2. misc-audio
  3. 119694-2215

I was thinking the other day about all the audio stores that were around when I was a kid

I know we all grew up in different places so the experience shared here all will not relate to. Though I am sure there will be stories that some can relate to. I grew up,in Detroit Michigan and starting going to Audio stores at the ripe old age of 14 years old. Of course I didn't drive at the time so my father would take me. He loved music but wasn't really into audio equipment. Here are some of the stores I used to go to.

1. Tech hi-fi in Royal Oak
2. Audioland In Roseville
3. Audio Dimensions in birmingham
4. Absolute Sound in Royal Oak
5.Stereoland in Detroit

Of course there were other stores but my father would only take me so far. Everything was so new to me and fresh at the time it was really exciting. I still go to audiophile shows today and some audiophile meetings. And though I still enjoy it I had the most excitement when I was a kid.


taters
tonykay
856 posts
 
needfreestuff,

Walt sold me an early pair of Infinity Servo-Statik 1's in the early 70's. The crossover developed a buzz and quickly failed, so I took it in to Walt and he sent it to Infinity in Chatsworth. After waiting about four months and complaining to Walt, he offered to take them back. So I returned them to the store and Walt gave me my money back. They were Mediterranean-looking and Walt admitted to me later that Infinity had eventually given him a brand new crossover and he took that pair home as his personal speakers. I was sad to read in the audio press (Stereophile or Absolute Sound) that he passed away some time ago. Also, a profile of Arnie Nudell in a later issue mentioned Walt and his early involvement selling early versions of Infinity Servo-Statiks and I realized that I had owned a piece of audio history.
oddiofyl's avatar
oddiofyl
1,076 posts
 
Anyone remember Manufacturer's Marketplace in West Roxbury  Mass ?    
needfreestuff's avatar
needfreestuff
386 posts
 
tonykay

My friend Howard who lived in Pasadena, had a stacked pair of  
Infinity servo statiks 1A's I believe, only five were made, and they were supposedly made for family members. One of the best sounding speakers I've heard. Sorry to hear about Walt, spent a couple of afternoons at his shop listening to music, learned alot from him. Thanks for the memories.
tonykay
856 posts
 
We moved to Northern California in 1986 from Southern California. I have always spent time in stereo stores so I visited many in the bay area. The names that come to mind are:

DB Audio, in Berkeley;
Music Lovers, in Berkeley;
Audible Difference, in Palo Alto;
House of Music, in San Francisco;
Audio Chamber, in Berkeley;
Soundwell, in Berkeley;
Sound Shack, in Berkeley;
Century Stereo, in San Jose;
Analogue Room, in San Jose;
Stereo Plus, in San Francisco;

So many places, so little time! Most are gone or under new management.
bdp24's avatar
bdp24
4,908 posts
 

Century Stereo! I used to go there all the time in the late 60’s-early 70’s. The Audible Difference in Palo Alto too, where in 1971 I heard the Infinity Servo-tatics driven by SAE electronics (Audio Research hadn’t made it to the West Coast quite yet). The most important High End shop in the South Bay was Garland Audio (John opened the shop in ’74) in San Jose, who had a pair of Wilson WAMM’s driven by the original Levinson amps. I bought a pair of Fulton J speakers from him.

David Fletcher, before he designed The Arm for Sumiko and the Sota turntable, had a retail store in Berkeley, and sold Dayton Wright Electrostatic Loudspeakers. Walt Davies, now the maker of Last record care products, had a store in Livermore, Audio Arts. I bought my ARC/Tympani system in '72 from Walt, a great guy.

More to discover