AC Members Favorite Bay Area B&M Stores

nomeans · « **on:** 11 Dec 2011, 05:04 am »

What are your favorite Bay Area B&M Audio stores? I will be relocating to the San Mateo/Burlingame area at the beginning of the year and have found a couple stores in the area, but would like to get some real world input about your B&M stores. I'm looking for a company that has good customer service, a knowledgeable, and non-pushy sales staff. A service department would be helpful.

low.pfile · « **Reply #1 on:** 11 Dec 2011, 05:23 am »

what are you looking to pick up? 2 channel, HT? general budget?

BTW, I am about 15 min. from Burlingame.

nomeans · « **Reply #2 on:** 11 Dec 2011, 05:29 am »

I currently have a 2-Channel/HT setup, but am looking to purchase a dedicated 2-Channel setup soon. The budget is flexible. I'm looking to spend around 10k on the dedicated setup. Thanks for the reply.

low.pfile · « **Reply #3 on:** 11 Dec 2011, 06:10 pm »

Quote from: nomeans on 11 Dec 2011, 05:29 am

I currently have a 2-Channel/HT setup, but am looking to purchase a dedicated 2-Channel setup soon. The budget is flexible. I'm looking to spend around 10k on the dedicated setup. Thanks for the reply.

Sorry, I really don't have much info as most of my own equipment was purchased used. Though I bought speakers from Pitch Perfect Audio in SF. Matt is a great guy! and 2-channel only. I figure others locally can help guide you, now that you've identified your needs.

My limited experience:

Audible Difference keeps moving, and I havent been there in many many years, they are in Palo Alto now. I guess they are partnered with Future Sound in …..Burlingame, in your new backyard. I've never been to FS.

Fairly recently I went shopping with a friend to these two places which had very good customer service:

Music Lovers SF (and Berkeley)
Audio Vision SF

In case you missed it, this Audiocircle thread has all of the local Audio/AV stores in the Bay Area (approx within 1 hour drive or Burlingame):
http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=31232.0

morganc · « **Reply #4 on:** 11 Dec 2011, 07:46 pm »

Quote from: nomeans on 11 Dec 2011, 05:29 am

I currently have a 2-Channel/HT setup, but am looking to purchase a dedicated 2-Channel setup soon. The budget is flexible. I'm looking to spend around 10k on the dedicated setup. Thanks for the reply.

With that budget, I would try Matt at Pitch Perfect. If I were to start over, that is where I would go first!

Berndt · « **Reply #5 on:** 11 Dec 2011, 11:47 pm »

Lotsa DIY here too, if you have the time...

Mortsnets · « **Reply #6 on:** 12 Dec 2011, 01:32 am »

I've heard good things about Audible Arts and True Sound both in Campbell. If I had enough dough I'd go to Pitch Perfect but I'm not sure 10k is enough for their "entry level" systems (leben shindo etc).

True Sound
Nick Gowan
136 Kennedy Avenue
Campbell, CA 95008
Tel 408/370-7578
http://tsound.com/

Audible Arts
Jeff Wells
412 E Campbell Ave
Campbell, CA 95008
(408) 376-0861
www.audiblearts.com

mamba315 · « **Reply #7 on:** 12 Dec 2011, 02:04 am »

Quote from: low.pfile on 11 Dec 2011, 06:10 pm

Audio Vision SF

Purchased from them once and was disappointed in the experience. Will avoid in the future.

Just one data point, but I've seen other folk online had similar issues.

Berndt · « **Reply #8 on:** 12 Dec 2011, 02:27 am »

+1 on Nick Gowan and true sound.

Mortsnets · « **Reply #9 on:** 12 Dec 2011, 04:27 am »

Another place to check out is Tone of Music in SF. Their room sounded good at the CA Audio Show.

Tone of Music
Tim Nguyen
Noe Valley, SF
415 860 6818
http://www.toneofmusic.com
info@toneofmusic.com

RPM123 · « **Reply #10 on:** 12 Dec 2011, 04:44 am »

Quote from: nomeans on 11 Dec 2011, 05:04 am

What are your favorite Bay Area B&M Audio stores? I will be relocating to the San Mateo/Burlingame area at the beginning of the year and have found a couple stores in the area, but would like to get some real world input about your B&M stores. I'm looking for a company that has good customer service, a knowledgeable, and non-pushy sales staff. A service department would be helpful.
[/quote.

