Sitting in the American Leather Clark Recliner is my recommended way to listen to and view any audio or video system. It’s the absolute best way, and let me explain why:
Here’s The Reasoning Based On My Experience
I’ve listened to my audio system for many decades and finally have realized that the listening chair is as important as the audio quality. I’ve been looking for and have tried many high-end listening chairs and finally have found the one that meets all of my requirements:
The American Leather Clark Comfort Recliner
For my audio/video demo chair, I use the Amercian Leather Clark fixed-leg recliner with their top-of-the-line leather in Ellis Chocolate (the J leather grade option).
Due to this leather’s natural characteristic, grain and color may vary from the samples you view, but it’s beautiful no matter how it looks. This is a full aniline-dyed leather and probably the best leather you can use. This 100% top-grain Italian leather creates a soft surface that showcases the inherent characteristics of each hide. Since no hide is exactly alike, each Ellis leather takes on a distinct aesthetic of rich and rugged elegance.
Check out the four grades of leather (at the bottom of this page) to understand why you would use this particular leather rather than a cheaper leather alternative *.
This is the most comfortable chair in the American Leather collection (in my considerable experience and opinion) and the best leather (the J option) to use for this chair. It also provides the best lumbar support for their chairs (the back sticks out 1” beyond the other chairs). It’s also not as slippery as other leather, with an applied surface color. It grips your pants and shirt well.
I highly recommend this chair with this leather choice. It will increase your enjoyment of any audio-video system. Due to its design, universal fit, and beautiful execution, it definitely will expand and improve your sound quality and video-watching experience. It’s impressive that a perfect chair will do this, but it makes sense if you think about it.
Most audiophiles are “missing the boat’. They typically focus on just the components that affect their sound quality without thinking about their chair. Treating the listening room is just as essential but would be 2nd in my book for improvement (not the only and not the first, as most declare).
This recliner chair is essential for being supremely comfortable and properly supported while you listen and watch, which is why I use it.
Anyone scheduling an in-studio appointment will sit in this chair as part of their listening-watching experience. It is now a critical part of my system configuration, even though it’s not considered a standard audio or video component. As a result, it will provide the best experience for both endeavors and receive my highest recommendation.
This recliner has a unique boat-tail design created by American Leather in the US. This pinnacle design is available in their comfort recliner collection in the Clark chair, the Comfort Air chair, and the Como with rocking ottoman. Those are the only two they make that incorporate this design.
I can help you make this purchase since it is a part of my audio-video system, and I’m allowed to sell this chair to you. You’ll have a short wait while it’s built for you, but it is the best thing you can do. If you purchase this chair, you’ll use it for a long time, even if you change your position or room. A short wait is no problem when receiving an archetypal chair that can be used for a long time and in many places.
Buttonless tufting and a modern shape mirror the en-vogue automotive trends of the past.
The shape also echos the Northern Italian speedboat, synonymous with elegance. The tapered silhouette spans from front to back and top to bottom for a fast, sleek look.
Contoured taper arms nearly reach the floor, providing its graceful, timeless silhouette. The plush buttonless tufting on the back and seat cushions offer superior comfort with every move. You no longer need to view huge swaths of leather that show stretch marks. Any stretch marks that occur are now minimal and add to the beauty of this chair rather than detract as in the other chairs.
The tufting provides a much smaller area and reduces large expanses of leather. As this chair ages, the patina will take on a beautiful look instead of the typical stretched old chair appearance that occurs relatively soon after typical chair designs are used.
The Clark recliner allows you to experience the comfort and feel of a high-quality afternoon car or boat ride from the comfort of your listening or viewing room.
Design yours using a vast collection of premium leather and fabric. Choose from four bases, including an all-new stylish natural walnut four-star base. Choose your leg style (disc, pedestal, or fixed wood). Experience first-class comfort with American Leather’s proprietary seat form construction. Other optional features also include the ability to order three chair sizes.
These three designs vary in seat width, height, and backrest height. The tearsheet, free for anyone viewing the American Leather website, shows all the dimensions of each of the three chair forms. 90% of our sales use the RV7-ST model (the one in the middle), the demo chair size you sit in in our studio.
Sit in this chair. I’ll explain whether it fits you and how it works, and then you’ll experience the best you can while listening to and viewing any system I recommend or even the one you currently own.
The Clark recliner is the best you can purchase and is one of my highly recommended audio components.
What leather and fabrics are available from American Leather?
Check out the available leather offerings:
Leather Swatches
Check out the available fabric offerings:
Fabric Swatches
What are the four grades of leather?
Leather is generally categorized into four primary grades based on the quality and the processing methods used:
a. Full-Grain Leather: This is the highest-quality leather made from the top layer of the animal hide. It retains its natural grain pattern and has not been sanded or corrected. Full-grain leather is known for its durability, breathability, and beautiful patina that develops over time.
b. Top Grain Leather: This is the second-highest quality leather, made from the layer below full-grain leather. The surface is sanded and finished to remove imperfections, resulting in a more uniform appearance. Top-grain leather is more pliable and less durable than full-grain leather, but it still offers a high level of quality.
c. Genuine Leather: This grade includes leather made from the lower layers of the hide, which have been split from the top layers. Genuine leather may be sanded, embossed, or finished to improve appearance. It is less durable and breathable than full-grain or top-grain leather but is more affordable.
d. Bonded Leather: The lowest grade of leather, bonded leather, is made from leather scraps and fibers bonded together using adhesives and finished to resemble genuine leather. It is less durable and breathable and often needs more natural characteristics of higher-grade leathers.
How do you care for quality leather?
The best way to get your leather to last long is to apply a coat of leather conditioner every six months or so to the surface of your piece. Here is what I use (purchased from the Amazon website):
