[Acix]

The NorCal- SF bay area meeting is THE best option... http://www.head-fi.org/t/474994/norcal-sf-bay-area-feb-27-meet-impressions/45
 

 

[cAsE sEnSiTiVe]

I can second Audio High in Mountain View. LCD-2 & 3's to listen to as long as you like. Jez and crew are no-pressure guys and carry some nice sounding gear.

 

[Lurkumaural]

Great answers guys, but I believe the request was for a store in the North Bay.
http://www.bananasmusic.com/
 
I got a catalog from them very recently, though I don't remember requesting one.  Anyway, there was something I was looking for at a B&M retailer and I remember these were the only guys that had it.  Forgot what it was.  But there you go.

 

[Kevin Brown]

I really like Audible Arts in Campbell (in San Jose).  I went there a few times and literally spent hours there demoing the Grados that they had.  I think at that time, 2 years ago, they had every model up through the RS1i.
 
I bought my very 1st pair of SR80i's there.  A week later I was back, and they took them back and I got a pair of SR125i's.
 

 

[Kevin Brown]

Quote:

Great answers guys, but I believe the request was for a store in the North Bay.
http://www.bananasmusic.com/
 
 

 
 
No ...
 
Quote:

...

I will be visiting San Francisco, CA and surrounding cities for the first few weeks of January.

...

 
In effect, this thread has become a nice source for all good headphone places in the entire (ahem, and I'm quoting the title "San Francisco Bay Area."
 

 

 

[Lurkumaural]

It was this post that woke the dead.  My suggestions stands.
 
Quote:

I'm perfectly comfortable necroing this thread for the 5th time in about 8 years....lol. I too am looking for good stores in the north bay where I can audition some cans. sub'd ^_^ There doesn't seem to be much to choose from.

 

 

[Kevin Brown]

^^^
 
Have the OP change the title then.  Otherwise, the entire thread is still useful for other than just the last 1/4 of it.
 

 

[kylezo]

I travel around the bay are a lot. the 10 minutes it takes to go over the bridge isn't a huge deal for people looking in either the SF bay area or the north bay...lol. Good thread for many ^_^

 

[Asr]

Quote:

I'm perfectly comfortable necroing this thread for the 5th time in about 8 years....lol. I too am looking for good stores in the north bay where I can audition some cans. sub'd ^_^ There doesn't seem to be much to choose from.

There's a pretty big meet coming up in your area on 2/11: http://www.head-fi.org/t/584924/official-2012-bay-area-meet-thread-california-february-11th-saturday

 

[kylezo]

Quote:

There's a pretty big meet coming up in your area on 2/11: http://www.head-fi.org/t/584924/official-2012-bay-area-meet-thread-california-february-11th-saturday

Saying true to the MeetMeister Moniker! Thanks for tipping me off, looks interesting

 

[Llloyd]

Quote:

I really like Audible Arts in Campbell (in San Jose).  I went there a few times and literally spent hours there demoing the Grados that they had.  I think at that time, 2 years ago, they had every model up through the RS1i.
 
I bought my very 1st pair of SR80i's there.  A week later I was back, and they took them back and I got a pair of SR125i's.
 

 
Second this.  I brought in a few vinyls to try out in one of the listening rooms and he just let me sit in there for as long as I pleased.  He just turned the volume up and shut the door and left me with a very nice system.
 
The cans ready to be sampled are from memory, sr60i, sr80i, 325i, ps1000, LCD2, Fanny Wang, out of the Bellari HA540 headphone amp.  This is a pretty nice selection considering that he mostly sells speaker systems

 

[exigentsky]

Are the Momentums available to try at any Bay Area Audio Store (preferably near Fremont)?

 

[dj CampoVerde]

Old thread, i know, but I couldn't find a newer one - and no good brick-and-mortar shop in SF Bay Area either.
What I know: in-motion (?) at the sf airport, international check-in area, has all the shures (including s846), and will let you test them with your own source. No rush there either.
They used to have the UE900, no more.

Also at SFO, but beyond the security checks, there's a shop at gate 80 that carries all the westone universal fits, up to the W40.

I am on my way to Vancouver though, where they actually have a shop dedicated to headphones