Reputable dealers?


Does anyone know of any reputable dealers in or around Philadelphia?
kaseapfe
I did business several years back wih Community Audio on Germantown Ave in Chestnut Hill. John spent a lot of time listening to music with me and my wife. He respected the budget I had to work with and loaned me an amp to try at home. If I lived near there now, I'd do business with him again.

http://www.commaudio.com/about_us.html
The Stereo Trading Outlet, Community Audio, and Quest for Sound are three of the better dealers in the area.

Michael
I know that Boston is not around Philadelphia, but if you get up Boston way check out Patrick Demasco at Boston High End. He is a good guy and a reputable dealer. I'm sure you would enjoy doing business with him.
World Wide Stereo, Montgomeryville, PA and in Ardmore. No question. Top notch, highly professional. Gorgeous show rooms. Ask for Chris Clements at the Montgomeryville, PA store. Located on Rt. 309 south. Very easy to get to.
The Cable Company is in New Hope, PA. They have an online website. Call them to see what they have hooked up this month. Really cool high end stuff!
David Lewis Audio is located in the Philadelphia area, and it is one of the few remaining brick and mortar high end audio stores in the country that remains devoted primarily to two-channel audio. I assume that Dave Serota is still there. Dave is a VERY knowledgeable guy who has personal experience with most of the high end two-channel products on the market.
I second David Lewis Audio located in Northeast Philly. Dave Serota is a great guy to deal with. The store is devoted to 2 channel only. Superb selection, great service, and no attitude.
"Superb selection, great service, and no attitude." Are you kidding me?! I have my personal opinions of Dave and his store, but I think that you'll be better served by some of the other shops, such as the ones I mentioned before.

Maybe Joe will chime in here in support of me, like last time. :)

Michael
You rang? Truly deja vu, eh, Michael?

Wow, that's about all I can say. The guy who gets not one, but two recommendations is Davis Lewis Audio? Now, I like most of the dealers on this list, but David Lewis Audio? "great service and no attitude", are you sure you're talking about the same dealership?

As the saying goes, don't get me started. Michael and I met out almost the same thread. When someone jumped up to recommend David Lewis Audio, we had to rail agains that. He once put it as succintly and accurately as it gets, "the guy is just a dick..." Our mutual friend, The Doctor (Mechans) once put it, "If he was dying of thirst, I wouldn't give him the honor of letting him lick the sweat off my balls.", after being given a price of the not so great $3000 on something, followed by the adage, "If you offered me two thousand nine hundred ninety nine dollars and ninety nine sense for it, I would decline."

But, here is the ALL TIMER, a guy in our audio group who buys more stuff than any 10 people put together once called him on the phone about a particular piece of gear and they chatted for a good long while about it. They agreed upon a time the next week where he could come over and audition it. He calls up the day before to confirm everything, and is assured that everything is ready, and that Dave has been looking forward to it. So, on his lunch hour at the agreed upon time, he drives over, shows up in a suit and tie that he wears for work, is greeted by the man himself at the door, who asks in the typical, "Yes???". Our friend introduces himself, and gives the quick background which explains why he's there, expecting Dave to welcome him in the manner most would predict. Instead, Dave tells him he's never heard of him, insists they've never spoken, that he's not welcome in his store (ever see a brick and mortar dealership that you had to jump hoops to get into before?), says good bye, and then slams the door in his face. Classic!!! To this day, whenever he recounts the story, he sits there dumbfounded.

By the way, speaking of The Doctor, one guy in this thread once looked right into our eyes and told the both of us, "this iPod stuff is really incredible - pheonomenally enjoyable, as good as any of this stuff gets." Huh?!? Draw your own conclusions about his opinions.
Not to make this a referendum on Dave Lewis Audio, but I've had nothing but excellent experiences with Dave Serota a/k/a Dave Lewis Audio. He's one of the small handful of brick and mortar dealers I know at this point who has great enthusiasm for, and real knowledge of, high-end and very high-end two-channel gear.
OK well that was a bit more than I expected. I will look into all of the local dealers and see which I like best. Thanks everyone for the input.

Mike
Drive a couple hours to Vernona, New Jersey and visit Audio Connection. See John and his staff.

Every other dealer in this thread pales in comparison to that house.