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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
 
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.

mitch4t's avatar
mitch4t
1,486 posts
 
Cal Stereo, Leo's Stereo and Federated Stereo, all in the Los Angeles area.

CAL STEREO NOWWW!  (that was their commercial)
asvjerry's avatar
asvjerry
609 posts
 
Born in L.A., moved to S.F. in my mid-20's, on to Houston mid-40s'.  Remember all of those names and places, where I'd go to with 'itchy ears' but a anemic wallet.  Got to hear nearly all of the legendary 'super toys'...the first Ohms, big Infinity's, Maggies, the goes on.  At one PacStereo I was mistaken for an employee, because I knew how to operate their 'switchboxes' as well as the 'real' salesmen did.  But every time I moved, the number of 'dedicated' audio stores diminished. Now, here in AVL, there's just the 'big box' stores that sell 'typ-fi' that's available everywhere 'On Sale NOW!'
But, in the meantime...
I've become non-plussed by the esoteric, unless it's something like the MBL's which are Truly a step ahead.  My hearing isn't what it used to be, either.  Frankly, I couldn't tell if one's $100 a foot cables are better than the ones I bought from PE on sale, unless experienced in a 'prepared sonic environment'.....which I don't live in, own, or ultimately want to have.
I do agree with Linkwitz....'ignore the room'.  I do.  I 'do' room correction with eq, and have done so long before it became more 'SOP' for those that cared enough to try it.  Going 'flat' into the room works for me...
My 'system' these days looks more like 'test equipment' than 'fancy esoteria'.  Not high dollar, but selected to do what I want to accomplish, rather than the diminishing zeros behind the decimal points....I can't hear them anyway, anymore...('Jitter'...hmmm, too much caffeine? *L*)
In this era, we have the 'Net, the ultimate shopping center.  If it floats your boat, you can get it, here, there, Anywhere.  Pay the freight back if it's not what you dreamed it was or could be.  Audition in your home, your media, your way.  That's what you'll have to live with, anyway.
In short, cutting to the chase:
I like Now, better.  My 'opinion' rules my selections.  (I don't get to audition audio for a living.)
Does yours, too.
Enjoy your 'hobby' Your Way.
Should always be thus. ;)
...and Please, don't flame...MHO, you can have yours, Peace.
jafant
10,525 posts
 
taters-

tell me about the current Audio operations there in SoCal.
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