[audionutter]

Hi all,

Will be visiting the Big Apple this summer, just wondering if there are any good hi-fi or home theatre shops in Manhattan? Any suggestions most welcome  Cheerio!

[kbuzz3]

You are opening up a can a worms with this topic. Given the historic nyc "attitude",  high rent and  high cost of living factor i dont know if you are going to get any positive response to your post.  In other words,  in order to get any attention or to get a real demo, you May have to mention the words: "private equity" "whole house system" or "hedge fund."  If this is true then great if not i leave it to you. With that said here a few, rated best to least in  my experence. Note i have not been in the shops in a while. Thank vinne and louis for that

In Living stereo
Park Avenue Audio
Innovative Audio
Sound By Singer
Lyric Hifi

Good luck on your search, and please let us know how you fared in these establishments. Good to keep abreast of who is treating customers  or potential customers well these days.

[JohnR]

Perhaps your visit might co-inside with a Rave

[PaulFolbrecht]

I work for a hedge fund yet got little respect when I visited a couple NY shops in May.   

Of course, I told both salesmen at the outset that I was "just visiting" and not really planning on buying anything, which likely doesn't help. 

If I lived in NY, I'd never visit either shop again, regardless of what I was in the market for.

[hmen]

Harvey Sound on 19th & Broadway and also on 45th near 6th Ave has great home theatre stuff. Of course, I'd never buy anything from them because of the prices and incredibly snobbish salesmen but it's fun to look around. Sound by Singer on 20th has some really nice 2 channel equipment but I don't think you'll find anybody on this board who's been there and doesn't hate the place. If you're downtown you should definitely check out J&R. It's about a block south of city hall on the other side of Broadway. Not really high end but they have a number of stores with electronics, CD &DVD's, computers, appliances, cameras and a lot of other stuff. And their prices are really good.   

[kbuzz3]

I work for a hedge fund yet got little respect when I visited a couple NY shops in May.   

Of course, I told both salesmen at the outset that I was "just visiting" and not really planning on buying anything, which likely doesn't help. 

If I lived in NY, I'd never visit either shop again, regardless of what I was in the market for.

PF
LOL --- maybe the the salseperson had invested alot in CDO's

Feel free to tell us which stores they were......its no fun otherwise...although we could probably guess

[Hogg]

I work for a hedge fund yet got little respect when I visited a couple NY shops in May.   

Of course, I told both salesmen at the outset that I was "just visiting" and not really planning on buying anything, which likely doesn't help. 

If I lived in NY, I'd never visit either shop again, regardless of what I was in the market for.

Paul,

     Of course you're right.  Many of the stores are so occupied with HT installations they have no time for the two channel buyer.  Audio Outlet in Mt Kisco, a suburb of NYC, just closed their two-channel store for this reason.  Last I was in Innovative Audio/Video, they were selling Watt-Puppies as fast as Wilson could deliver them.  There's just too much money in NYC.

                                                                                                      Jim

[scottielee]

check out this place close to downtown Little Italy and Soho:
HiFiAV Supplies
177B Lafayette Street
New York, NY 10013
212-219-3352
http://hifiavsupplies.com/
they carry lots of exotic stuff like Prame, Fischer & Fischer, Audiomeca, Audio Note (UK), Canary... not to mention the popular PS Audio and McCormack. they also have many interesting used equipment laying around.
the place is very low key. the shop is not spacious or glamorous. but the owner and his assistant are very easy going and not pushy at all.

[kbuzz3]

I work for a hedge fund yet got little respect when I visited a couple NY shops in May.   

Of course, I told both salesmen at the outset that I was "just visiting" and not really planning on buying anything, which likely doesn't help. 

If I lived in NY, I'd never visit either shop again, regardless of what I was in the market for.

Paul,

     Of course you're right.  Many of the stores are so occupied with HT installations they have no time for the two channel buyer.  Audio Outlet in Mt Kisco, a suburb of NYC, just closed their two-channel store for this reason.  Last I was in Innovative Audio/Video, they were selling Watt-Puppies as fast as Wilson could deliver them.  There's just too much money in NYC.

                                                                                                      Jim

Is that other audio store i mt kisco still open. I cant recall the name but they were defiantley an analog type shop with UK brand emphasis. 

[Doublej]

kbuzz3 ,

The place you are referring to is called Accent on Music. I don't know if they are still in business.

The other place in Mt. Kisco, called Audio Outlet, has transitioned to Custom Installs. That's where the money is these days.

