[Assorted]

Really? Maybe I wasn't looking hard then.

 

[skev13]

As for shure foamies, Long and McQuades stocks them. (along with other shure tips)

 

[spaceways]

Quote:

Originally Posted by schugh /img/forum/go_quote.gif What? Hey do you live in Edmonton, Alberta? Or is this some other Edmonton? You can get most of the high end headphones in town here at very competitive prices. All the Grado and amp can be found here. Senn of all models and stipes are available. AKG can be had here. Shure can be found here. A few different AMPs, Ultrasone, Beyerdynamic, Stax. I go my Benchmark DAC-1 locally. And they have a very healthy environment for audio shopping in general. Yes they won't have everything, but there is quite a lot of variety available of most of the well know high end brand names in audio (B&W, Dynaudio, rotel, Bryston, Wilson, Paradigm and I could go on and on). Heck I just bought my DK-VS1 MKII integrated amp at an excellent clear out price locally a couple of months ago. I got brand new Revel F12 speakers at half price from a local dealer. The only thing I've bought on-line (headphone related) are things that are sold direct such as from headroom. I don't know about the rest of Canada, but here in Edmonton, Alberta there is very little to complain about. The staff are for the past part these days are very friendly and fun to talk with. -- Sanjay

Could you list some of the different stores in Edmonton? I only know of Audio Ark and Axe Music...if there are more (especially stores that have Ultrasone) I would love to know!

Thanks

 

[cyberidd]

I wish there was somewhere in Winnipeg to get cans and amps. :s

 

[MarkB]

In Winnipeg, try Creative Audio in Osbourne Village. I just picked up some Grado 225's for a decent price. They carry the full Grado line and their pricing is very competitve from what I've seen of canadian price's for Grado's. Highly recommended.

 

[rocker]

In Van try Commercial Electronics - AKG, Beyerdynamics, Grado and Sennheiser.

 

[boomy3555]

I thought NAFTA was supposed to take care of all that trade stuff.
HAHA

 

[Zenja]

Quote:

Originally Posted by zwy7 /img/forum/go_quote.gif generally everything is overpriced in canada...

Fixed

 

[moogoob]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zenja /img/forum/go_quote.gif Fixed

Too true, unfortunately.

 

[spaceways]

So I went and checked out one "hi-fi" store in Edmonton - "the Gramophone".

I was very disappointed.

My reason for going was to demo a pair of Sennheiser HD650's. The first question they asked me before taking the 650's out was "Now, do you actually have the money to buy these if you demo them, or are you just...".

What kind of question is that? I wouldn't be there to demo them if I didn't have the money to buy them (if they were worth it that is). Even if I was there only to demo them with no intention of purchasing the 650's aftewards, guess what? It's still his job. I really can't see his time or effort being so important that he would have to question a CUSTOMER about their intentions. Who knows, maybe I didn't look like a pursuer of "hi-fi" audio, unlike their pretentious selves or the yuppies and University students they attract.

That was incredibly rude and showed a lack of, well, everything you expect in the service industry.

So I gave them a listen, first through a GROSSLY overpriced Shanling PCD300A (you can find them on ebay for $280 USD, they wanted $600), and then through a Shanling PH100 amp (they wanted $400, on ebay it's $198 USD) coupled with another CDP whose make I forget. It seems with these kinds or prices, combined with their attitude, they are more concerned about the money than forging any kind of meaningful relationship between the customer and themselves.

Never mind that while I was listening to the cans, this "salesman" was talking to my dad and saying things like "You know, people will make all sorts of excuses to NOT buy something, if it's amped, un-amped, the CDP, if it's cold outside etc). Or the little snicker/sneer I received when I mentioned that I was going to use my computer as the source coupled with a USB/DAC amp.

Yeah, real nice.

In the end, I decided NOT to buy the 650's (this isn't a review for the Senn's, so I'll leave that out). Obviously the way I was treated there didn't sit with me too well, and neither did the insane price markups ($599 for a pair of 650's. Heh).

On my way out, I was treated to a barrage of questioning.

"Well, what DIDN'T we do for you? What did the other hi-fi stores do for you that we didn't? Didn't we do everything?"

"Well, if you had said that your budget was actually $300 instead of $599 in the first place". (basically him calling me a liar)

My recommendation? If you're in Edmonton, DON'T go to the Gramophone.

Now I remember why I try to order most things online in the first place....

 

[Myriad]

I'll second the Gramophone being an unpleasent place to deal with. If you purchase something from them just pray you never have to return or warranty it, they're an absolute pain to get anything done with.

Though I will say that this mainly comes from the guy who owns the store, and it sounds like he was the guy you encountered. A couple of the people who work there are quite pleseant to deal with.

Edit: Just to clarify, in the end they do the right thing in my experience, but you have to be ready to be a little persistent. It especially helps if you've been a customer of theirs in the past.