Used Electronics and record stores in London?

[boiler]

Anybody know of any used electronics stores and some good record shops in London, ON? Going down for the day on Saturday. I'm looking to get a 70's stereo amplifier.

[Thorgnor]

You can check out Speed City Records on Springbank Drive for great vinyl. It can be a little expensive but the selection is wild. They are all audiophiles so I'm sure they will have some great advice in there if you can get em talking. I think London Audio (York st.?) has some good stuff as well but it mostly newer components.

good luck.

[SaggyBalls]

targethifi.com - great store, lots of used gear.

Maybe It's worth noting that HiFi isn't like vintage guitar gear. You're not going to get better sound out of older gear when we're talking about solid state stuff. It would be worth your time to listen to everything in your price range, even if it's new.

If you're hoping to find serious deals and surprises, I wouldn't count on the second hand shops in London having great stuff but dundas street east may be worth a venture...mybe you'll get a new lamp or knick knack.

I would also check out the village idiot in Wortley Village (south of downtown closer to the brewery) - if you're into being on foot and bike (got paniers for your vinyl?) and exploring the city (weather permitted) then it's really a nice part of London.

A walk from target hi fi through the market, stop for a beer at chancey's, walk down to the river and down to the village...a bit longer than if you're in the car but you can walk to wellington street and stop in at Matt's music (guitar shop) along the way back.

[Weirdness]

Grooves on Clarence is not bad for new and used records and they also have some vintage audio gear for sale as well. Target will not likely have much from the 70's but it's worth a trip in if you're in town and it's not far from Grooves either. Actually I just noticed that they had a vintage MacIntosh 70's amp that just sold so you never know.

Sansui and Marantz tend to be the most highly regarded amps from that era but Pioneer, Kenwood etc also had some nice pieces. Check canuckaudiomart.com as well there should be lots of receivers and so forth available there and they are often serviced too which is usually necessary on something of that age.

I was not aware of speed city, thanks for the tip on that...

[boiler]

Thanks, I've been checking the canuckaudiomart out. My brother has a hifi business, I just can't afford anything he sells right now. I want to go with vintage gear for now until I can afford the shite he has (like cyrus and creek and epos).

There's a couple sansui's and a cool old Yamaha on Kijiji in London right now that I want to check out. Thought I'd hit a few stores up also just to see what's out there but I'm leaning in the direction of the sansui.

[hamilton]

Sansui and Marantz tend to be the most highly regarded amps from that era but Pioneer, Kenwood etc also had some nice pieces. Check canuckaudiomart.com as well there should be lots of receivers and so forth available there and they are often serviced too which is usually necessary on something of that age.

I have been using a Sansui AU-9500 for years, and I think it is absolute gold (of course, I don't have it here with me in Korea - I can't wait to get home and use it again!) Servicing is an issue, though - mine has a problem with the midrange in one channel dropping out occasionally (I have read up on this, and it seems to be the one common problem with this model). It's geting harder to find places that service models that old; there used to be a guy in Hamilton who worked on them, but he doesn't do drop-offs anymore.

Anyway... yeah. Sansui. Nice.

[boiler]

Looks like I'm going to pick up this little baby tomorrow. It's an Onkyo TX-2500 MKII.

[Thorgnor]

I miss my old sony set up with the mission speakers...

Edited July 23, 2010 by Guest