[Hogg]

kbuzz3 ,

The place you are referring to is called Accent on Music. I don't know if they are still in business.

The other place in Mt. Kisco, called Audio Outlet, has transitioned to Custom Installs. That's where the money is these days.

Accent on Music is a cool shop.  They specialize in British HiFi, mostly Naim and Linn and Rega.  They're doing well.  They love analog too.

                                                                                                        Jim

[zacster]

I walked by the HiFiAV supplies place today and I can see why I never noticed it before.  Not much of a storefront, with the gate down in front.  Just coincidence too that I was on Lafayette, walking from Bicycle Habitat to Chinatown to pick up a roast duck for dinner. 

[scottielee]

I walked by the HiFiAV supplies place today and I can see why I never noticed it before.  Not much of a storefront, with the gate down in front.  Just coincidence too that I was on Lafayette, walking from Bicycle Habitat to Chinatown to pick up a roast duck for dinner. 

there are also 2 cd stores on Bowery between Hester and Canal that have a decent collection of XRCD, SACD, LPCD...mostly Asian music though. good prices.

[goldlizsts]

check out this place close to downtown Little Italy and Soho:
HiFiAV Supplies
177B Lafayette Street
New York, NY 10013
212-219-3352
http://hifiavsupplies.com/
they carry lots of exotic stuff like Prame, Fischer & Fischer, Audiomeca, Audio Note (UK), Canary... not to mention the popular PS Audio and McCormack. they also have many interesting used equipment laying around.
the place is very low key. the shop is not spacious or glamorous. but the owner and his assistant are very easy going and not pushy at all.

That guy (owner) has a lousy attitude.  I went with a friend there a couple of times.  We looked at the floor items, discussing their potentials, etc.  Didn't buy anything (not that we were not interested), the 2nd time we asked to listen to a setup, the guy said they weren't hooked up (who was he kidding?).  That guy I thought was OK when I first met him when I went with a friend who knew him from way back (his name is Ah Look, literally in Cantonese #6, at least phonetically).  They used to have a group like the NY Rave.  Never want to go there again.  He doesn't need my business.  I'm not afraid of putting him on the spot.  He's not a nice person, to put it mildly. He may "appear" to be low-keyed.  Wait 'til you know him a little more.

[zacster]

I walked by the HiFiAV supplies place today and I can see why I never noticed it before.  Not much of a storefront, with the gate down in front.  Just coincidence too that I was on Lafayette, walking from Bicycle Habitat to Chinatown to pick up a roast duck for dinner. 

there are also 2 cd stores on Bowery between Hester and Canal that have a decent collection of XRCD, SACD, LPCD...mostly Asian music though. good prices.

I guess the only time I'm on the Bowery is when I'm on my bike weekend early mornings on the way to NJ or something, so I'll never get a chance to stop in.

[drewfidelity]

My suggestion would be to take a trip across one of the many bridges and tunnels that lead to New Jersey and check out Audio Connection in Verona or CSA Audio in Montclair, each about half an hour outside of Manhattan.  Both have great high end stereo lines and dedicated two channel staff members.

[Levi]

I like Harvey's Electronics.  I bought all my Bryston equipment from them.  This is before I knew Audiogon existed.  No regrets whatsoever.  When I need to have my equipment serviced, they offered to give me a loaner system.  I still go there once in a while to see if there are anything new.  Definitely loved their Sonus Faber line and their line of video gears. 

[PaulFolbrecht]

I work for a hedge fund yet got little respect when I visited a couple NY shops in May.   

Of course, I told both salesmen at the outset that I was "just visiting" and not really planning on buying anything, which likely doesn't help. 

If I lived in NY, I'd never visit either shop again, regardless of what I was in the market for.

PF
LOL --- maybe the the salseperson had invested alot in CDO's

Feel free to tell us which stores they were......its no fun otherwise...although we could probably guess

Sorry I missed this earlier.  I did post about the experience shortly afterwards, so it's in the archives.

S by S actually wasn't terrible - let me listen to stuff - though I was told simply that one of the more expensive rooms was simply "off limits" or something like that.

Before leaving, I educated the salesman about SETs and Lowthers.  He'd never heard of either.

Paul

P.S. Our traders have made a fortune in credit derivatives the last few years - it takes knowing what you're doing. 

[EvilYoda]

I visit NYC 2-3 times a year and I've been to Stereo Exchange twice now...great experiences both times.  Good salespeople, big store (for NY) with lots to listen to.  Located on Broadway just north of Houston.