Philadelphia Area Audio Enthusiasts

[Jack in Wilmington]

Does anybody in the Philadelphia area have any experience with "Quest for Sound" just off I95 in Bristol? I am starting my search for new speakers and they sell 5 of the 7 on my short list. Wanted to know if they'll bargain with you on price and if the sound rooms are acoustically set up for a good idea of what to expect from the speakers. Thanks

[JoeE SP9]

I'm not familiar with them. However if you're going to make the trip David Lewis Audio 8010 Bustleton Ave in Phila. The Stereo Trading Outlet on Old York Road in Jenkintown and Soundex of Willow Grove are places you might want to check.:yesnod:

[drseid]

I don't know about bargaining on price, but those guys are extremely knowledgeable. I met them a couple years back at CES in Vegas (they run the Consonance/VonSchweikert room at THE Show there) and I was so impressed with their knowledge and ability to select good components that I bought one of their demo CD players from Consonance immediately at a very fair price (and later bought the speakers playing with it).

I am not saying they wont negotiate on price, but line selection and knowledge base are even more important IMO... They also have some very good lines there as you have already mentioned, and a couple of them are not available almost anywhere else in the US... You are lucky to be near them (I live in VA).

Oh yeah, they know how to setup a room. Their Vegas room was the best I heard at THE Show that year (with the execption on one of the Von Schweikert rooms featuring $150K/pr speakers and electronics that cost as much or more than that). The Consonance room hosted by QFS was quite reasonably priced and sounded *incredible*.

Good luck,

---Dave

[SlumpBuster]

but line selection and knowledge base are even more important IMO...

Too true.
Also you want guys who recognize that you are a serious buyer. I've bought all my core AV equipment at the same two shops since I was 18. They are right across the street from eachother and have been for the last thirty years (can anyone say "competition"?) Since there are two shops so close (with two more just a mile down the road), Saturdays are jam packed with a buch of "looky lous" and guys who think their $500 budget is the bomb. But it is also packed with Mercedes driving boomers that aren't looking at price tags. In that type of environment, bargaining can be difficult. Accordingly, I always find time on weekdays in the middle of the day. The joint will be a ghost town and once you tell them that you've always bought there, the standard discounts for regulars roll right out.

Also, I've gone to a couple of "closed door invite only sales" where the sticker is the no haggle lowest price. It is a very relaxed way to shop. Once you buy from a shop, you should start receiving those invites, if they do that type of thing.

[Jack in Wilmington]

Joe
I've been to David Lewis. Not the best of neighborhoods and when the salesman had to come and unlock the front door to let me in, I never really felt comfortable. Been to Soundex and was very impressed, unfortunately I was there about a year ago and they were closing for good in a couple days.

Dave
Thanks for the info on QFS. It's nice to know that the sales staff there are very knowledgeable. There is nothing more frustrating then to go in to listen to a pair of speakers and have the salesman crawling behind the speakers to find out why they won't play.

Slumpbuster
I have bought most of my equipment from my local AV store. They carry Sonus Faber, Paradigm, Krell and Def Tech. Nice equipment but either not in my price range or not what I'm after at this time.

[JoeE SP9]

Joe
I've been to David Lewis. Not the best of neighborhoods and when the salesman had to come and unlock the front door to let me in, I never really felt comfortable. Been to Soundex and was very impressed, unfortunately I was there about a year ago and they were closing for good in a couple days.

Dave
Thanks for the info on QFS. It's nice to know that the sales staff there are very knowledgeable. There is nothing more frustrating then to go in to listen to a pair of speakers and have the salesman crawling behind the speakers to find out why they won't play.

Slumpbuster
I have bought most of my equipment from my local AV store. They carry Sonus Faber, Paradigm, Krell and Def Tech. Nice equipment but either not in my price range or not what I'm after at this time.

David Lewis is the only audio emporium I've ever known of that kept the store open an hour late so my buddy could listen to and buy a pair of $500 speakers. They also gave him an 8ft pair of Kimber 4VS. All in all it's a very nice place to shop. You've just got to ignore the neighborhood.
Soundex while very impressive always had the snottiest sales staff in the world.

