It’s never a fun experience when a company suddenly closes up shop; it is even worse when the products are well made and consumers love using them. In May 2023, Como Audio ceased operation after just 7 years. Despite strong sales, COVID supply chain issues made it impossible to fulfill demand and continue operations.
In the aftermath of the announcement and closure, the staff received a steady flow of emails from customers expressing their disappointment over the closure and their understandable concerns about the continued operation of their music systems and how to get support going forward.
We have good news for all of you. Sorta. It’s a glass half-full scenario.
Peter Skeira, former Como Audio General Manager and V.P. of Product Development, who has also previously worked with B&W, Rotel, and Cambridge SoundWorks and runs his own Internet Radio Station: Wind Chime Radio, has come forward to offer Como owners a way to continue to enjoy their products.
What is Being Offered
Technical Support: This consists of answering questions, troubleshooting, and providing advice and guidance regardless of how many units a person owns.
Como Tips: Access to monthly “Como Tips” that highlight features users may not be aware of or didn’t know how to use. These include how to improve FM reception, change the time display, and access HD Radio stations.
Como News Updates: News all Como Audio customers should be aware of like the status of the Como Control apps (tried to download the Como Control iOS app lately?) and the popular “My Favorites” feature which is set to be removed in many radios early next year. Customers will only find this important information here.
Recommended Stations: Access to recommended stations where Peter spotlights a standout Internet radio station selected from 70,000+ radio stations every month.
How much?
The support service for Como owners is available exclusively on Patreon. It costs $3 per month (Elite) and a 7-day free trial is offered to all new supporters. There’s also a $1 level for non-Como Audio customers to access monthly, hand-picked Recommended Stations.
Caveats
- Product exchanges, repairs, or parts sales are not offered.
- Although this service is not official, Como Audio’s former CEO endorses it.
Related Reading
- Como Audio Launches Kickstarter for Next-Gen Tabletop Radio
- New Como Audio Speaker Invites You to Take It Outside
- Como Audio Does Old School Vinyl with a Wireless Twist
Tom Gillett
December 12, 2023 at 10:27 pm
Is Tom divested?
Neil
December 6, 2024 at 4:42 pm
Another reason why you should use a PC when listening to internet radio. Use a PC to connect to a stream, and then connect it to a radio like this. If you are gonna spend that kind of money, it is cheaper to buy a PC and a stereo receiver.
Drew
December 12, 2024 at 3:08 pm
I came across this article/site while doing a search after my Como Audio Solo lost its ability to connect to the network. Despite attempts to connect to both my guest and main Wi-Fi networks (which the Solo does “see”), the Solo does not connect to the Wi-Fi network. Before I learned from this article that Como Audio went out of business (I never used their app or online features—just what was directly available on the Solo) from this article, I did a reset to see if that would clear up the Wi-Fi problem. Now, it appears that I am stuck with the Solo with its original firmware. All other features are functional with the exception of the inability to get online. Could this Wi-Fi issue be related to Como Audio going out of business, or is it possible that something happened to the Wi-Fi module in the solo (power surge??)? If the former, is there anywhere that I can download the most recent firmware and possibly install it via a USB thumb drive? Sad to hear the company’s demise. It’s been a very useful kitchen radio. We loved using it for the international internet radio stations that we would match with our meals.