Quote Originally Posted by topspeed
Check out The Digital Ear in Tustin. They carry a lot of different types, not just brands, of speakers that will allow you to compare planars, 'stats, transmission line, phase correct, time aligned, and plain 'ol dynamic speakers all in the same place. They carry such notable brands as Martin Logan, Magnaplaner, Audio Physic, Theil, Canton and Wilson. It's also a very low pressure environment populated with knowlegeable, genuinely friendly guys. It's a good opportunity to expose yourself to the different types of speakers that are within your price range yet present wholly different renditions of the same music. What better way to decide which is best for you?
I guess I'll have to pay a visit over there next time I'm down in OC. I haven't been there since the mid-80s, and that was when they were just starting to stock higher end audio equipment. They first opened right around when the CD format came out as basically a CD store with a few CD players on the side, and they were one of the few places in OC where you could find a decent selection of audiophile titles. Obviously, they've diversified quite a bit!