Good stores in LA

Here is a place you can have some fun with...L.A. AUDIO in Koreatown at 101 S. Western,near 1st st. South of Hollywood and West of downtown L.A. 213-252-0066 LAAUDIOVIDEO.COM
Downstairs it is mostly video-upstairs is all the audio gear and chances are they are not quite sure what they have or what it does or how it does it.That is what makes this place fun! You can see the list of companies represented on the website,but that does not mean that the gear is there.They seem very open to demos and despite the poor English skills of most who work there they are anxious to please and are far from snooty or high pressure,you just have to be persistent in your request to move some speakers around or hook up an amp.Also,i have the feeling these guys are ready to sell --so negotiate! If you want to hang and chat visit Brooks Berdan,one of the last watering holes for audiophiles in the area.A great place to go if you ever wanted to hear Wilson speakers.If you do go to Hollywood,go to Pink's on La Brea and get the best chili dog you ever stood in line for.Then you can jump over to L.A. Audio and look at some equipment,you might be there for a half hour before they notice you.Don't miss Amoeba Records on Sunset,it is the Home Depot of record stores.Also-when you see the distance between locations in the L.A. area please note that 5 miles might be a half hour in traffic,or worse!

Ten years in L.A. and I haven't yet walked into an audio store that I would go back to. Your best bet is with the appointment-only guys. Elliot at Acoustic Image is great, but of course only if you're looking to hear something specific. Jay at Audio Revelation is also super to deal with, but he's a 2 1/2 hour drive south of downtown L.A.

There are a few new Vinyl stores in the area, Vacation in the Los Feliz neighborhood and Origami in Echo Park, both close to downtown (I haven't made it to either yet). Poo-Bah in Pasadena is long-established and fun to visit. It's a few miles away from downtown.

Weinhart Design, Inc.
2337 Roscomare Road, Studio 1
Los Angeles, California 90077
310-472-8880

http://www.weinhartdesign.com/

Wow, I had not realized that the high end scene was so bad in L.A. (It is not nearly so bad here in the Bay Area).

You might be better off looking at the record stores down there, such as Amoeba Records in Hollywood (6400 Sunset Blvd.), or other such places.

The Goodwill or other thrift in the most expensive area you can identify. They always throw out perectly fine high end because they don't want any of the last husbands stuff even he is a celebrity. That stuff he left behind is too big and too heavy and none of her friends or family can figure out how it works. Or because they don't want the hassle of replacing a tube or getting speaker surrounds etc.

Brooks Berdan LTD at 110 W. Olive in Monrovia (626-359-9131).
Brooks and Brian are the best.

unless you're coming from crabwell corners, do something else with your time.

Agree with Zippy.

Evolution AV is in Agoura Hills - out past Shelly's in the West SF valley.
Upscale, Brooks Berdan, Katli, and Sunny are all well east of downtown.

Any of the above is a hike (>1 hr drive) from most LA start points.

Sorry.

Marty

Good luck. How's that for a suggestion? Where in LA will you be? Pretty much all the shops are gone now, with the exception of a small few. There's Optimal Enchantment in Santa Monica (by appointment only) but you'll be expected to buy something. Mostly Vandersteen and Audio Research last time I was there. Shelley's in Woodland Hills, small and not too helpful. Mostly Mac and Maggie's and some Linn. Acoustic Image in Studio City out of his home, again by appointment. More eclectic stuff. That's about all I can think of. BTW, these three shops are in three corners of LA and not too close to each other.