Vintage Stereo Shops

[Mr. Widget]

On a recent thread someone brought up the idea of visiting a shop in LA with vintage gear... there used to be several in Berkeley and a few others scattered around the SF Bay Area, but I'm not sure if any still exist. Since many of us travel for business or while on vacation, I thought it might be interesteing if anyone knew of stores catering to vintage gear in their areas and could share the info with us.

I suppose a listing of friendly traditional Hi Fi shops would be good too. I know we have a few members who own their own brick and mortar shops... feel free to plug them here if you don't mind tire kickers.


Widget

[SEAWOLF97]

I suppose a listing of friendly traditional Hi Fi shops would be good too. I know we have a few members who own their own brick and mortar shops... feel free to plug them here if you don't mind tire kickers.

We have at least 2 decent ones in Portland

http://www.yelp.com/biz/audio-specialties-ltd-portland

I believe that Mr.W has had some work done there ?
He does provide a 90 day , transferable warranty, and on repairs too.

and also ... http://echohifi.com/

who is the former partner of audio specialties and sends his repair work over there.
Echo also supplies the turntables for a local hotel that has one in every room.

Neither specialize in JBL , inventory changes constantly. They are happy to demo. :bouncy:

[Wagner]

On a recent thread someone brought up the idea of visiting a shop in LA with vintage gear... there used to be several in Berkeley and a few others scattered around the SF Bay Area, but I'm not sure if any still exist. Since many of us travel for business or while on vacation, I thought it might be interesteing if anyone knew of stores catering to vintage gear in their areas and could share the info with us.

I suppose a listing of friendly traditional Hi Fi shops would be good too. I know we have a few members who own their own brick and mortar shops... feel free to plug them here if you don't mind tire kickers.


Widget
Who/where were they? I know a lot of the so called "high end" shops have come and gone but wasn't aware we had any "vintage" specialists? (I've only been here since '87 though)

Besides Rich & John @ The Sound Well, who else dealt with/promoted "vintage" in Berkeley?

Most dropped out (purveyors of "previously owned" and "trade ins") when things did truly become "vintage" as to warranty concerns; "used" the operative word (with parts and labor guarantees)

A heavily truncated "The Sound Well" does still exist however; hated to see them (essentially) fold :(
http://www.thesoundwell.com/

[Wagner]

Echo also supplies the turntables for a local hotel that has one in every room.
That sounds very cool!
They have a web page or anyway I can see what they look like?
You ever been there? What level of tables?

[SEAWOLF97]

That sounds very cool!
They have a web page or anyway I can see what they look like?
You ever been there? What level of tables?

http://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/a-hotel-whose-rooms-have-turntables.228475/

http://www.oyster.com/portland/hotels/ace-hotel-portland/

http://www.oyster.com/portland/hotels/ace-hotel-portland/photos/junior-deluxe--v1741120-36/

[Wagner]

http://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/a-hotel-whose-rooms-have-turntables.228475/

http://www.oyster.com/portland/hotels/ace-hotel-portland/
Thanks man

[300_Summit]

If you're ever in the Peoria, IL area, Electronics Diversified (EDI) has nice vintage gear also.

[Challenger604]

Here is one in Ottawa Canada!
I went to visit again last week!

They are still alive since I bought a SAE 2900 pre-amp and the SAE XXXIB 16 years ago...

He has everything!

http://audiomartcanada.webs.com

[Mr. Widget]

Who/where were they? I know a lot of the so called "high end" shops have come and gone but wasn't aware we had any "vintage" specialists? (I've only been here since '87 though)I wasn't talking high end or vintage specialists... simply places where you can go to see and hear and possibly purchase gear that isn't brand new.

Yes, The Sound Well was pretty good, and Recycled Stereo which was kind of a clearing house for Pacific Stereo back in the day was amazing. There was also a place in Santa Cruz and Fairfax (Marin County) that both specialized in used gear and often had interesting pieces.

There was another place on Shattuck between the old Sounding Board and dB Audio but I don't remember the name. (I'm not sure if either of those shops still existed by the time you came to the area.)

Yes, Audio Specialties in Portland is a pretty nice place. Thanks for the recommendation Wolf.


Widget

[Wagner]

I wasn't talking high end or vintage specialists... simply places where you can go to see and hear and possibly purchase gear that isn't brand new.

Yes, The Sound Well was pretty good, and Recycled Stereo which was kind of a clearing house for Pacific Stereo back in the day was amazing. There was also a place in Santa Cruz and Fairfax (Marin County) that both specialized in used gear and often had interesting pieces.

There was another place on Shattuck between the old Sounding Board and dB Audio but I don't remember the name. (I'm not sure if either of those shops still existed by the time you came to the area.)

Yes, Audio Specialties in Portland is a pretty nice place. Thanks for the recommendation Wolf.


Widget
Sorry, I was working from the supposition that the title of the thread was in fact the topic, shops selling "vintage" stereos-or are we talking stores that sell used stereo equipment that are "vintage" stores?

