Music stores in Great Los Angeles area for headphone demo?
Dec 4, 2012 at 4:33 PM Thread Starter Post #1 of 16
AlienBoy

AlienBoy

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Recently I want to upgrade my old headphone, I’ve been benefited by many good posts on Head-Fi, thank you all for who posted! I’ve searched several models, due to my need for sound design and also a bit for music listening (assorted genre), I’m trying to find one that can be driven by sound card directly and in closed back style. I’ve targeted these monitoring headphones:
 
  1. Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro, 80/32 ohm
  2. Sennheiser HD 380 Pro
  3. Shure SRH840
  4. Sony MDR-7506
  5. AKG K 272 HD
 
But it is hard for me to find a place in Los Angeles, where I live, to audition higher-end monitoring headphones. I’ve tried Apple Store, Best Buy and Target, but they only have consumer and gaming brands like Beats, Bose, Skullcandy… I also tried Guitar Center but they don’t have demos. Sam Ash has some good monitoring headphones, but they don’t sell Beyerdynamic, which I’m mainly looking for.
 
Can anyone suggest some local stores for demo/audition headphones I mentioned above? I'm looking for stores mainly in Los Angeles County, it would be even better if they are in East of LA, like Monterey Park to Roland Heights. Thanks a lot!
 
Dec 4, 2012 at 6:35 PM Post #2 of 16
There isn't much since the DXC Store closed.
 
One place you might try is Turntable Lab, in Mid-City.  It's a very small store with a larger online inventory...and tbh, I think most of the items aren't on demo.  However, they carry good brands, are very friendly and knowledgeable, and may know of some places where you can try the headphones they have...as well as others.  I think they may have a generous return policy, but don't really remember.
 
http://turntablelab.com/collections/headphones-date
 
 
Dec 5, 2012 at 8:36 PM Post #3 of 16
Quote:
torrino said:
There isn't much since the DXC Store closed.
 
One place you might try is Turntable Lab, in Mid-City.  It's a very small store with a larger online inventory...and tbh, I think most of the items aren't on demo.  However, they carry good brands, are very friendly and knowledgeable, and may know of some places where you can try the headphones they have...as well as others.  I think they may have a generous return policy, but don't really remember.
 
http://turntablelab.com/collections/headphones-date
 
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Thanks! Turntable Lab's physical stores look tiny, but they do have a wide range of online stock. Though their website says "LA storefront is on hiatus", maybe the store is temporarily closed?
 
Dec 5, 2012 at 8:52 PM Post #4 of 16
:popcorn:

Edit: Well for the ones you listed I can give suggestions but if anyone has any better ones I would LOVE to hear it.... :D

Guitar Center on hollywood blvd DOES demo phones. Sometimes their staff are lazy and wont grab them. Behind the counter near the sound equipment they have a very used DT880, some M50's, som 770s, and in some other department they have a pair of white q701's that they will never sell because the cable is super dirty and they are very used and they will only give you 15% off retail on them.... anyway....

They also will let you open models like the HD380. While I was there on a sunday morning I opened some KRK's and a guy there opened an HD280. They used to have some SRH840 but they were gone the last time I was there.

There is a Best Buy off the 101 freeway north of Studio City that has a built in Music store like a mini guitar center. They had a bunch of Koss models, the HD380, HD280, SRH840 (and others), I believe some beyers but I am uncertain if they were for demo. Their demo rack has about 9 to 12 models on it of pro headphones (separate to all of the consumer stuff elsewhere in the store).

The Best Buy by costco on LosFeliz as you enter glendale has a back section by the home audio section where they have P5, P3, K550, HD559, a couple AT models, and a few others. Of course they have the UE6000 in the consumer area which is demo'able with your own source. Loads of monster and other products like that in that section.

Hope that helps you. I am hoping for a place in LA that has Audeze, Hifiman, high end Senny's, etc. If anyone finds a place within 50 miles of LA.... please don't hesitate to speak up.
 
Dec 5, 2012 at 9:55 PM Post #5 of 16
Wow, thanks Doc-holliday, that was very helpful! I shall give those stores a try!
 
I wish I could share some decent local stores but I haven't yet found any. I DO find the Best Buy in Cerritos has a home audio section like you mentioned. They have some high-end audiophile headphones for demo, but no monitoring headphones. They have some ATHs, Senns and Denon AHD200, I don't remember the exact model for ATHs and Senns since their price are above $200, which is beyond my budget, but they are similar to what you mentioned. They don't have Audeze and Hifiman. I hope this info helps a bit.
 
Dec 6, 2012 at 5:48 AM Post #7 of 16
Dec 6, 2012 at 12:01 PM Post #8 of 16
Dec 6, 2012 at 4:44 PM Post #9 of 16
Quote:
doc-holliday said:
 
Warren if these people do in fact have such products for demo, I will be eternally in your debt...... okay maybe not but really thankful nonetheless.
rolleyes.gif


I'll try to check the place out in the next couple of days and post it up.
Click to expand...

 
Welcome! 
biggrin.gif
  Might want to give them a quick call first... to see if they allow auditioning... but also to check their hours and such.
 
If they do turn out to be the real deal, you can even cover your trip to there on HF (take pics LOL).  I bet a whole bunch of LA Head-Fiers would be like "I never knew that was there!"
 
Aug 19, 2013 at 1:14 PM Post #12 of 16
Had to call 3 times to get an answer, not very friendly. They sell exclusively summit-fi and are by appointment only. Not the kind of service I would expect from someone trying to sell high-end anything though.


gilly87 said:
Fwiw I'll be scoping them out soon, probably Monday-ish.
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Aug 19, 2013 at 1:54 PM Post #13 of 16
I miss DXC store. They started at the SM promenade then moved to Culver City. It is a true headphone store with everything available for listening hanging on their wall.
 
Aug 19, 2013 at 1:56 PM Post #14 of 16
A real shame they aren't around...I'd be there every weekend.
 
Is there anywhere at all in LA that sells amps in the $100-$200 range?
Quote:
milesdavis2 said:
I miss DXC store. They started at the SM promenade then moved to Culver City. It is a true headphone store with everything available for listening hanging on their wall.
Click to expand...

 
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