Received: from IUS1.CS.CMU.EDU by K.CS.CMU.EDU; 27 Sep 86 20:45:26 EDT
Date: Saturday, 27 September 1986 20:44:25 EDT
From: Peter.Highnam@ius1.cs.cmu.edu
To: day@h.cs.cmu.edu
cc: bovik@k.cs.cmu.edu
Subject: Buying stereo equipment.
Message-ID: <1986.9.28.0.41.37.Peter.Highnam@ius1.cs.cmu.edu>


The Sound Seller, 1-800-826-0520 (Wisconsin), carries a wide selection
and is able (and willing) to get things from other companies so that
you'll place your entire order with them.  Their goods arrived exactly
on time, C.O.D., 5 days after ordering.


Ordering speakers is rather more troublesome, the mail order houses seem to
stock very limited selections.  We bought from a local dealer eventually.


The local stores of most help to us were:

   o   ``Audio Korner'' about 20 mins from Sq.Hill in Bethel Park.  Spectrum 
      speakers at rates ~ mail order, plus Proton (read ``NAD'') and Vector
      Research equipment.  Very pleasant and knowledgeable people.

   o   ``Audio Junction'' in Dormont on West Liberty, 3 miles out of the
      Liberty Tubes.  Big range of speakers and tape decks.  Go at night
      the owner will probably be there to talk to you.  Very helpful.

   o   ``Appliance Store'' in Monroeville (opposite Showcase East cinema).
      They carry Harmon-Kardon equipment and a range of Bose speakers.  The
      situation there is far from ideal but the prices are difficult to beat.
      The salespeople are able to operate the equipment.

   o   ``Better Sound Concepts'' in Oakland.  Seemed very knowledgeable and
      we took some of his advice.  But.  Buying from him would have cost us
      a great deal of money (his 15-20% markup over mail order plus PA tax). 
      When we decided to buy the speakers from him as payment for 20 mins of
      his expert help he became irate because we hadn't bought everything
      there. We left and went to the Audio Korner (saving 1/6th of the price).


Caveat:  We were looking for a minimal system (only a tape deck and receiver)
        on a very low budget.