Matt is great to work with at PP Audio. Although a lot of his equipment is upper end, he started carrying LM Audio electronics, which is more reasonably priced. He is aslo mainly analog,so if you are looking for digital, you may need to look elsewhere. I also like Music Lovers, they carry more mainstream equipment. You may also want to check out Tone of Music in Noe Valley, SF.

roscoeiii · « **Reply #11 on:** 12 Dec 2011, 04:59 am »

+1 on Pitch Perfect. I am not local, but PP carries tons of amazing manufacturers and are great to deal with.

nomeans · « **Reply #12 on:** 12 Dec 2011, 05:30 am »

I appreciate the feedback. I have quite a few places I need to check out. I'm still debating on whether I want to go the TT or networking route. I think I might just split the budget for both, as I've been debating this for what seems like years. Is it true that in California you pay tax on the full retail price on any items that are on sale?

Mortsnets · « **Reply #13 on:** 12 Dec 2011, 06:06 am »

Quote from: nomeans on 12 Dec 2011, 05:30 am

Is it true that in California you pay tax on the full retail price on any items that are on sale?

No, except for cell phones you pay tax on the sale price that you pay

It might be interesting to email several stores and ask for quotes on complete systems in your price range.

nomeans · « **Reply #14 on:** 12 Dec 2011, 05:58 pm »

Thanks for the verification and shop suggestions gentlemen.

nomeans · « **Reply #15 on:** 8 Apr 2012, 06:22 am »

So it took a little longer than expected but I'll be in the Bay Area in two weeks. I've been scouring the Internet about the quality of life there and I see a mostly negative attitude towards it. I'm aware that the people who post on the Internet regarding their frustrations are typically going to be negative and the happy/content people are not going to post their delightfulness of their area. Why would you? If you guys don't mind, would you mind posting your opinions of the Bay Area? I found a place in Burlingame. I'm coming from Portland OR so if any of you are a PDX transplant that might help me gauge it a little more efficiently. I don't mind traffic, I don't mind the high rent costs, and I don't mind opinions of the left or the right. I'm open minded when it comes to a lot of matters. Please express your honest opinions.

Bizarroterl · « **Reply #16 on:** 9 Apr 2012, 02:41 pm »

Great weather, great job opportunities, near skiing, near the beach, and a nearly unlimited number of things to do. Every place has its strengths and weaknesses. The bay area just has a much higher ratio of strengths to weaknesses.

I too have noticed a lot of negative posts about CA. I figure that a large portion of that is jealousy/politics/hate the successful type of mindset. An acquaintance of many years ago thought Texas sucked. He'd never been there. I was a bit perplexed as to why, but he could never come up with a logical explanation.

I've lived in a dozen different states and they all had some nice things about them. The bay area just has more.

BTW - If you don't have the skills to land/create a good paying job the bay area may not be a good place to live. Rent/real estate is expensive. Once you own a place you can afford then the bay area really shines.

roscoeiii · « **Reply #17 on:** 9 Apr 2012, 03:22 pm »

A lot of great things in the Bay area and surrounding area.

Among them, near-perfect burritos. Hard to find here in Chicago. I tend to ask folks visiting the Bay to eat a great burrito for me.

Also, you won't want to miss Amoeba Records. One of the great record stores in the country. Haven't been to the Berkeley one, but the SF and LA stores are incredible. Just huge with some great stuff I don't often see. Super place to fins new music. Watch your wallet in there. These albums can add up...

MichaelHiFi · « **Reply #18 on:** 7 May 2012, 06:23 pm »

Quote from: mamba315 on 12 Dec 2011, 02:04 am

Purchased from them once and was disappointed in the experience. Will avoid in the future.

Just one data point, but I've seen other folk online had similar issues.

Audio Vision
BIG +1 here. Horrible experience. Discovered a swell that I paid $400 bucks for a used cable that sells for $379 retail. Many other issues I won't care to go into.

I liked the visit at Music Lovers and Audible Arts in Campbell is cool.

nomeans · « **Reply #19 on:** 10 May 2012, 05:20 am »

Does anyone have any experience with Future Sound? I need an IA and have about zero time to drive around to check out different shops. FS is about a 5min walk from we're I live.