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  • Serendipity
    Serendipity Posts: 6,975
    edited January 2010
    I have an Aiwa mini-system (you know, the ones which have a tape deck, CDP, and tuner molded together) from 1992 that still works to this day. Yeah, there was always cheap stuff. But at least it worked better than the cheap stuff of today...
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  • george daniel
    george daniel Posts: 12,096
    edited January 2010
    I loved going in those brick and mortor stores and spending hours upon hours with my favorite sales rep,, still remember the guys' name,,Mike McNair,, and he loved to jam.Located in a mall at one time,,with the high end room visable to the crowd,,we we listening to Carver Amazings,,with the trimmings,,monobloc's,,etc,,I swear the glass window was moving with the music,,we turned around in our chairs to see that quite a crowd have formed ,,,ah,, the good times we had.
    JC approves....he told me so. (F-1 nut)
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  • hearingimpared
    hearingimpared Posts: 21,137
    edited January 2010
    george daniel wrote: »
    I loved going in those brick and mortor stores and spending hours upon hours with my favorite sales rep,, still remember the guys' name,,Mike McNair,, and he loved to jam.Located in a mall at one time,,with the high end room visable to the crowd,,we we listening to Carver Amazings,,with the trimmings,,monobloc's,,etc,,I swear the glass window was moving with the music,,we turned around in our chairs to see that quite a crowd have formed ,,,ah,, the good times we had.

    Man those days are long gone.:(
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  • pearsall001
    pearsall001 Posts: 5,066
    edited January 2010
    hearingimpared wrote: »
    Man those days are long gone.:(

    Not at Stephen's place. He's still very much old school...stop in & hang around all day just listening & talking audio. We need to get back up there Joe. Wait till you hear his new speakers!!!! After about a two year design & manuf process they finally arrived. And flying out the door at the same time, they're that impressive.
    "2 Channel & 11.2 HT "Two Channel:Magnepan LRSSchiit Audio Freya S - SS preConsonance Ref 50 - Tube preParasound HALO A21+ 2 channel ampBluesound NODE 2i streameriFi NEO iDSD DAC Oppo BDP-93KEF KC62 sub Home Theater:Full blown 11.2 set up.
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  • Serendipity
    Serendipity Posts: 6,975
    edited January 2010
    hearingimpared wrote: »
    Man those days are long gone.:(

    I remember back in 2003 when I was first getting into this hobby, I walked into a hi-fi store and experienced exactly what George Daniel said. But as the years passed, the stores changed, and the ones that were once hi-fi started catering more to the mass market customer (box shifters) or went into custom installation (which I like, but too expensive).
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  • polkatese
    polkatese Posts: 6,767
    edited January 2010
    I went to a brand new local Magnolia inside a newly opened BB last night. It has one studio will all of their speakers crammed into this room. Definitely it is not meant to be an audition room. The emphasis is on big screen LCDs with separate open area and audio being second. The rack that they have is full of AVRs from Integra, Denon, Pioneer, and Onkyo.

    Compared this to Tweeter a few years ago: 4 different studios/audition room that catered to different budget level, from the entry level to the Martin Logan's, Sonus Faber, and REL. I would not have own SF if not because of that first experience auditioning Grand Piano in one of those room.

    So, going forward, the only option left is to go to boutiques small audio shops specifically for that purpose (no more sneaking away while the family went for shopping in the close by stores).

    It's a shame indeed.
    I am sorry, I have no opinion on the matter. I am sure you do. So, don't mind me, I just want to talk audio and pie.
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  • Serendipity
    Serendipity Posts: 6,975
    edited January 2010
    polkatese wrote: »

    So, going forward, the only option left is to go to boutiques small audio shops specifically for that purpose (no more sneaking away while the family went for shopping in the close by stores).

    It's a shame indeed.

    If there are any still left. A few stores around here have closed due to lack of business. The rest are either mostly focused on HT or sell items that I am not interested in.
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  • Face
    Face Posts: 14,340
    edited January 2010
    Alex, check out Audio Den and Crecendo on Long Island. And maybe I'll take you to Clear Sound Audio one day.
    "He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche
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  • Serendipity
    Serendipity Posts: 6,975
    edited January 2010
    Do you mean Crescendo in the Hamptons? It's the one by that restaurant "25 Main" or something like that - great burgers they have there.
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  • Face
    Face Posts: 14,340
    edited January 2010
    Yes, the one in the Hamptons.
    "He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche
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  • Serendipity
    Serendipity Posts: 6,975
    edited January 2010
    Ok. Never heard of Clear Sound Audio though.
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  • Face
    Face Posts: 14,340
    edited January 2010
    http://clearsoundaudio1.com/
    "He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche
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  • hearingimpared
    hearingimpared Posts: 21,137
    edited January 2010
    pearsall001 wrote: »
    Not at Stephen's place. He's still very much old school...stop in & hang around all day just listening & talking audio. We need to get back up there Joe. Wait till you hear his new speakers!!!! After about a two year design & manuf process they finally arrived. And flying out the door at the same time, they're that impressive.

    I wasn't including Steven as he is an anomaly these days. For me though it's a three hour drive to his place.

    I can't wait to get up there Phil. It's been quite a while as a matter of fact that last time I was there I bought the Raysonic. Gotta be atleast a year and a half, no?
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  • hearingimpared
    hearingimpared Posts: 21,137
    edited January 2010
    Face wrote: »
    Yes, the one in the Hamptons.

    :eek::eek::eek: THE HAMPTONS!!! There must be a hell of a mark up in that store.
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  • Serendipity
    Serendipity Posts: 6,975
    edited January 2010
    hearingimpared wrote: »
    :eek::eek::eek: THE HAMPTONS!!! There must be a hell of a mark up in that store.

    Just like at Lamborghini Long Island. Talk about mark up.
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  • Serendipity
    Serendipity Posts: 6,975
    edited January 2010
    hearingimpared wrote: »
    I wasn't including Steven as he is an anomaly these days. For me though it's a three hour drive to his place.

    I can't wait to get up there Phil. It's been quite a while as a matter of fact that last time I was there I bought the Raysonic. Gotta be atleast a year and a half, no?

    Which store are you guys talking about? And where is this place?
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  • hearingimpared
    hearingimpared Posts: 21,137
    edited January 2010
    Serendipity wrote: »
    Which store are you guys talking about? And where is this place?

    Quest for Sound, Bensalem, PA

    http://www.questforsound.com/index.htm
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  • Serendipity
    Serendipity Posts: 6,975
    edited January 2010
    hearingimpared wrote: »
    Quest for Sound, Bensalem, PA

    http://www.questforsound.com/index.htm

    Thanks. Will check it out when I'm in the area.
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    Front projection, 2 channel, car audio... life is good!
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  • Serendipity
    Serendipity Posts: 6,975
    edited January 2010
    Face wrote: »
    maybe I'll take you to Clear Sound Audio one day.

    Let's see how much gear we can fit in the back of your VW.
    polkaudio RT35 Bookshelves
    polkaudio 255c-RT Inwalls
    polkaudio DSWPro550WI
    polkaudio XRT12 XM Tuner
    polkaudio RM6750 5.1

    Front projection, 2 channel, car audio... life is good!
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