Royster Posted June 22, 2005 Share Posted June 22, 2005 I can recall a number of posts that deal with sub par or just plain rip off shops. But I don't recall seeing one that talked about the really great ones. Not just because of the brands that they did or did not deal. But because of the help, advise, and personel that worked there. Flash back to early late 70's through mid 80's to: Stereo systems: (had stores in Aurora,IL, Joliet, IL and one that I don't recall) What a good group of guys, Bob B, and the other Bob helped me many a time. Here takes this home, try it (even though they knew I could not even afford to pay for parking. lol) Hifi Hutch: (Villa Park, IL) a good Klipsch dealer at the time. Wish I had a really great HIFI shop in this area. What say ye? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dgb Posted June 22, 2005 Share Posted June 22, 2005 Paul and Tony's, a local place, has excellent staff who have been there a very long time. At least one of the two owners is always there (Paul and/or Tony, oddly enough) and two of there sales people have been there at least 10 years. Unfortunately they carry mostly HT stuff from Sony, Yamaha, Onkyo and Paradigm speakers. Not a whole lot in the way of sources (almost all DVD or universal players) and only the very cheapest turntable stuff. Essentially they have had to go the HT route to stay alive, but offer stuff that is of better quality than Ciruct City or Beast Blop. Sony ES, Onkyo Intergra, nice selection of TVs, but really no 2 channel stuff anymore. They do carry a few Rotel pieces and maybe two B&W examples which they can order, but not much to audition. Used to carry Klipsch but in Paul's words, "wives don't like Klipsch speakers, too big". He used to own Cornwalls and even his wife made him get rid of them! Gary's Electronics was another great store back in the 80s and early 90s (sold out to HI-Fi house and then went under) that carried all the great mid-fi stuff (Nakamichi, Luxman, Sansui, Yamaha) had a nice smattering of high end (always remember the 1 HORSEPOWER Threshold Amp they had) and was a Tapers paradise. Carried all the Nakamichi decks, Luxman, Denon, Pioneer, Yamaha. Every type of blank tape you could imagine was there and they would even let you test record on their decks. Of course, they carried Klipsch and by default would demo sources on Cornwalls since they really got the "Truth" out of the set up. Heck, the guy (Gary, again, oddly enough) even let me take home a $300 cartridge to demo with no deposit or anything (I'm assuming since I was a regular and bought scads of stuff there). The guy had an absolute vendetta against Sony and would never sell the stuff and even had articles exposing Sony's cheap USA products and their executives low opinion of the American consumer. Even had a poster of the Sony top exec at the time with an FBI Most Wanted banner. At CC and BB you're lucky if you get a salesperson who knows the difference between a watt and ohm, much less an informed opinion. I asked one guy at BB if they had a SACD player (about 1.5 years ago I guess) and he looked at me like I had a penis sticking out of my head. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScorpsFan Posted June 22, 2005 Share Posted June 22, 2005 Royster, Gotta agree with you on Hi Fi Hutch, I bought my first Nakamichi and Klipsch system there (still have 'em) Vinnie was very knowledgeable and always came up with a great deal. As for a local store with similar values, I've found that you will have to drive a bit to Simply Stereo in Schaumburg, they have the same small stereo store expertise and are the closest in style to the Hi Fi Hutch of days gone by. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryC Posted June 22, 2005 Share Posted June 22, 2005 Wanna go way back? In the 1960s, High Fidelity Unlimited in Portland Oregon carried a prestigious and comprehensive range of components: Marantz, McIntosh, Scott, Fisher, Sherwood, Fairchild, Klipsch, JBL, Goodmans, Ampex, Concertone, Thorens, SME, numerous cartridges including ESL and Fairchild as well as Shure and Empire, etc. Larry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Royster Posted June 22, 2005 Author Share Posted June 22, 2005 ---------------- On 6/22/2005 5:03:06 PM ScorpsFan wrote: Royster, Gotta agree with you on Hi Fi Hutch, I bought my first Nakamichi and Klipsch system there (still have 'em) Vinnie was very knowledgeable and always came up with a great deal. As for a local store with similar values, I've found that you will have to drive a bit to Simply Stereo in Schaumburg, they have the same small stereo store expertise and are the closest in style to the Hi Fi Hutch of days gone by. ---------------- I will have to check it out. What lines do the sell? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
