From crabapple.srv.cs.cmu.edu!cantaloupe.srv.cs.cmu.edu!rochester!rutgers!jvnc.net!yale.edu!qt.cs.utexas.edu!cs.utexas.edu!usc!wupost!spool.mu.edu!umn.edu!uum1!salsa.ssesco.com!ssesco.com!nau Mon Nov 2 13:26:53 EST 1992 Article: 53969 of rec.audio Path: crabapple.srv.cs.cmu.edu!cantaloupe.srv.cs.cmu.edu!rochester!rutgers!jvnc.net!yale.edu!qt.cs.utexas.edu!cs.utexas.edu!usc!wupost!spool.mu.edu!umn.edu!uum1!salsa.ssesco.com!ssesco.com!nau From: nau@ssesco.com (William Nau) Newsgroups: rec.audio Subject: Mail Order List SUMMARY (Oct. 2 1992) Message-ID: Date: 2 Nov 92 15:18:33 GMT Sender: news@ssesco.com Organization: SSESCO Lines: 334 11/02/92 First I want to thank those of you that have provied further information on the companies in this list and for information on companies that were not in the list. However, many of the entries in the list are still far from complete. It does not help that I have added several entries after paging through a copy of Stereophile. I, once again, plead with you to provide any information that you may have on the follow companies or on any companies not listed. (nau@ssesco.com) I hope that many of you can make use of the list. Disclaimer: This list was compiled via mail messages recieved from the folks out in netland and from paging though a magizine. I have had limited experiences with most of the following companies. I appoligize for any errors. If any mail order company wishes to be removed from my list, please let me know and I will take the appropriate actions. Any orders through the following mail order companies are done at your own risk and I take absolutly no responsibility. If you find the information to be wrong, tell me and I will correct it. Notes: Many of the very low priced items are from nonauthorized dealers. This means that the manufactures will not back the item that is sold through these dealers. Often the dealer will have their own warrenty in such a case, but don't expect much from such a warrenty. Bait and switch tactics are not unusual in the world of mail order (or used cars). They will often attempt to make you purchase an item other than the one that you want. This can be illegal. It's a fuzzy line, because sometimes they are simply trying to give you good advice, but other times they are doing so only because that item will make them more profit. I tried to note where the Bait and Switch tactics are suspected by netters. ABC Distributors 162 Highway 34, Suite 189 Matawan, NJ 07747 Phone: 1-800-354-1324 - Mid to high end (Kenwood, Pioneer, Yamaha, B&W, Nakamichi, Onyko) - Authorized on some brands only - not enough information to recommend Audio Nexus 33 Union Place Summit, NJ 07901 Phone: 1-908-277-0333 - High end (Vandersteen, Stax, Rotel, PS Audio, McCormack, Forte, Fotex, Dynaco, Counterpoint, B&K Cary, Audio Alchemy, Audioquest, etc) - not enough information to recommend Audio Outlet P.O. Box 673 Bedford Hills, NY 10507-0673 Phone: (914) 666-0550 - High end equipment (PSE, Audio Alchemy, Counterpoint, Mcormack, Muse, Creek, Genesis, Acurus) - Not really a mail order house, but will deal over the phone - Very knowledgable (Ask for Frank) - Good service - Recommended by two people (not a lot, but no one said anything bad about them) Audio Video Today 14306 Beach Blvd Westminster, CA 92683 Phone 1-714-891-7575 - High end (Counterpoint, Denon, Hafler, Polk, Yamaha, Kinergetic, etc) - not enough information to recommend Cambridge Sound Works 154 California Street Newton, MA 02158-9954 US Phone: 1-800-367-4434 Canada: 1-800-525-4434 - Mid end (Pioneer, Phillips) - They exist to sell their own speakers (intended for surround) - Varying opinions on their speakers - Reasonable service - Worth a call for the catalogue Computability P.O. Box 17882 Milwaukee, WI 53217 Phone: 1-800-558-0003 - Mid to low end (Pioneer, Phillips, Panasonic) - Upfront and straighforward - recommended by one netter Crutchfield 1 Crutchfield Park Charlottessville, VA 22906 Sales/Information: 1-800-955-3000 Catalog Request: 1-800-955-9009 Spanish Line: 1-800-955-9039 TDD (Deaf Line): 1-800-388-9753 - Low to mid end equipment (Sony, Kenwood, Pioneer, JBL, NHT) - Seems to be an emphasis on car stereo - Reasonable prices (high for mail order) - Very friendly and helpful people - Service that difficult to equal even at a local store. - Very good (toll free) technical help. No question is stupid. - Highly recommended (only complaints were price) CSA Audio 193 Bellevue Upper Montclair, NJ Phone: 1-201-744-0600 - High end (Audio Research, Near, Martin Logan, Krell, NAD, California Audio Labs, Fosgate, Acurus, Polk, MB Quart, Dynaco, etc) - not enough information to recommend Focus Electronics 4523 13th Avenue B'Klnny, NY 11219 Phone: 1-800-223-3411 - Mid end (Sony, Panasonic, Sansui, JVC) - Authorized dealer on some brands only Harvey Electronics 2 West 45th