I am all confused now! :frantic:

I wasn't talking high end either in that context, just high end like db Audio (selling used trades and demos) which was a store I visited once in the very early '90s before they closed their doors

There was a store in W.C. that closed in the late '90s and Stereo Unlimited in W.C. just recently close

None of these shops had anything I'd be interested in anyway, just candy ass little Stereophool audio jewelry type crap................except the one in W.C. across the street from the golf pro shop just before you get on the freeway: always had the cheap Grado headphones in stock (made many a Christmas and birthday easy) and most Paradigm models...............point of the ramble is all of their trade in stuff at all of these spots was candy ass trendy toy stuff too

Last real (consumer) JBL dealer I had the pleasure to visit with a REAL showroom by manufacturer was Pair Electronics in Greenville N.C. (opened their doors in 1969 and going strong during the era of the L96, L112) You'd walk into the manufacturer's room and there'd they be, pretty much the whole catalog, at least the consumer line-up. That store sold a LOT of Ohm too which I thought was interesting

Now "Pair's" passes BOTH requirements, but unfortunately NOT concurrently: the family closed the business down for a while and for a time during the late '90s they only dealt with commercial stuff (non-audio) alarms and the like.............fast forward to 2012 or thereabouts and I heard they are a consumer audio store once again but I have no idea what they deal in............so, they just MIGHT have some "vintage" stuff in there for sale (but I doubt it) but are DEFINITELY a "vintage" stereo shop and a re-born one to boot!

Few pro shops around as I am sure you know but inventory is/was (when it was all JBL and EV) pretty poor

Now it's just Guitar Center type junk; plenty of that crap though, made in china stacked to the rafters

Ever visit/deal with Leo's?

[jpw]

Mr. Widget, thanks for the opportunity to plug Audio Video Logic in Des Moines, IA. I founded the store in 1991 and sold it to my two employees of 21 years of service each in early 2015.

I still interact with the guys regularly to help them stay successful running what is still in many ways a 1970's style audio specialty stereo store. We also offer home theater and custom installation to stay relevant with today's mainstream customer. We try very hard to offer the best audio brands along with a better demo and personalized customer service experience while staying competitive with internet pricing. As you can imagine this is not easy but I believe walking this line is why we have managed to remain successful.

Our selection of used equipment comes from both trade-ins as well as customer consignments. Most of our used equipment is not vintage but usually 20 years old or newer.

I am told by our JBL regional sales manager that our on hand to demo JBL inventory is unsurpassed by any other dealer in the US. Currently we stock the 4312E, the Array 880 center, 1000, 1500, 1500N subwoofer, 4429 pro monitor, S3900, S4700, 4367 pro monitor and the DD-67000 Everest's.

We get many audio tourists through our store and are glad to spend time with them whether they buy or not, although many of them eventually become customers.

[Wagner]

Mr. Widget, thanks for the opportunity to plug Audio Video Logic in Des Moines, IA. I founded the store in 1991 and sold it to my two employees of 21 years of service each in early 2015.

I still interact with the guys regularly to help them stay successful running what is still in many ways a 1970's style audio specialty stereo store. We also offer home theater and custom installation to stay relevant with today's mainstream customer. We try very hard to offer the best audio brands along with a better demo and personalized customer service experience while staying competitive with internet pricing. As you can imagine this is not easy but I believe walking this line is why we have managed to remain successful.

Our selection of used equipment comes from both trade-ins as well as customer consignments. Most of our used equipment is not vintage but usually 20 years old or newer.

I am told by our JBL regional sales manager that our on hand to demo JBL inventory is unsurpassed by any other dealer in the US. Currently we stock the 4312E, the Array 880 center, 1000, 1500, 1500N subwoofer, 4429 pro monitor, S3900, S4700, 4367 pro monitor and the DD-67000 Everest's.

We get many audio tourists through our store and are glad to spend time with them whether they buy or not, although many of them eventually become customers.
It is amazing what is still available, and what still works, in real America

Especially in an area or state that the self-perceived sophisticates of the two coasts would never dream it so, and often look down on, thanks to ignorance and stereotypes. Works that way for most of the South; I am originally from a small town on the coastal plains of North Carolina so I know how it goes

The coolest thing is Nathan's story of borrowing $1,500 bucks from his "home town banker" to buy a stereo system; when I read that I had a flash back!

Thanks for that post

Thomas

[speakerdave]

. . . There was another place on Shattuck . . . .

Honest Bob's was on Shattuck.

[10 Watt Street]

Audio Video Choices in Phoenix, AZ for New, Pre-Owned & Vintage Stereo

http://www.audiovideochoices.com

https://www.facebook.com/AudioVideoChoices/

[LowPhreak]

HiTech in Nashville. Mainly repairs, not a stereo shop per se but I've found some decent older stuff there, or things that weren't picked up after repair.


http://www.hitech-electronics.net/index2.aspx