Not everyone fits into a big-box store.
If you want someone who actually knows the gear, a real selection to choose from, and the chance to hear it before you buy, a warehouse aisle was never going to cut it. Here’s what shopping a specialty store gets you instead.
It isn’t just us
Leading audio and consumer magazines — Consumer Reports, Sound & Vision, The Absolute Sound — consistently steer buyers toward independent specialty shops over the big chains, for the personal attention and in-depth advice a warehouse simply can’t offer. In Consumer Reports’ own dealer ratings, independents outscored every major big-box chain on the five things that matter most: selection, product quality, shopping ease, checkout, and customer attention. J.D. Power found the same gap in plain product knowledge — the kind that has a salesperson handing you an amplifier when you asked for a tuner.
Big box vs. Gold Sound
| Big-box store | Gold Sound |
|---|---|
| Often a single turntable, if any | 15+ turntables on display, plus tube and solid-state separates |
| AV receivers with no phono input | Stereo amps and receivers ready for vinyl |
| Typically a one-year warranty, plus upsold “extended” plans | Two years standard — some 3, 5, even 7, at no charge |
| Almost everything made in China | Most turntables, cartridges, and headphones from the U.S. or Europe |
| Walls of speakers, none hooked up | Bring your records and actually listen before you buy |
| Commission pressure and high turnover | Staff who designed, built, and wrote about this gear |
| Your money leaves town | Your money stays in your community |
And our prices are usually the same or lower. Big-box salespeople sometimes send customers our way, because we carry the better stereo, home theater, turntables, and quality used gear they don’t.
The advantage that costs you nothing: knowledge
The most valuable thing we offer doesn’t cost you a cent — we actually know this stuff. The people at Gold Sound are university-trained in electronics and acoustics. We’ve designed speakers and electronics, built them by hand, and written about audio for national magazines. NASA, Boeing, and Lockheed-Martin have all bought Gold Sound–designed equipment. That’s a level of experience you won’t find across a big-box checkout.
What customers tell us
“I went from Fort Collins to Denver to Colorado Springs visiting every audio shop. I was so impressed with your speakers I bought two pairs — there’s nothing at this price that beats them.”
A Gold Sound customer
“Very knowledgeable — not a short-timer at a box store. They took the time to find what worked for me, with no push to upsell. I highly recommend Gold Sound.” — Gary
“At last, I’ve found a real store.”
“It’s great to find a high-end store without the attitude — and you really know your stuff.”
“I’ve gone to many other stores, but only buy here. You have the sound and the values.”
“You’re the only place in Colorado with a good selection of stereo and home theater.”
Come see the difference
Bring a couple of records or CDs you know well. We’ll take the time to find what actually works for you — no pressure, no upsell.