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Is there a Northern and Southern California Sound

Hi everyone,
I've been slowly making the rounds of LA stereo shops. Before this I was in the San Francisco bay area.

Ages ago, speakers were divided into two camps: East Coast and West Coast sound.

East coast was Audio Research, Boston Acoustics, KLH, etc. West coast was Altec, JBL.

After listening and thinking about it I am wondering if there is a preference for sound quality in northern Caslifornia vs. Southern california?

I got to hear systems in the north at Magico, Music Lovers and Audio Visions. Here in the South I've heard a couple of places, and I found the sound harder and brighter.

Of course, this is a small sample, and all electronics were different, but I'm wondering, has anyone else heard the same?
erik_squires
firstnot's avatar
firstnot
248 posts
 
To me Brooks Berdan has great acoustics and the best sound with 
Spendor and Magico. The manager there knows sound and is very helpful.

Music Lovers has Sonus Faber and people like Hugh that 
hear more than I ever will. 

Those are my preferences. Hard and bright don't work with
my ears anymore. That's a young mans game.

Others opinions?


erik_squires OP
15,875 posts
 
BB is a very nice store indeed.

Sadly they were not set up for my current needs (home theater) but they are a very nice store and one I'd recommend.
Best,
E
bdp24's avatar
bdp24
9,509 posts
 

Brooks’ son Brian (who ran Brooks Berdan Ltd. as Brooks’ health declined) now has his own shop, Audio Elements, in nearby Pasadena. Audiogon contributor folkfreak (who has had me over at his place in Portland to hear his super-fine system) has been one of his clients for years, at both BBL and AE.

Brooks was my main man, starting way back in the mid-80’s. I started accompanying him to the Vegas CES in the late-90’s. His wife Sheila (who now runs BBL) had me put together a band to play at Brooks’ 50th birthday party, at which he got up on my drumset and played "Wipe Out" with the band. Happiest I ever saw him! His death was a huge loss to the SoCal audiophile community.

yyzsantabarbara
4,564 posts
 
The Brooks Berdan big demo room is excellent acoustically. I had a tremendous demo of the Magic A3 in that room. The guys working there were also rather nice to deal with.
erik_squires OP
15,875 posts
 
The Brooks Berdan big demo room is excellent acoustically. I had a tremendous demo of the Magic A3 in that room. The guys working there were also rather nice to deal with.

Super nice people, and I couldn't stand to listen to the A3's with vocals.

YMMV,

E


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