It all started in Naples.

In the spring of 1995, my wife visited me in Naples, Italy where I was finishing my final assignment at the NATO headquarters prior to retirement.  We were exploring Naples' famous Spanish Quarter as we discussed my post-retirement plans. I was going to start a high-end audio business and had everything in place; product lines, financing, construction permits, etc. Everything that is, except a name for the new business. From her jet-lagged mind came forth "Hi Notes"  and so the store was born.

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From our base in Perry, Georgia, Hi Notes grew to be a supplier of fine audio products to music-lovers around the globe. What a fine time we had...meeting great people, hosting in-store concerts, and representing both well-established and cutting-edge brands. 

 

Alas, all good things had to come to an end as I was recruited to become the president of Spectron Audio, the Class D amplification pioneer. From there, I joined up with two great audio innovators and formed Sonus Research and Design, Inc. which bought to market the world's very first USB DAC under the trade name of Stereo-Link.  I then retired from the electronics industry to become the artistic and general director of two opera companies, the first in North Carolina and the second in New York City.  I will not bore you with the details but for more, please visit here.

 

After retiring from the opera world and then finishing a book on contemporary opera, my wife could see I was getting restless. She said, "you really enjoyed Hi Notes, why don't you do that again?"

 

And so I am.

 

I hope you will place your trust in us just as you did thirty-six years ago. 

 

Thank you,

- Jim Schaeffer