Street New York, NY 10036 Phone: 1-212-575-5000 - mid to high end (Yamaha, Sony, B&O, Lexicon, Mcintosh) - also have used and B stock equipment - polite - recommended by one netter Illinois Audio 12 E Delaware Place Chicago, IL 60611 Phone: 1-800-621-8042 - Mid end (Sony, Panasonic, JBL, Yamaha) - not enough information to recommend J&R Music World Dept. SR1192 59-50 Queens Midtown Expressway Maspeth, Queens, NY 11378 Phone: 1-800-221-8180 - Low to mid end equipment (Sony, Pioneer, etc) - Reasonable prices for mail order - Friendly (not rude anyway) - Reasonable service - Recommended Kief's Audio Video Phone: 1-913-842-1811 - High end to very high end (Acurus, Adcom, Alpine, B&W, Denon, Forte, Martin-Logan, NAD, Nakamichi, Onyko, Threshold and more) - recommended by one user New West Electronics 4120 Meridian Bellingham, WA 98226 Phone: 1-800-488-8877 M-F 6:30am-6:30pm S-S 7:30am-4:30pm - Mid end (Pioneer, Yamaha) - Friendly - highly recommended by one netter Paul Heath Audio & Video 2036 North Clark Street Chicago, IL 60614 Phone: 1-800-362-8784 - High end (B&W, Krell, Rotel, Mirage, Aragon, Acurus, Lexicon, Apogee, Nakamichi, California Audio Labs, Mark Levinson, Bang & Olufsen) - not enough information to recommend Reference Audio Video 18214 Dalton Avenue, Dept S Gardena, CA 90248 Phone: 1-310-517-1700 - High end to very high end (Audioquest, Audio Alchemy, Celestion, Counterpoint, Dahlquist, Fosgate, Hafler, Parasound, Onyko, etc) - Good prices - Friendly - well recommended by one netter Savant Audio Phone: 1-800-628-0627 - High end (Apex, AudioQuest, Basis, Creek, Ensemble, Epos, Fosgate, Sumiko, Rotel, QED, Nimbus, Kinergetics, Sheffield Labs, many more) - not enough information to recommend S.B.H. Enterprises 1678 53rd Street Brooklyn, NY 11204 Phone: 1-800-451-5851 - Mid to low end (Sony, Fisher) - not enough information to recommend 6th Avenue Electronics Multiple locations Orders: 1-800-394-6ave Information: 1-201-467-0100 - From reasonably low end (Poineer) to fairly high end (Adcom/Denon) - Very good prices - Often not an authorized dealer - Very rude (hung up on my 3 times when I was trying to get a price) - Bait and switch tactics - High pressure sales (price is only good if you buy it now) - Will send used or demos and deny it - Nearly noexistant service - Not recommended (never got a positive response) The Sound Approach 6067 Jericho Tpke Commack, NY 11725 Phone: 1-800-368-2344 - Mid to high end (ADS, Carver, Hafler, Denon, Pioneer, Kenwood) - not enough information to recommend Sound by Singer 18 East 16th Street New York, NY 10003 Phone: 1-800-882-5271 - High end (Conrad Johnson, Krell, Martin Logan) - not enough information to recommend Sound City Route 23 South Kinnelon, NJ 07405 Orders: 1-800-542-save Information: 1-201-838-9599 - From reasonably low end (Poineer) to fairly high end (Adcom/Denon) - Very good prices - Often not an authorized dealer - Very rude - Bait and switch tactics - Will send used or demos and deny it (common complaint) - Not recommended (never got a positive response) Soundex 747 Berwyn Avenue Berwyn, PA 19312 Phone: 1-800-444-2040 - High end (Mark Levinson, Audio Research, Mirage, Proton, Stax, MartinLogan, Krell, Hafler, California Audio Labs, Crown, etc.) - Will deal with used/traded equipment - not enough information to recommend The Sound Seller 2808 Cahill Road P.O. Box 224 Marinette, WI 54143 Phone: 1-800-826-9002 - High end (NAD, Lexicon, Acoustat, M&K, Carver, Onyko, Dahlquist) - Not enough information to recommend Square Deal (gotta trust that name) 456 Waverly Avenue Patchogue, NY 11772 Phone: 1-800-332-5411 - High end (Rotel, California Audio Labs, B&W, B&K, B&O, Carver, Denon, NAD, Nakamichi, Fosgate, Lexicon, Sonographe, Boston Acoustics, etc) - not enough information to recommend Stereo Dynamics 1670 Highway 35 Middletown, NJ 07748 Phone: 1-908-671-1559 - High end (Conrad Johnson, Kinergetics, B&K, Rotel, Carver, Audio Alchemy, Energy, Denon, Near, MB Quart, Apex, Proac, etc) - Not enough information to recommend Stereo Exchange 627 Broadway, Greenwich Village, New York, NY 10012. Phone 1-800-833-0071 - High end (Yamaha, Onyko, NAD, Adcom, McIntosh, THX, Mirage) - Reasonable prices - Good service - recommended by one netter USA Media Junction 1137 Bloomfield Avenue W. Caldwell, NJ 07006 Phone: 1-800-827-1002 - Mid to high end (Pioneer, Sony, Hafler, Yamaha, Denon, Carver) - Authorized dealer on some brands only - One response from a netter. Claimed that they were very sluggish and didn't seem to be concerned about it. Another Disclaimer: The opinions expressed are those compiled by myself and of other netters. SSESCO takes no responsibilty. -- William R. Nau Supercomputer Systems Engineering and Services Company (SSESCO) 511 11th Avenue South, Suite 216 Minneapolis, Minnesota 55415-1536 (612) 342-0003 nau@SSESCO.com