Favourite / most impressive audio store


High-end audio (retail, storefront operation) high-end emporiums can thrill or frustrate with equal ease! My favourite store is "Applause Audio" on Queen Street East in Toronto, Ontario. Rob, the owner, always has a moment for those who walk in and has solid, well-founded opinions that are not forced on a prospective customer. In his funky, warm space analog and digital are well represented, everything is labelled and priced, and a useful "pre-owned" section is displayed prominently! (I'm not looking for testimonials or bad-mouthing....just your honest experiences).

P.S. for vintage stuff Steve's "Ring Audio" farther along Queen East cannot be beaten!
stereokarter
Hi Fi sound in Minneapolis Minnesota is by far my favorite place to shop. The owner, Scott is a pleasure to deal with and his reccomendations have really helped me get the most out of my system.
I think what makes a good shop is the people who work there. I have tried the other Hi End shops here in the metro area and at each one I had a terrible time getting even an acknowledgment while walking into their store. I remember standing in a store that shall remain nameless and waiting 35 minutes for even one salesperson to say hello. The retail actvity consisted of 2 salesman trying to sell a guy with a $340 receiver $185 Kimber interconnects. Another salesmen was attempting to sell a Mark Levinson system (85K) to a couple who had come in for a Sony Mini system. Meanwhile, I wandered around with 3K in my pocket ready to purchase a CDP that day. Finally, a salesmen came over and said he would be over in a minute. I asked him to audition the EMC 1. He told me the player was OK and was in reality a very SLOW player. He was a complete jack ass know it all. So on top of waiting 35-40 minutes to get even a hello they didn't have the player in the store and I had a pompous jack ass telling me what I was hearing. Another salesmen on the way out told me he would like to take my name and number and give me a call when it came back in for an audition. Needless to say they never called.
Scott at Hi Fi sound called about 2 weeks latter and asked me how my system was going. Told him about my experience and he hooked me up with an Arcam FMJ23. Upgraded me to the EMC1 as soon as it came in and needless to say I have never purchased anything locally from another dealer. It is nice to find a dealer who respects the people he does business with. Unfortunatley that is a rarity in the Audio business. StereoLand is also a good place to shop. Ron is an outstanding guy as well. Other than that, most of the other dealers around here are junk.

HATS OFF to HI FI SOUND MPLS!
PROGRESSIVE AUDIO Columbus Ohio
Like Slowhand, I live 2 hours away, but it's worth the drive - I don't know what could get me to buy anywhere else. The store has great listening rooms, they have great gear at all price points, give you all the time in the world to listen, and the staff and the owner are great people. I stop in to say hi whenever I'm in columbus, and once or twice a year I walk out with something.
My favorite audio store is one I have never seen but hope to soon. It is hifi farm. Steve davis and his crew are amazing in their scope of equipment, their ability and their knowledge. Steves love of music and audio reproduction is amazing. They have been vastly more helpful than most stores have been that are within my area. I have only seen the store in pictures but it looks great and friends that have been there rave about it. Gary
LYRIC HI FI NYC and White Plains N.Y.The man who started it all MIKE KAY The pioneer in this business.Love him or not no one can or has lasted in this crazy hobby as long as mike.Any manufactuer in the world no's that mike is the man.If you are lucky to live in the greatist city in the world go see mike.
KJG, is right on about individual staff vis a vis a store. My long time favorite was Innovative Audio in Brooklyn, New York. They and I have since moved, so I can't speak on them currently. If all is still well, ask for Bob.