picky Posted June 22, 2005 Share Posted June 22, 2005 In the past: I remember the Tin Ear Sound Company on South Virginia Street in Reno, Nevada. Bought my first pair of ADS L-810's there in 1976. I still have them. They also carried Dahlquist speakers. I fell in love with a pair of DQ-10's but never could afford them back then. I doubt the store is still there, however. In the present, I enjoy dealing with Alma's HiFi & Stereo in Dearborn, Michigan. Woody is their Manager. Nice guy & very knowledgable. They are a Klipsch Dealer and do carry the Heritage Line. They also carry McIntosh, B&W, Martin Logan and others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j-malotky Posted June 22, 2005 Share Posted June 22, 2005 Roy I feel sorry for people who never get to hear Heritage Klipcsh since all the dealers in the area are lightweight whimps and don't know black from white. Reading the "Where did you first hear Klipsch" thread, reminded me of the days when Flanners in Mayfair had there back rooms full of Klipsch and McIntosh. No More!!!! Are you looking for somewhere to buy Klipsch Heritage in Wisconsin? I am friends with the local Cinema / Pro dealer. He also sells Heritage. He knows his stuff, but does not have a showroom. JM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul cbc Posted June 22, 2005 Share Posted June 22, 2005 ---------------- On 6/22/2005 5:12:11 PM LarryC wrote: Wanna go way back? In the 1960s, High Fidelity Unlimited in Portland Oregon carried a prestigious and comprehensive range of components: Marantz, McIntosh, Scott, Fisher, Sherwood, Fairchild, Klipsch, JBL, Goodmans, Ampex, Concertone, Thorens, SME, numerous cartridges including ESL and Fairchild as well as Shure and Empire, etc. Larry ---------------- Larry, I'm from Portland. A bit before my time, but where were they located? Sounds like it was a great store! paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicholtl Posted June 22, 2005 Share Posted June 22, 2005 The earliest I can go back is Good Guys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryC Posted June 22, 2005 Share Posted June 22, 2005 ---------------- On 6/22/2005 7:46:22 PM paul cbc wrote: Larry, I'm from Portland. A bit before my time, but where were they located? Sounds like it was a great store! paul ---------------- It was a great store! They were very strong on Klipsch, and where I first heard K-horns, playing the sensational Mercury recording of Saint-Saens Organ Symphony. Marantz was preferred over other pre/amp electronics. It was located right at the beginning of S.W. Sam Jackson Park Rd, on the left as it begins climbing the hill. With the medical school on top of the hill, it was strategically located to tap the favorable academic medical market. Long gone, unfortunately. Larry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skonopa Posted June 22, 2005 Share Posted June 22, 2005 The Tweeter here in Fredericksburg was a good store (and still is). I've always had good service with these guys. There is a fairly new shop here, Raven Hi-Fi and Home Theater. They got some serious stuff there, including Klipsch and B&K (go figure that the Tweeter also no longer carries B&K)! I went in there to check them out, and right upon entering the shop, I was greeted by a pair of cherry RF-7s hooked up to a Conrad-Johnson tube set and a Cambridge Audio Azure 640c CD player. Very nice. I got talking with the (I believe) was the owner (cannot remember his name right off the top of my head, but I do have his card), and seemed to be a very friendly and knowledgable guy. I told him what I had as far as my current setup and that I do need to eventually get a dedicated pre/pro. He sounded impressed with my setup, and agreed that I needed to do something about the Denon. He seemed to be a big fan of Klipsch and B&K as well. He even suggested that I go with the B&K pre/pro to go along with the rest of my gear. He did demo a set of KEF on-wall speakers (the kind designed to go around a plasma display) through an Adcom pro/pro and amp. Impressive sounding little setup. When I am finally ready to buy the pre/pro, I know where I am going to go get it. I'll have to ask them if they can get Heritage. Wait - quick check of the "find a dealer" yielded that Ravan Hi-Fi is a Heritage dealer! SWEET! A Heritage dealer right in my friggan backyard!!! Unfortunatly, he probably does not have any for demo, though. I still would not mind getting a pair of K-horns for two channel listening down in the basement, since that is the only room that I have in this place that will properly accomidate a pair. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garymd Posted June 22, 2005 Share Posted June 22, 2005 Back in my day, we had Myer-Emco which is now Tweeters here. Dixie Hi-Fi merged with someone else whose name escapes me and I think they became Circuit City, at least around here. They had boxes of gigantic SS amps and cassette players stacked to the ceiling. Remember opening the sports page and instead of just tire ads there were pages and pages of stereo equipment ads? Those were the days! The bigger, the better. I waited and waited for my Kenwood KR-9600 to drop below $500 which it finally did around 1976 when I bought it from one of those places with all the stacked boxes. That was the same year I bought my Pioneer CTF-9191 cassette player once it dropped below $400. Those "last year's model" sales were great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul cbc Posted June 22, 2005 Share Posted June 22, 2005 ---------------- It was a great store! They were very strong on Klipsch, and where I first heard K-horns, playing the sensational Mercury recording of Saint-Saens Organ Symphony. Marantz was preferred over other pre/amp electronics. It was located right at the beginning of S.W. Sam Jackson Park Rd, on the left as it begins climbing the hill. With the medical school on top of the hill, it was strategically located to tap the favorable academic medical market. Long gone, unfortunately. Larry ---------------- Larry, Would that be across the street from the old Carnival hamburger joint? Another slice of history. paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynnm Posted June 23, 2005 Share Posted June 23, 2005 In Calgary Alberta a visit with Pete Segstro at "The Audio Room ( with a difference)" is well worth the effort. He doesn't carry Klipsch but is knowledgeable and carries a lot of great gear. Another good dealer in Calgary is RadioCrafts on 16th Avenue NW near SAIT. They have been in business since about 1946 and carry a nice selection of Klipsch product. