These are the stores I know and like:
Sounds Like Music
Jerry's Audio Video
HiFi Sales
Ultimate Electronics |
The stores mentioned above are mostly home theatre. I would recommend AZ Hi Fi in Tempe. They carry mostly tube electronics and analog gear. They also sell some CD's and records. My store of choice. It is a little off the beaten track, located in an industrial park not too far from downtown Tempe. www.tubeaudio.com |
stay outdoors and enjoy the weather.....you won't miss any hi fi revalations in arizona. |
If you are into checking out Pass Labs gear, and want to see some beautiful speakers, visit Speakers Etc. (Celestial Audio) at 3007 N. 35th Ave. 602-272-6696. Good guys with some great gear.
Cheers!
Quin |
Sounds Like Music was indeed the cream of the crop when Dave Wiggs owned it but since he sold it to a texas "high-end" co. it has become all about home theatre.
Az. Hi Fi, i believe, is the best resource for analog gear etc. It has a nice balance of pricepoints with both young and old ownership combining they're knowledge in a no rush atmosphere! Rooms are a little on the small side but mimic real world situations
As for Jerry's and Ultimate, strictly mid -fi,bells and whistle stores with the usual big chain personality.
Another store worth checking out is in the area of Elliot and Rural rds. on the border of s. Tempe and Chandler.They sell all of Mc Intosh, Dynaudio as well as several price points of analog, digital and home theatre gear. The listening rooms are varied from small to large for your different systems.
Hope this gets your feat wet!!:) |
Audio Nut up in Glendale. Not the ultimate hi-end store, but Bob always knows how to select good value gear [stuff that sounds great, but you won't have to take out a second mortgage]. He's also added some home theater gear recently.
AZ Hi-Fi in Tempe is impressive, but be sure to get directions from Dan, as his shop is really difficult to find on your own [west of ASU]. |
I enjoyed my visits to Esoteric Audio in Scottsdale when I lived there. 480-946-8128 4120 N. Marshall Way
Scottsdale, AZ 85251. Call first to get best directions and hours.
I also second the recommendation of Audionut in Glendale.
One is Northwest of Phoenix, one is just East, they're about 20 miles apart! |
hello; I second the enjoy the weather comment,to me there is really no high end store left any more.sounds like music was at one time a supreme store for music,but like one person mentioned,dave is gone and so is slm,and as for the rest of them I lump them all in one basket,average.So if you golf enjoy the greens or just enjoy the sunshine,out.
dglinn. |
"AZ Hi Fi in Tempe", hmmmm I think they sold AudioNote speakers. Boy that owner was one of the biggest jerks I've ever run across. No one in the store, just listened to what he had on the floor for about 20 minutes, told us how gracious he was to allow us to listen for free. |
I agree with CDC completely on his poor experience with AZ Hifi in Tempe and the owner in particular... I was there a couple weeks back to audition some speakers while on vacation in Pheonix, and I got the worst experience I have ever encountered from a dealership/owner before... Very snooty, snobish attitude, not letting me listen to two of the speakers I requested. On one, he said I could listen to the Gallo 3.1s "anywhere" (maybe, but I came to hear them at *his* store), and the other, the Wilson Benesch speakers because "they will make you not want to listen to your speakers again." My speakers for reference (that I told him when he enquired) are Tyler Acoustics Linbrook Signature System floorstanders... Also, the guy said he was busy "assembling phonographs..." *So* sorry I took so much of his valuable time away (10-15 minutes). Makes you wonder if he really *wants* a sale?
I did hear some great sounding GMA Callistos that he "graciously" let me hear for a song or two... but after the nasty experience I had at Arizona HiFi, I would make sure I bought from *anyone* but that location. Maybe he was just having a bad day or something, but I found the experience to be highly memorable for all the wrong reasons... My Dad and Mother who also were with me (it was a family reunion vacation) felt the experience was even worse for them, so I guess I was not reading too much into the situation. Just plain BAD!
---Dave |
There actually is a great store in Tempe that I recommend everyone going to the Phoenix area check out... they are called L & M Custom Home Electronics. A couple years back when on a trip to visit family members there, my brother-in-law and I went there (appointment only), and we experienced some great sound. The owner's name was Mike, and I can't say enough good things about him or his store... We heard some McIntosh XRT-28s and 30s that day that were absolutely *amazing*, a new ML speaker that just got unboxed as we sat there, and three speakers from Dali (MS5, Helicon 800 and the Megaline -- the latter two were also quite impressive). No pressure at all to rush us out even though Mike knew I was from the east coast, and my brother-in-law could not afford anything in his store at the time... Needless to say, it was a fabulous experience that I will never forget, and those XRT-28s *will* be mine... someday... I don't care if they have to ship them across the country to me, but I will buy from L&M when I can, as Mike showed me what the value of a really good dealer who knows his stuff is. I definitely recommend all to try out that location if they want a life changing audio experience as I had that day two years back.
As an aside, they were working on a new room for the Legacy Helix when I went there... I figure it must be easily finished by now... just one other great speaker they carry to check out in future. So Jaybo, yes, there is at least one dealer that allowed me to have a "hifi revelation" in AZ... :-)
---Dave |
I see that this thread goes back to 2006, and how things have changed in Phoenix! I have been here a couple of years and have found this area to be a hi-fi wasteland. The only stores I have found worth visiting are AZ Hi-Fi (Central and Camelback in Phoenix); Arizona A/V Choices (6th and Indian School in Phoenix); LMC (two stores-Scottsdale, Tempe); and my personal favorite, Woolson Audio (3202 S 40th St, Suite 10, Phoenix). The last one (Woolson), is a time warp. If you’re looking for vintage hi-end equipment, then this is the place for you.
From reading the above responses, that are from the distant past, I see that AZ Hi-Fi used to be in Tempe and was run by an insufferable owner. Things have changed there too. The store of the same name is now in central Phoenix, run by a guy named Glen. He and Bill (an employee) seem to be good guys and the store represents products that are worth a visit. You won’t find a lot of attitude, just interesting equipment. |
I think its called LMC. Probably one of the biggest HI-FI stores I ever seen. Entry level to Mega-Mega buck equipment. |
