Anyone Remember the Stereo Mail order Houses

[Tarheel]

I remember two or three from the 70s. One in the northeast, another called Illinois Audio, one called Warehouse Sound and another in San Luis Obispo. Ordered several components including a Pioneer SX1280 and never had a damaged order. I guess they are gone now?

[ClaudeJ1]

I remember two or three from the 70s. One in the northeast, another called Illinois Audio, one called Warehouse Sound and another in San Luis Obispo. Ordered several components including a Pioneer SX1280 and never had a damaged order. I guess they are gone now?

Apparently they got severely damaged themselves.

[garyrc]

I remember two or three from the 70s. One in the northeast, another called Illinois Audio, one called Warehouse Sound and another in San Luis Obispo. Ordered several components including a Pioneer SX1280 and never had a damaged order. I guess they are gone now?

From the late '50s and '60s: Burstyn-Apelebe (spelling ??), Allied, etc. The manufacturers' specs were often wildly exaggerated.

Now we have Audio Advisor, which carries some good equipment. There is another one -- the name escapes me ... they have a really thick catalog -- that actually sells Klipsch (if they still do).

[Sancho Panza]

Remember Illinois Audio; buy copy of Stereo Review for ads, call & order by cc

[tigerwoodKhorns]

J&R Music in NYC, they are still around. Used to have ads in "Stereo Review." I remember reading Stereo Review in college library in the late 1980's every day waiting for my ride. They loved EVERY piece of equipment that they reviewed. Every last one of them. Ah the good ole' days.

Crutchfield has now been around for a long time. In the 1990's they sold car stereo at a discount, not everything that they sell seems to be full retain, how do they stay in business?

[Tarheel]

Ordered a Pioneer SX727, a Pioneer PL-12D from the large warehouses and bought some Nova 8s from Radio Shack.....thought I had something

1973 or so moved up to a SX1280 and added a Teac R2R both from warehouses....was sure I had something...

Then ordered Marantz 250 mono blocks.......so on and so on.

Even had a dust bug.

Loved the warehouse prices....look at there catalogs hours on end.

[RickFL]

That brings back memories. Here is

a link: http://wegavision.pytalhost.com/

[DizRotus]

International Hi-Fi in Baltimore, MD was my source for most of my equipment,as well that of my friends. It was the mail order arm of Stansbury Stereo, now bankrupt and gone. International Hi-Fi recruited college reps to sell on many campuses.

In 1974/75 I lived in Annapolis, MD and purchased a Dynaco ST-400 kit from Underground Hi-Fi, which was even less expensive and more bare bones than International Hi-Fi or the like. If memory serves, Underground Hi-Fi was operated out of a house in Glen Burnie, MD. The "catalog" was a few mimeographed pages. You paid a small premium specific to each card if a credit card was used. In those days, UPS wouldn't deliver a single item weighing more than 50#; the ST-400 kit weighed ~ 55#.. Underground Hi-Fi got around the extra expense of common carrier freight by opening the box and removing the transformer, which was in a separate box. Of course you had to sign a waiver authorizing them to open the new factory sealed box. Of course the UPS driver carried both boxes to your door at once.

There were quite a few "fly-by-night" mail order stereo retailers. It was a common practice for dealers to wait until several orders for a specific item, such as a cartridge, to be placed before the dealer made a purchase from its supplier. Brick & mortar retailers had a hard time competing with some kid in his parents' basement who had no overhead, no inventory and often no scruples.

In my experience, if you walked into a brick & mortar retailer with a legitimate mail order quote, they would match it or come close. I never wasted a retailer's time or played with their floor samples, if I knew I would order by mail or phone.

Edited December 26, 2013 by DizRotus

[iRONic]

No DAK customers here???

[iRONic]

[iRONic]

[Mighty Favog]

That's where my Click and Pop Assassin came from (also SAE).

[Mighty Favog]

....and bread maker...