The company list

tonyb

Talked about putting together a list of companies we all have had good experiences with. Feel free to add to the list as we all have different experiences. Lets try these 4 categories.

Speakers
Gear
Cables
Misc.- meaning great gear from companies no longer in business, but still obtainable on the used markets.

Hopefully this will give some people a little direction in the crowded field of audio who want to step outside the BestBuy brands.

Speakers- Polk-obviously
PBN- Peter is great to deal with
Usher- Our very own Skip as a dealer and many users
Legacy- Bill is also a great dude to deal with.
Salk- Jim, right up there with the rest.
Dynaudio
Focal
Totem
Odyssey

Gear-Cary- good sounding products but CS needs help
W4S-
Oppo
Butler- personal favorite
Peachtree
Rogue
Bat- brush up on your Russian
SVS
HSU
Musical fidelity
Modwright
Odyssey
Backert Labs

Cables- MIT
Acoustic Zen
Audioquest
Bluejeans
Wireworld
Kimber
Transparent
Shunyata


Misc.- Joule
McCormack
B&K
Straley Reality cables
PNF cables


Just to get the ball rolling, add at will.

txcoastal1

I'm going to tag Dynaudio and Simaudio with

Hanson Audio and Video in Ohio...great customer service

msg

Douglas Connection for cables; always a pleasure working with Doug. Takes his time, answers all questions, forthcoming with info and experience.

For speaker repairs and mods, Dave Shirly, DHS Speaker

tonyb

Good calls gents, keep 'em rolling.

tonyb

I'll add Brent Jesse for tubes. HIFI Heaven in Wisconsin, nice dudes to deal with.

mhardy6647

Not a Schiit fan?
I am -- intrigued -- by some of their products.

tonyb

mhardy6647 wrote: »

Not a Schiit fan?
I am -- intrigued -- by some of their products.

Mark, the list is for companies you already may have had experience with or know of that have had good reputations. The Schiit fans can chime in if they feel worthy.

mhardy6647

gotcha. sorry.

Conradicles

Cherry Vintage Audio in South Carolina for some cool vintage gear.

cfrizz

Parasound

verb

This would be a good thread to make sticky. Not that I'm lazy, but well maybe a little bit.

mhardy6647

I can offer a few good DIY/parts/kit resources (sorry, Tony, now I am playing by the rules, I think!):

http://www.partsconnexion.com (Canadian, but they deal with Amurricans, too)
http://www.mcshanedesign.net/ (Jim McShane, parts 'n' tubes)
http://www.bottlehead.com ('nuff said)

DSC_8376 (2) by Mark Hardy, on Flickr

SCompRacer

Nice list Tony.

I'd add Sonore for computer audio.

http://www.sonore.us/

MrBuhl

Signal Cable I would add

machone

Musicalconcepts.com
John Hillig is very helpful.

indyhawg

Parks Audio for phono preamps
Belles
Monarchy Audio

gudnoyez

JD Labs
Cambridge Audio
Vincent Audio,
HI FI Heaven (most definitely)
Audio Advisor
Clear Audio
Sennheiser
Needle Doctor
Reference Audio

Viking64

Silk Audio

Version3 Audio

tonyp063

FixMyDual in the misc. category
Bill is fair, honest & a great source of info.

decal

Tyler Acoustics for speakers. Ty Lashbrook is one of the "Good Guys" in audio.

stangman67

Seconded Backert and Brent Jessee. Also have had great experiences with World Wide Stereo in Montgomeryville, Pennsylvania. Great people

daddyjt

Maybe out of place, but I will throw in a few (obvious?) parts sources that I have dealt with (and continue to):

Mouser
Digikey
B&D Enterprises (BDent)
Onlinecomponents (ICs)
Lighthouse (LEDs)
Valve storm (wire and parts for tube gear)
Kapp alloy & wire (Solder, especially 7% silver)

nooshinjohn

Pass Labs
Oppo
Krell
Polk Audio
Rogue Audio
PS Audio
Magnepan

All top notch service and support.

cmy330go

Positive experiences with:
BRANDS
Polk
Music-Hall
Sutherland
Sound-Smith

RETAILERS
MusicDirect.com
NeedleDoctor.com
ElusiveDisc.com
AcousticSounds.com
SoundstageDirect.com
Quest for Sound - Bensalem, PA
Saturday Audio Exchange - Chicago, IL

tonyb

mhardy6647 wrote: »

I can offer a few good DIY/parts/kit resources (sorry, Tony, now I am playing by the rules, I think!):

http://www.partsconnexion.com (Canadian, but they deal with Amurricans, too)
http://www.mcshanedesign.net/ (Jim McShane, parts 'n' tubes)
http://www.bottlehead.com ('nuff said)

DSC_8376 (2) by Mark Hardy, on Flickr

Attaboy Mark, knew you had some in your back pocket, being the hoarder that you are.

Fantastic list guys, keep 'em coming. Feel free too to mention any people you feel are worthy within these companies also that you have dealt with.

gudnoyez

It looks like a trip to Saturday Audio Exchange in Chicago will be on the radar soon, I could take some of the stash in and trade for some different stuff. Great idea for a thread Tony.

cfrizz

Blue Jeans Cable

erniejade

Another company that still has a solid reputation and great customerservice is Macintosh.

Clipdat

Schiit Audio has always been quick to reply via email to pre and post purchase inquiries from me.

Even when I ask them the most obscure stuff, they still reply very quickly with an honest answer.

I appreciate their customer service via email.

tonyb

I'm expecting Skip to chime in, give the Italians a little boost too.

GlennDog

"tony wrote: »

give the Italians a little boost too.

I picked up a very well built (and Great sounding) North Star DAC from Audio Thesis (Skip). Great product and great dealer . . .

Also, I've had excellent service/advice from Andy at Vintage Tube Services
Advise is great, but his web site, not so much . . . So call him directly at the # on his site. NO AFIL

http://vintagetubeservices.com

Oh! I forgot to mention . . . Stellar customer service at Rogue, always Johnny on the Spot when I inquire re: my M180s

and I must concur with said comment re: Cary CS. They do great work, but the verbal communication part gets in their way