Best Chicago area HIFI shop?

Check this thread...worked well for me about a year ago.
http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?hbest&1144414257&read&keyw&zzchicago

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Quintessence in Skokie. Mick is a great guy to do business with, true high end products, and one of the best listening rooms around.

Went to ProMusica...nice guy but REALLY NAIM heavy...Saturday Stereo Exchange...I think...REALLY nice people...and then Van L.

Van L builds one of the sweetest, most accurate monitors EVER. Well I have ever heard anyways. Anyone looking for an amazing Monitor should give him a call.

Thanks for the help.

CHICAGO ROCKS!!!!!...

"Promusica is ok however they are BIG on Naim audio components, too big actually. They play down other good brands such as Rega, Cambridge, Tube gear etc etc etc"

I'm not surprised that they would play up Naim over Rega and Cambridge. Naim had best sound a lot better given that you can buy an entire top of the line Rega system for less than the cost of some of Naim's power supplies alone. For what it is worth I really like Rega, but it occupies an entirely different segment of the market then Naim.

Essential Audio -- the owner, Brian Walsh, is definitely one of the "good guys" in the business. By appointment.
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Promusica is ok however they are BIG on Naim audio components, too big actually. They play down other good brands such as Rega, Cambridge, Tube gear etc etc etc however they swear that solid state is far better sounding than tubes, I beg to differ with them even though I auditioned some of their speakers.

Van L Speakerworks
Holms audio
decibel audio
saturday audio exchange

and finally a good search on the web! Good luck

Holm is very good but beware they are about 1 hour southeast of Chicago

Pro Musica has been around forever and are indeed downtown Chicago

enjoy

ProMusica is indeed a Linn/Naim shop. But the gear they sold me and advised me to get has, almost without exception, given me great pleasure and satisfaction. And they have been very good to me over the years, despite the fact that I have abused their customer service by calling for advice, help, attention long after I moved away from the Chicogo area and stopped actually giving them business. And I never gave them much, as I was a grad student while there. They have nevertheless been patient, helpful, and accomodating at every turn. Give 'em a shot.

Richard

Another very friendly appointment only shop to consider is one that I'll be visiting next week on a trip through Chicago -- Essential Audio. Check out their website for all the details. www.essentialaudio.com

Try Holm Audio. Good folks.

I have a friend who swears by Pro Musica, but be forewarned that they are a big Linn / Naim shop and that dealing with such people can be like dealing with members of a cult.

I was also well treated by Holm Audio when I bought something there about ten years ago.

This last summer I went to Chicago, to listen to speakers I could not hear in Michigan. Their are many good places, however, the "Best" in Chicago is Ultimate Audio Video in
Deerfield, they are by appointment only but, they sell Ultra High End gear. To top it all off the have the "Best Room" I have never heard, if you know what I mean. Ron and Rob are an elite pair.

For a great experience go see Euclid at Synthesis A/V at 410 N. Wells near the Loop. Tell him David from Michigan says. Very knowledgeable, a real pleasure to deal with. Many years in the business.

pro musica