail.com. You can also visit www.wiredstate.com for quick answers to your audio concerns.