Vote

Listen Up in Denver, CO, is great. Wait a minute—it's the ONLY place. Never mind.

Home Audio, Lisle, IL

They know what sounds correct and how to set up a system.

Soundex, Willow Grove, PA.

Pacific Coast Audio Video

Denver Post wantads Can't possibly afford the stuff I really want, NEW so I settle for second best (hand).

Bill Crane Audio in L.A. Bill has been more than a dealer looking for a sale. He has given me some serious advice about equipment and products he carries and products he doesn't. His prompt service, confidence, extreme packaging, and follow-up at, during, and after a sale are fantastic. We are some thousand miles away (I live in Puerto Rico), but he make his clients feel as if they are living across the street. Way to go, Bill!!

Sound and Cinema, Dunwoody, GA

HiFi Farm. Steve Davis, the owner, has an incredible knack for knowing your flavor of sound. He also walks the extra mile to provide topnotch service. Wish there was a dealer like him here in Tucson. Thanks, Steve!

Angie from American Sound of Canada in Richmond Hill, Ontario—I would highly recommend anyone in the greater Toronto area to give her a visit. She is a real pleasure to deal with.

Hudsons Audio, Albuquerque, NM; The Candyman, Santa Fe, NM

Audio One in Concord, Ontario. They extensively test everything they sell, and all their staff is competent and curteous! They easily know where to point you, whatever your price range, and, although they are a fairly busy store, they remember your name.

Stereo Unlimited in Walnut Creek, CA. They have a well-educated sales staff primarily made up of the store's owners. In my dealings with them over the past years they are interested in cultivating relationships, not just the quick sale of the most recently reviewed audio components. Ultimately they are interested in satisfying their customers' desire to re-create fine music within a variety of budget constraints (for those who have them and those who don't). They provide a relaxed, no-pressure environment in which to audition components in a variety of configurations. They go the extra mile for their customers in providing service that no Web-based business could hope to duplicate. I have purchased a number of audio components from them, and plan to do so in the future. Kudos.

Audio Advice in Raleigh, NC, and Premier Audio/Video in Charlotte, NC. Both places have allowed me to listen just for the sake of listening. At Audio Advice, they even let me listen to a system with Revel Salon loudspeakers, Mark Levinson equipment, and the new Sony SACD player. I can't afford any of it, but I think it is cool that a hi-fi shop wants people to hear how successfully a good system can represent music!

Stereotypes in Portland, OR—almost solely focused on two-channel. I've bought almost all of my electronics there, with more to come.

Audio Unlimited: good service, good prices, friendly staff.

Audio Images, Allentown, PA. Always gave me good advice, never a hard sell, and, in general, nice guys.

World Wide Stereo in Montgomeryville, PA on Route 309 has been very impressive regarding their sales people (Dan Curelli is the person I have dealt with for several years) and upgrade policy. Dan has been helpful and honest, and the store policy allows upgrades within one year with full credit toward upgraded components. Since they carry mid-fi through high-end (Thiel, C-J, Adcom, Denon), they provided an incremental path for me to reach the high end, based on budget and ability, to appreciate better equipment the more I listened. Without this migration path and Dan's advice, I would not have reached a true high-end stereo audio system. I have also been pleased with their competitive prices and their service.

Superior Sound, Grand Rapids, MI—Jeff Organ has been very helpful, both in bringng true high-end gear to western MI, and to providing every assistance to me. Class A!

Access to Music, Bob Sheldon, owner, 2207 Larkspur Landing Circle, Larkspur, CA 94939. Tel: 415-461-1568. Bob has great ears and loves what he does. Unlike many other dealers, he doesn't make you feel there is only one right way (their way), and doesn't push products. He does, however, put together great-sounding systems for you to listen to at your leisure.

Ambrosia (in So-Cal). Being a northern Californian college student, it took me a year or so of scattered (but long) visits to make a speaker (and amp) selection, and they were curteous the entire time.

Perhaps a better way to phrase the question would have been who has been the least arrogant and pretentious... Fortunately for most dealers the love of music is a universal passion, otherwise they'd have starved to death long ago. I know of few hobbies where people can be treated so shabbily and still come back for more.

Sun Audio, Germany—Not really an audio dealer, but an audio distributor. They distribute here in Germany Mark Levinson, Thiel, Revel, Proceed, and my favorite, Bryston. Sun Audio are the best distributors in Germany, no question.

LaRoy's FiveFinger Midnight Audio Supply. Got an almost new 8-track for $5 back in the 'Seventies.

Archive Audio, Bob Kirk always gives great advice based on your specific system needs.

Had one three years ago. Now buy second-hand equipment on the Web.

I actually have 2 dealers I like to deal with. Alma's Hi-Fi of Dearborn, MI, and Audio Video Showcase of Ann Arbor, MI. They both carry a variety of manufacturers, so I can check out a broad range of gear. The service at both establishments is topnotch, and the knowledgeable staff are always ready to listen to my questions.

Audioport, Ltd. in Overland Park, KS. Very friendly, and sell some remarkable equipment.

Audio Nexus—Not only are they technically knowledgeable and pleasant to talk with, but they listen to music too.

Van L. Speakerworks in Chicago is more than a little peculiar, but I wouldn't go anywhere else. Not only have I come to respect Ricardo's golden ear more than my own, but they have treated me right in every way—price, home demos, recommendations, and just hanging out in the listening rooms. When Audible Illusions was seriously jerking me around over a repair this last year, Van L. lent me their demo Modulus 3 at least half a year and finally just outright replaced my unit when it came back still with some minor twitches.