Stereo Store in Eugene?

[wingspar]

Back in the late 1970's I made several trips to Eugene putting together my stereo system. There were lots of stores then. Stores that had special rooms for speakers only where you could listen to the speakers you wanted to. You could even bring your own music along. I’m guessing these stores are all gone by now. I don’t get to Eugene much at all anymore, but I was wondering if there are any stores in Eugene with quality speakers set up in a special room for listening to?

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[Douglas]

I think Ronnies AV could probably help you out. Fifth and Pearl in Eugene. If they can't you could at least grab a beer and a movie.

 

[Mark W.]

If you want vintage gear in Portland try ECHO AUDIO on 10th street (they have a web site) In Salem for modern gear there is Hear no Evil on Commercial St. There is also a good Vintage/modern shop in the Corvallis area out on 9th? And in Eugene there are a couple shops open the yellow pages and give a couple places a call.

 

[SteelyDan]

I assume you are talking home audio? I believe Ronnies and Oldfields both still have listeneing rooms.

Also check out Innovative Coach Works in Junction City, Matt is amazing with all types of sound systems.

 

[wingspar]

So, it looks like Ronnies and Oldfields are where I’ll go. What about Best Buy? I’ve only been in a Best Buy once down in CA about a year or two ago, and I remember they had a room for listening for speakers, but I wasn’t looking for speakers then. Does the one in Eugene/Springfield have a room for listening to speakers? Do they carry quality stuff?

 

[SteelyDan]

I don't know if Best Buy has a listening room. What they do have is a bunch of wise *** teenage girls working there who don't know which end of a dishwasher is up!

 

[cyclesarge]

Best Buy DOESN'T have a separate room. You might try Bradford's or England audio. I don't know if they have separate rooms anymore but the customers are more respectful (and not so many) and you don't have a bunch of kids running around bangin' and clangin' on stuff there. Plus they don't sell video games and stuff like that, so you are not competing with THAT noise.

 

[wingspar]

Ok. Best Buy is out. England Audio has a nice web page and photos of the different parts of the store, and they do have a listening room.

Ronnies, Bradfords, and Oldfields don’t have any info on the web other than addresses. The good thing about them is that they are all reasonably close to each other and it’s a part of Eugene I sort of know my way around. That should give me plenty to work with.

My old speakers were 33 year old JBL’s, and they died some time ago. I’ve been using cheap older hand me downs which also died, and recently picked a pair of JBL bookshelf speakers off the internet that looked nice. I don’t like them. They have an almost muddy sound and no base. The reviews on them were good, so now I know what to think of reviews on something that is very personal. I have a few days left to return them, or possibly add a sub woofer, but I don’t know if that will give me something more palatable or not. I’m not stuck on JBL speakers, and haven’t looked at speakers in years, so if someone has knowledge of what to look for, that would be cool. My ears may or may not agree.

After a day of shopping, something I hate to do, no matter what it is I’m looking for, I’ll have to stop at the Baron’s Den on the way out of town, and shoot something.