[Jack in Wilmington]

Hey Dave,
Just wanted to let you know that I e-mailed QFS and told them what I was interested in auditioning and asked if he had anything else that I should listen to and he told me I had to hear the Consonance Eric 1's. I noticed that they're on your equipment list so I'm sure you'd second that opinion.

[drseid]

Hey Dave,
Just wanted to let you know that I e-mailed QFS and told them what I was interested in auditioning and asked if he had anything else that I should listen to and he told me I had to hear the Consonance Eric 1's. I noticed that they're on your equipment list so I'm sure you'd second that opinion.

You bet I do. I was most impressed with those when I first heard them in Vegas. I did not need them at the time, so I bought the CD-120 instead back then... but when I was looking for a 1K/pr. or less set of speakers for my office system, I had those at the top of my list (and am very happy with the purchase).

---Dave

[phillyguy]

Jack,

I bought a set of Mission fronts, center and surrounds from Stereo Trading Outlet. They had good service and a good price. Check them out. Have you tried Overtures in De?

[Jack in Wilmington]

Phillyguy
I'll have to check Stereo Trading Outlet and see if they have something that I might want to check out. Joe mentioned them also. I do have to get into Overture. They have Audio Physics and the Yara and Step look like they're worth a listen. They also sell Quad and the L series has been getting some nice writeups lately. Did go to Best Buys to listen to the Vienna Acoustics, but when I had to tell the salesman that he had the Mozart tag and price of $2499 on the Beethoven speaker and he had to ask 2 other salesman to see if that was true. Well you better know what you're looking for when you go in those places.
Thanks

[phillyguy]

Jack,


Here is the link for Stereo Trading Outlet:

www.tsto.com/

You can check them out before you go.....

Enjoy shopping for your new speakers!

Phillyguy

[Jack in Wilmington]

Phillyguy
Checked out Stereo Traders and they are having a huge sale on Quad speakers. I have to make time to get up there. To bad I don't have any vacation days left. Thanks

[phillyguy]

Jack,

I picked up a set of the Mission V62's plus center and surrounds from them last year. They were great to deal with. I really liked the Mission sound (have an old pair of 707's that I still love) so I was happy to find out they were one of the few dealers in the US. Hopefully you will have the same experience.

[jwh917]

Jack.I've purchased speakers at Overture(good people and service),Stereo Trading Outlet(owner is great guy..best prices on Paradigm speakers in the area),Soundex(closed now...purchased speakers there many years ago....worst people i ever dealt with),David Lewis(never purchased...good guy.....believe may be closed now),Quest For Sound(couple months ago auditioned several bookshelf speakers there,Hyperion's and Consanance,both were really great,owner is great guy,very friendly/helpful,just let me listen as long as i wanted.Quest For Sound has a very large selection of High End speakers....all set up for audition.Good luck.

[Jack in Wilmington]

Jack.I've purchased speakers at Overture(good people and service),Stereo Trading Outlet(owner is great guy..best prices on Paradigm speakers in the area),Soundex(closed now...purchased speakers there many years ago....worst people i ever dealt with),David Lewis(never purchased...good guy.....believe may be closed now),Quest For Sound(couple months ago auditioned several bookshelf speakers there,Hyperion's and Consanance,both were really great,owner is great guy,very friendly/helpful,just let me listen as long as i wanted.Quest For Sound has a very large selection of High End speakers....all set up for audition.Good luck.


Thanks for all the info. I do have a large list of speakers to listen to at Quest for Sound. I'm glad that they have their speakers set up for audition. I hate when the salesman has to crawl behind the speakers to change wires when you want to hear a different pair. Have to start putting my audition CD's together for the trip.
I'm interested in Stereo Trading Outlet because they sell Paradigm, they may have my amp (Anthem MCA20) in the same room as some of the speakers I want to listen to.