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryC Posted June 23, 2005 Share Posted June 23, 2005 ---------------- On 6/22/2005 10:42:49 PM paul cbc wrote: Larry, Would that be across the street from the old Carnival hamburger joint? Another slice of history. paul ---------------- I vaguely remember that Carnival site. Yes, HFU on the left and Carnival on the right when heading toward the hill. Larry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daddy Dee Posted June 23, 2005 Share Posted June 23, 2005 Back in the day, Custom Audio in Little Rock and North Little Rock was absolutely the cat's A$$. They are still in business with a Little Rock store only. Still have Klipsch, but no Heritage, and I think for folks who are looking for HT and Klipsch reference, they'd be happy enough with Custom Audio. That was the place I heard Klipsch speakers for the first time in the early 70's. They had a killer sound room decked out with a Khorn/Belle three channel, along with Cornwalls and Heresys to throw in the system when requested... all driven by McIntosh gear. On the other side of the store, they had Kenwood and Advent gear, from which I made my selections as a college student. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Royster Posted June 23, 2005 Author Share Posted June 23, 2005 ---------------- On 6/22/2005 7:32:22 PM j-malotky wrote: Roy I feel sorry for people who never get to hear Heritage Klipcsh since all the dealers in the area are lightweight whimps and don't know black from white. Reading the "Where did you first hear Klipsch" thread, reminded me of the days when Flanners in Mayfair had there back rooms full of Klipsch and McIntosh. No More!!!! Are you looking for somewhere to buy Klipsch Heritage in Wisconsin? I am friends with the local Cinema / Pro dealer. He also sells Heritage. He knows his stuff, but does not have a showroom. JM ---------------- JM, I hear what you are saying. Sad really, the big box stores are putting sooo many people into a "Ford Escort" while telling them they are getting a "Crown Vic". Last time I was in Flanners was about 3 years ago. They did a tune up, and check out of my Mac gear before selling it. One salesman out on the floor asked me "Is that a C33? I have always wanted to see one of those" Oh boy, how things have changed. We have a couple OK stores here and in Green bay. But the attatubes are enough to keep most away. I had a good friend ask me o help him with a system. He wanted to combine used finds and some new. As we were checking things out at one of the stores, the "expert" there made the following statement. "Never hearing your buddys system, I am confident that "I" could put together a system to match the room for $10,000 or under that would smoke his. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Hardy Posted June 23, 2005 Share Posted June 23, 2005 Soundscape in Baltimore. Still have most (heck, I think all) of the equipment I bought there in the 1970's, while in school at nearby JHU. Great place then. I think they're still doing OK, though I haven't been by for a few years. http://www.soundscapeaudiovideo.com/ Baltimore also had Grammophone, Ltd. (which wasn't bad, either), which might still be around. In the 1970's, there was also a snooty place called The Discerning Ear. Lots of attitude, but they sold some excellent stuff of the day including Audio Research, conrad-johnson, Nakamichi, ads, Magnepan/Magneplanar, DCM, Denon MC carts, etc. Another star that flared briefly in and near Baltimore was Gordon Miller Music. They were a pro sound/MI company, but briefly dabbled in pretty decent hi-fi and also records (if y'all remember those) at excellent prices. BTW the first time I heard Klipsch Heresys was at the Myer-Emco in or near College Park, MD. Didn't realize that Myer-Emco was no more. That's a shame. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Garrison Posted June 23, 2005 Share Posted June 23, 2005 Clark Johnsen's "The Listening Studio" in Boston. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kev313 Posted June 23, 2005 Share Posted June 23, 2005 How about a few CURRENT stores? I've never been there, but I have worked with Brian at Venus Hi-Fi in Bloomington, Indiana. Great Guy! I purchased my Cary preamp (oy! new prices. Whatta rip!) from Holm Audio in Woodridge, Illinois (I think!). OK service...nothing really stood out. They did leave me in a room full of mManley gear listening to the pre for about 2 hourd, though. Being anti-social by nature, I DID appreciate that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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