Vinyl revival helps turn 30-year-old Scottish hi-fi firm into £3.5m business

Loud & Clear, founded by Allan Boyd in 1996, has grown into a specialist hi-fi retailer attracting customers from across the UK and beyond, while remaining firmly rooted in Scotland, which still accounts for more than three-quarters of its business. Turnover at the firm, which opened an Edinburgh branch in 1999, is expected to reach a record £3.5 million this year as a new generation of music lovers discovers vinyl and high-quality home audio.

It comes as vinyl continues its resurgence, thanks in part to Generation Z, with UK sales rising 13.9 per cent in the first nine months of 2026 compared with the same period last year, according to figures reported by Music Week. There has also been renewed interest in CDs and even cassette tapes in recent years.

Loud & Clear, whose Glasgow store is located on St Vincent Street, has built its success by expanding its range of premium audio equipment and services, encompassing price points from a few hundred pounds to tens of thousands, and spanning the likes of turntables, amplifiers, loudspeakers and digital music streamers. The firm now employs 17 full and part-time staff, with most having worked there for more than a decade and nearly half for more than 20 years.

The business, which also sells new records and accessories, has built a community around its stores, hosting intimate live gigs, album launches and exclusive events where customers can meet audio manufacturers and engineers.

Bank of Scotland has supported Loud & Clear since its early years, providing commercial mortgage facilities that enabled the business to purchase its trading premises, alongside overdraft facilities to support day-to-day operations and growth. The bank renewed the company’s Glasgow and Edinburgh overdraft facilities in September, continuing a relationship spanning three decades.

Boyd said: “Thirty years ago, I could never have imagined what Loud & Clear would become, but I’m incredibly proud of what we've built and the people who've been part of that journey.

“Music has always been at the heart of what we do and it’s brilliant to see younger people discovering vinyl. On a Saturday morning we might have students buying their first record player, and there’s something really encouraging about seeing that enthusiasm for music being passed on to another generation.

“Even after 30 years, I still get a buzz when someone puts on a favourite record and suddenly hears something they’ve never noticed before. That’s what it’s all about, and as we look ahead I’d love Loud & Clear to become an even bigger part of Scotland’s music scene.”

Richie Paul, relationship manager at Bank of Scotland, added “It’s fantastic to see a business like Loud & Clear celebrating 30 years on the Scottish high street, particularly when the retail landscape has changed so much over that time.

“What stands out about Allan and the team is their passion for what they do. They’ve created somewhere people want to spend time and share their love of music.”