Richard Goldsmith

With deep sadness, we share the news that our beloved founder Richard Goldsmith left us on 14th May 2026 after succumbing to cancer. 

Richard was cremated on the 16th June in a family service on the Isle of Wight where he had settled after his retirement from Audio Gold. 

There will be a live music event  in celebration of Richard’s life later this year to which his extended family of friends are all invited.  If you’d like to hear about that then please rsvp to all AudioGold channels to add to our growing guest list and for more information to be sent to you when it takes shape. 

Richard began AudioGold way back in 1992, collecting machines from boot sales and Loot small ads and servicing them in his original shop in Park Road next to the Banners restaurant that started that year too.  Above is a lovely picture of Richard at his bench in the old shop, stitched multiple 15mm lens photo by Will Pearson. His vision was to revive and honour the fantastic kit, British and Japanese mostly from 70’s & ‘80’s,  saving it from landfill and providing people with fabulous sounding hifi systems for a fraction of new. It’s a philosophy of course that has underpinned AudioGold through the years. 

Richard took AudioGold to it’s current site in an old Barclays Bank, in 2001, setting the scene for AudioGold to grow into the much loved brand it is today. It was a bold move at a time when vinyl was still in the doldrums and the streaming revolution was yet to happen. HiFi was really at it’s nadir. Richard persevered repairing and selling vinyl turntables and slowly forming a record shop and, perhaps not too strong to credit him with a very significant part in the revivification of the vinyl format.  

Richard was a passionate champion of grass roots music and invested much of his time and resources in supporting young musicians, making connections, putting on small local events, providing instruments, equipment and logistical support to so many. 

-- Richard with IJahman Levi @ Audiogold. Circa 2010 --

Richard will be deeply missed by the AudioGold family and all those who encountered him here and elsewhere, for his  unique warmth & charm, generosity of spirit, big heart and glorious eccentricity. He was entirely one of a kind and our world is much diminished without him.  

Richard was a great lover of the Red Squirrel and donations are invited to the Isle of Wight Red Squirrel trust.   https://iowredsquirreltrust.co.uk/