What is the best store online or offline to buy Hi-Fi equipment?

[MrAlex]

Is there a specialized audio retail store online or offline to buy hi-fi equipment? What is your go-to store when you want to buy?

 

[Deleted member 188533]

It very much depends on where you are.

 

[MrAlex]

It very much depends on where you are.

Miami but I would be okay buying online as well. Any recommendations or sites I should checkout?

 

[Deleted member 188533]

You'll need to look locally and I suggest you do that. I'd think Miami would have quite a few Hi-Fi shops. I'm in middle Georgia and there's no such thing. We have one and they carry about 5 brands. So find a shop that will let you audition various products and find something you like. Then you can either go with the local place ( which should also offer installation ) or shop around online. Amazon, B&H Photo.....there are a bunch of places online that offer really good deals. But you need to know what you're shopping for first.

 

[MrAlex]

Makes sense, thank you!!

 

[Deleted member 188533]

We also have some very experienced forum members so if you wanted advice on brands to look for and pairings that are known to be good this is a good place to start. I'd start another thread and list what you're looking for ( music ( type ), home theater etc. ) and what kind of budget you're working with.

 

[James83]

You'll need to look locally and I suggest you do that. I'd think Miami would have quite a few Hi-Fi shops. I'm in middle Georgia and there's no such thing. We have one and they carry about 5 brands. So find a shop that will let you audition various products and find something you like. Then you can either go with the local place ( which should also offer installation ) or shop around online. Amazon, B&H Photo.....there are a bunch of places online that offer really good deals. But you need to know what you're shopping for first.

A perfect way of making sure you never have physical shops to check things out in the future.

I'm a bit lost by your comment.
Firstly you recommend using a friendly Hifi store to check the products out. Then in the next sentence, you suggest a way of putting said Hifi store out of business. Ie shop online at Amazon etc.

So I shall try another answer to the OP.

The internet is your friend for finding Hifi stores.
One way is to find a well known brand of equipment or two, and look to see where there nearest outlets are. That then gives you a few suggestions of hifi stores.

Take a drive round them, and see which hifi store you get on with. Who provides best info, who is most helpful etc. Will any let you audition equipment at home?
If you find a store you like, which sells gear you like, then buy the gear from that store.
Do not buy the stuff off the internet, because next time you want to audition some more hifi gear, you will find you can't, because you have helped put physical stores out of business.

Leaving my rant behind.
The reason I mention looking at equipment manufacturers first, is because once I have researched a subject, I often shop for brands/ manufacturers I like.
Instead of letting a shop show me equipment they sell, I go searching for equipment I want to try. Or at least use that as a basis.

But then others will prefer to go in blind, and hopefully find a good shop that can help them.

Up to you. Either way, despite Miami being on the other side of the pond, I would suspect you would have a good selection. Not exactly a small out the way town is it?!!!!!

 

[Deleted member 188533]

I'm a bit lost by your comment.

Hi-fi shops are the exception in the US NOT the norm. The only reason you'd go to one here is if you wanted them to install it. I buy at the cheapest place. Full stop. If you want my business offer me either the lowest price or some sort of convenience I can't get elsewhere. Free market economies are great things. But thank you for your 'correction'. Very helpful to all involved.

 

[RBinDC]

Yeah well...,

that assumes you know exactly what you want. I certainly don’t know that without a lot of auditioning. My starting place is a Best Buy that has a Magnolia room. The carry a lot of good mainstream brands (KEF, B&W, Klipsch, Marantz, Denon , etc. They don’t sell stuff likes Hegel. So the Hi fi specialty shops fill an important niche.

This hi fi stuff is very complex - or not, depending on your taste and budget.