[dropnbass]

First, thank you all for the great information you've posted here.

Does anyone know some good stores (audio stores or could be CircuitCity or BestBuy or whatever) that has good policies regarding having display models of the various headphones and IEMs for us to try in the store?

I've finally been able to put together shortlists of:

1. IEM's (items like superfi5s, vodas, ep630)-marshmallows too but jeez for $20 I think I can just buy those.
2. Portable headphones (items like Senn HD-1, AKG 81)
3. Full size headphones (Higher end Grados, Senn, Sony)

So I have this list of contenders for each category, plan to buy 1 or 2 in each category (1 mid-high end, 1 lower-end for working out,etc).

I plan to test maybe 8-10 items and maybe buy 3-4.

But, if I order all 10 items off the web to test them, it will be a big hassle, time consuming to return, not to mention I'll eat shipping etc.

So, does anyone know which stores are good for having in-store demo models of headphones, or, at least - stores that have great 30day+ return policies with no restocking fee?

Not to mention, stores that let you test stuff are great for finding what you want, then getting cheapest prices off the web. (dont worry, I give them plenty of money for other things).

I guess in some cases, there is no other option - ie it looks like things like Audio Technicas are hard to find in-stock at local stores, etc.

If it helps, I'm in the San Francisco downtown area -- (but sometimes it doesn't matter that much where you are - ie if a chain store is good for this in NYC, they are probably good for it here). Heh, I see someone has a version of this thread for Seattle. We should compile a worldwide list of places to listen to audio equipment first hand.

Thank you!

*If anyone knows of any models that fit into the above categories for SQ & price, etc, please let me know if I should be editing/adding to that list.

 

[user18]

There's the Guitar Center on Van Ness Ave. I tried going to Cutting Edge Audio Group by Gold's Gym on 10th St, but they were closed. They're site listed a selection of AKGs and Sennheisers.

 

[wnmnkh]

We have a huge international meeting in San Hose in late April. You may sign up for that.

There will be tons of different kinds of heapdhones, of cause.

 

[kanamin]

Anybody know of any in Berkeley?

I found cambridge soundworks through google, but I walked there and their store closed

 

[ShiroZ]

The only retail place I know of that may have the whole Grado lineup in stock is Harmony Audio Video (dot com to check out the A/V lineup) over on West Portal Ave.

 

[stereophile]

The Apple Store downtown SF has some some decent quality IE's -- well I saw some JBLs, Vodas, Bose, etc -- and across the street Virgin Records had some marshmallows and Vodas -- I think they both got 2 week - 30 day return policies, but they didn't have any on display to listen to. Well Apple had some Bose on display but I don't want those.

Yes, any good headphone shops in SF where we can listen to the stuff people mention here?

 

[ken36]

You guys are very lucky.