Mail Order HiFi back in the Day.... Where'd ya Buy?

[DogsPart2]

DAK - The equalizer that everyone purchased.

Kinda liked it too!

 

[squirrelnest]

Dixie hi-fi, Washington DC back in the 70's

 

[dly66]

Never ordered from Dixie HiFi - had one in Greensboro until they opened their big box Circuit City back around 1982-83. Seem to remember it appeared to be a converted former full service gas station a few blocks down the hill from the Coliseum on High Point Rd. Bought my Onkyo TA-2020 tape deck there when they had the all must go clearance sale right before the big box Circuit City opened a few miles away. Before I had built up the money and lusted after the stuff as a kid spent much time browsing there.

Speaker drivers (woofers, tweeters, crossover etc) from Speakerlab, McGee Radio and Electronics in Kansas City, and Madisound which is still around but seems to carry a lot less than they used to.

Ordered a receiver from 6th Ave Electronics back in 1990 or so, NAD amp from another one up in the NYC area later in the 90s can't remember the name, car audio and other items from Crutchfield numerous times they date back to at least the 80s remember when were in that small place in the woods out by the airport, some things from J&R.

Did order a couple of things from DAK including the equalizer as DogsPart2 said everybody did. I think it had a pink noise generator, microphone, and little spectrum analyzer in it.

 

[goodolpg]

I mostly drove an hour to "the city" to buy new hifi gear.
I did order a couple times from Crutchfields back in the day.

 

[jlh3rd]

1978
Hi Fi Buys, Dixie, District Sounds, Top Discount, International Hi Fi,
RCA record club.

 

[iramegdal]

Who bought via mail order back in the day?

What was your favorite place to buy from?

Where are they now?

For me it was a place originally called Wisconsin Discount Stereo, eventually changed to Wisconsin Discount Sales and abbreviated WDS. A great bunch of guys there, i bought from the same salesperson exclusively which as time passed proved quite beneficial as we got to know each other on a first name basis over the phone and the more i bought, the better my deals got.

Anybody remember this place or relate to similar experience?

I bought stuff from them. They had the best prices. Also from J&R in NYC.

 

[Roy O]

Lately I’ve been running a Hafler 9130 power amp I bought from the now-defunct Sound City (NJ), circa 1990s. Believe I still have the invoice and carbon-copy credit card receipt.
Before that - ‘70s through ‘80s - there were plenty of local shops and even appliance stores in my area that were selling decent audio gear at prices as low as the mail-order outfits. Plus, one could actually hear it before purchasing.
I’ve had mixed luck with modern online-sales outfits. Most are good, but I’ve had to, uh, put the heat on a couple in the past year (one “manager” claimed he was “too busy” to ship my paid-for cd player for 4 months) Plus, there’s always the possibility of shipping damage hassles.

 

[sound hound]

My favorite mail order back in the early 60's was Audio Unlimited in New York City. Prices on Dynaco were very good. I was a teenager and built them myself, as well as for my "consulting practice". My best client was a man who owned a flooring company. He said, "price no object". Man, was I excited. Decided on Stereo 70 and AR-XA turntable, which Audio Unlimited stocked. I also decided on a McIntosh Pre-Tuner, which Audio Unlimited got in for me from a dealer. Even made a special trip up from Philly with my father. Remember, I had just gotten my license. I think the guy at Audio Unlimited even special ordered the Tannoy coaxial speakers in for me. They were to be put in custom designed speaker cabinets made out of solid teakwood from the flooring company owner. Probably not the best material but who knew back then? Anyway, that was great customer service from Audio Unlimited, thinking about it now.

 

[Lavane]

I still have the BSR spectrum analyzer with pink noise generator from DAK. I lost the mic though. It still works too. I also bought the DAK Thunder Lizard speakers. I knew what the speakers were. I used them as party speakers. They did last a good long time though before the surrounds rottet out. 15" woofer, 8" midrange and a bullet horn. The mids and woofers had BSR stamped on the magnets.

 

[Dmac43]

I bought an Akai GX-267D r2r from ABCO Warehouse, Meridien CT back in 1981. Have no idea what ever happened to them.

But I also bought an AU-717 from Stereo Discounters in Maryland outside of DC. Huge warehouse. My buddy and I walked around there for hours drooling over what we wanted, what we could afford, and what our wish lists contained ....

I bought my Onkyo Integra (first decent receiver) from Stereo Discounters, but being in MD at the time, they were local pickups for me.

 

[Dmac43]

Good ol' Stereo Discounters! I was not a big customer, although I bought a Hitachi receiver for my parents from them ca. 1980. We DID always go to the big show and sale in Timonium every year. I bought several things there, including a nice, early VHS Hi-Fi VCR (Zenith) which we still have -- and use occasionally, for Hi-Fi audio recording and playback.

Perhaps this'll bring back a memory...

I used to go to the Timonium location every other day to drool over the equipment that they had there