I've ordered from them. They're perfectly respectable. Their used and demo stuff is often quite affordable. Their new stuff isn't any cheaper than anyone else, 95% of the time. They've been helpful to me on the phone a couple of times. If that doesn't sound like an enthusiastic endorsement, it's only because online audio dealers aren't necessarily cheaper or easier to work with than your local dealer, and it's often harder to deal with problems if you have to take the trouble to ship something back, rather than take it to a local place.

I think you're probably better off buying components from a local dealer, if you have one, but Audio Advisor, Music Direct, Todd the Vinyl Junkie, Acoustic Sounds, Needle Doctor, etc. are perfectly good Internet/mail order places. Some of the above do have good or great stuff that isn't in your local store (eg, Todd has very nice headphone amps, Music Direct, because they own MFSL, gets Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs stuff quicker and sometimes cheaper than everyone else, Audio Advisor has a slightly cheaper exclusive version of the Nitty Gritty record cleaning machine, etc.).

I've dealt with HCM Audio and I found them to be very pleasant and helpful. Their sale and demo items are pristine and worth buying at a substantial discount. I've also dealt with Spearit They're also fine, although you have to do more work to find really good deals with them than you do with HCM, but they have a wider selection.

I've never made a mail order purcase, so I can't comment there.

As for Music Hall, great equipment. I purchased the 25.2 amp ad cdp...very musical. Good recommendations from the Stereophile equipment ratings.

I think they are a good source. Decent prices all things considered, esp. on wire. I've also had very good experience with Needledoctor.com (which carries a bit of everything high-end)- great service. Music Direct and Acoustic Sounds are also good online stores.

In general I am against getting demos at a brick and mortar store and then buying for a few bucks cheaper online. Supporting your local dealer and economy will pay off in the end. I'll buy some items online without a demo if I feel I have sufficient experience with a brand or line.

They're a good source, as are the others mentioned in the thread.

Of all things, if possible, I'd try to purchase a TT from a brick and mortar dealer that you can visit. Mine beat the online prices when I bought a Pro-ject RM10 with Sumiko Blackbird cartridge. Set up of the cartridge is something a dealer should be better at than you.

Dave

Keep in mind also that many on-line stores also have a physical store. For example, the Needle Doctor has been around for years and has a great small store staffed by knowledgeable people. (Minneapolis, MN).

Harry and Capri Mayburn(sp?) of HCM audio (how did they come up with this name?) also will demo equipment (Chico, CA).

Audio Advisor is completely legit and readily honors its return policy. I wouldn't hesitate to buy from them if you choose to do so.

Another satisfied AA customer. I have never purchase a really big ticket item, but have bought quite a few items over the years, and they have always been first rate in terms of customer service.

I recently had to cancel an order after finding out after the order was placed that the item I was looking for was actually backordered. They took care of it w/o any questions.

BTW, their catalog girl is also pretty cute.

Brian

I've had nothing but good experiences w/ Audio Advisor. Their shipping is quick and their customer service, by email or phone, is excellent. They have very good prices on equipment lines that are about to be superseded by new models.

I've had one transaction w/ Needle Doctor and they were good too. They had a "trade-in" deal on a phono cartridge I wanted and it saved me 50% or more of the price. Also, they sent the new cartridge first, and then I followed up by sending my old one to them, in their supplied box - so no downtime for my record playing.

Good experiences here with Audio Advisor, Music Direct, and HCM.

Dang, here I am three days a week in Chico, and I forgot to go to HCM!

D'oh!

Just ordered a CD rack from Audio Advisor. Will let you guys know how it goes.

Quote:
Just ordered a CD rack from Audio Advisor. Will let you guys know how it goes.

Hey Alex, was it that $1,500 fancy glass rack?

Ha! I wish. That fancy glass rack is a Schroers and Schroers rack. I love Schroers stuff. If you're not familiar with their audio/video racks, here's a link:

Schroers & Schroers

My TV stand came from them and I have bought a lot of wire from them, all a good deal. A very professional operation.

Got my CD rack the other day from Audio Advisor. There was minor damage to the corners of the side panels, which I think occurred during shipping. It wasn't an issue to me because the side corners would be covered by the top once everything is installed. There were also half of the shelves were missing. I think that was a Sanus problem since it was missing within the overall package. I called AA about it. They told me that quite a few people were calling about this issue. They said they will send additional shelves some time this week. I'll keep you posted.

Keep us posted. I am gently shopping for more storage space as well.

I just ordered a Can-Am CD/DVD Storage Unit. It'll be three weeks or so before it's in.

It amazes me how few choices there are for CDs, other than open-air style storage racks. I like drawers and high capacity.

Dave

I agree. Most of the CD storage look like crap. If you want something that's furniture grade and looks half way decent, you're S.O.L.

It had been a week and I heard absolutely nothing from AA. I called again on Saturday and I was told that I should speak to Bobbie Joe about it. They transferred me to her voice mail and I left a message. I got an e-mail today from her saying that the shelves were ordered from Sanus on 6/24 and should be at my house today. I'm glad they jumped on it as soon as they heard there was a problem, but I wish they had communicated with me regarding the status. In any event, I'll keep you guys posted to let you know what happens.

I have a friend who makes custom furniture from scratch. Beautiful work.

Since I'm his friend, he expects me to deal with and understand how he needs to be paid more than he regularly receives....and be that one who pays him more. After all, I'm his friend, right? Such is life.

I bought an audio rack from them and the whole transaction was perfectly smooth. I have also contacted them once or twice with questions about other products, got a rapid and well-informed answer. I would be happy to buy from them in the future.

The shelves came in on Monday, so we're all set. I found that AA was very quick to get the missing shelves from Sanus, they got on top of that pronto. The only thing they forgot was to let me know that they were on the case. If I hadn't called, I wouldn't have known they were on top of the situation. Perhaps that's where they stand to improve somewhat - customer communication.