A customer/client of AE for approx. 1 year. I've made several purchases throughout this year, starting with my first visit, taking home the grado ps1000. I enjoyed them enough to go back and expand my sound. Explorin' is more like it. The stores atmosphere, unique. An audio pub, serving up Brian's select favorites. It's a young family business, it has soul (& history). I have had the pleasure of speaking to each of them over the year, wonderful people. They/You guys have made something truly special for folks who are just arriving to the audio world (me). Ian and Sean (not technically family) each bring "great" to this place. Sean, has explained the same technical functions to me (in detail) at least 5 times, yet when I ask him again, he is no less willing to walk me through it as he was the first time. Thank you. Ian is cool, all around "that" guy, music lover who doesn't complicate answers, nor sell you on anything you don't really want. He shares the passion. You yourself must have It if you're shopping around. No matter what you purchase, we all relate, and enjoy it as does Ian. I'm thankful to have stumbled into the store a year ago. Building my sound with AE/you guys, one piece at a time, at my own pace, and with ya'lls support. It's really has been time well spent. Fun. & money well spent. Those who read this, I recommend. Relax on the couch and get to know more. Big audio is a fidelity, it should require people like AE. (high-5 guys) _____ Current AE Purchases: - grado ps 1000 - grado headphone amp (didn't like) - red dragon fly dac - (thanks Sean) - ir DacII - cronus magnum II (affordable nice sound) - pair of floor audio physics (love) - ayre AX-5 Twenty amp & VX-5 Twenty amp (my slice of pie) - rega RP6 - cardas cables (rca & speaker $$$$) - bunch of records & cleaning solutions, etc.. read more

Just called the store to find out if they do repair or service for Technics 1200. I am in the market and want to make sure I have a local audio center I can take it to. I was greeted by a gentleman by the name of Eian(sorry if I just screwed up your name). Anyways he sounded polite and courteous. I have called a few places and man, they just sound like they really do not enjoy what they are doing. Anyways this is only step one in doing business with Audio Element, they don't know it yet, but I am in the market for some speakers and other toys. Way to reel in a new customer. I'll do another review once I have gone in person. Give that man a raise. read more

Really swell guys who sell great equipment. That said, though it's nice that they'll help you install and setup cartridges, styluses, etc, it sometimes feels like they hurry through it. On a couple of occasions I've brought home my turntable after some simple setup from them, noticed it didn't sound optimal, and discovered "beginner" stuff done incorrectly, like setting the counterweight incorrectly. Still, finding an audiophile gear place run by actually nice, non-judgmental people is RARE. read more

Our all time favorite family ran business. We make the drive without hesitation!! So caring, knowledgeable, and friendly. Hands down a 5 star plus...The Benso Family read more

I've visited Audio Element three times and each time I've had a positive experience. It's a nice shop with a good selection of merchandise and an enthusiastic, knowledgeable staff. Most recently, I took my turntable in for a bit of adjustment. Brian, the owner, greeted me at the door and engaged me in a pleasant conversation while he examined it. He gave me a quick estimate, took my information, and I was on my way. The next day he called to let me know it was ready, and when I arrived to pick it up he stopped what he was doing and walked me through what had been done to the 'table. The cost was below the estimate and the work was flawless. He took the time to explain its current condition and what maintenance might be required in the future, which I appreciated. He also advised me on the benefits of potential upgrades, without trying to upsell me on additional merchandise. That, to me, is great customer service. This shop is a great addition to Pasadena's local business community. I'm glad they're here and will be visiting regularly. read more

Three stars because I didn't have a bad experience but didn't have an excellent one either. I took a turntable in to be looked over and they did a satisfactory job. The cartridge that I bought and had installed by them was done right but the setup process was not. They left my tonearm up too high and anti-skate was off. My TT is an older vintage model which they might not have been familiar with. Bottom line...if you've got deep pockets and want to go check out some cool gear and she'll out some big bucks this is the spot for you, but if you're just an average audio enthusiasts who would like to talk Hi-Fi and feel welcomed then go somewhere else because there is a snobbish air lingering about. read more

I feel like places like Audio Element can often have people working who are not very polite or don't go out of their way for budget buyers, but the people here were awesome to me, super nice and helpful and willing to go the extra mile read more

One of the only shops that didn't make me feel like an ass&$@$ because I didn't come in to drop $10k. They have a great range of stock in terms of very high quality and some more affordable "bang for the buck" mid-fi, especially turntables. In other words, they don't judge the book by its cover. I might dress casually (i.e. trailer trash), but I'm fully prepared to drop some cash on audio. Their competition at Ahead Stereo seems to have missed this point. And lost a sale. read more

Had a little trouble with my awesome earphones so I emailed them. They responded to me right away and reassured me that they were totally onboard to help me out. I've had nightmare experiences with warranty returns/exchanges in the past with other stores (just read my Best Buys review) and the exceptional customer service here is beyond refreshing. I came in and they were already expecting me. Even had a replacement set aside for me and everything. read more

Came into the store looking to get a cartridge for an old TT I had and were very helpful. Openly offered free full services I didn't know about and offered great tips. Thanks for the letting me avoid the headache of resetting the cartridge and balance. read more

I bought multiple turntables from Brian and the team at Audio Element. I have been extremely happy with my purchases and can't say enough about the outstanding service I received. If you are looking looking for audio equipment in Southern California you must go here!!! read more

Being new to Vinyl II have a lot to learn! Sean and Brian are very knowledgeable and eager to share their passion for quality audio. With ease, Sean helped me set up my new Rega RP-1 and was very thorough in explaining what/why he was doing in terms I could easily understand. I had also been given a vintage Telefunken turntable that I knew nothing about and struggled to find any information for. I brought it into the shop and Brian was able to help me get it up and running! This store will definitely be my go to for all of my audio needs as well a place I will frequent to just hang out and talk music with some friendly, cool guys! read more

Who knew there was a store in Los Angeles where you can actually listen to a variety of turntables. I brought my older Technics turntable and hooked it up at the store to compare. The guys at the store could not have been more helpful and friendly. I am now in possession of a fantastic new turntable. This place is a gem read more

Awesome guys who helped restore some vintage turntables. The restoration didn't work out but not because of their efforts. They tried their best and after $200 of money spent it didn't work out. They couldn't get it working, but given the money I had spent they gave me another vintage one already had resorted and let me keep my old ones as well. Thank you Shawn. read more

High end brick and mortars are getting a bit rare. Audio Element is one of the best in the LA area. Great staff and great equipment. No, these guys don't sell cheap products like you are going to see at Best Buy. This is audio equipment designed with the purpose of making music come alive. read more

Audio Element is a terrific stereo store with everything from high-end components to reasonably priced turntables for people just getting started interested in having a better sounding stereo. The team at Audio Element is very friendly, and Brian made a great recommendation for a new Hana cartridge for my turntable. Audio Element installed the cartridge perfectly, and my turntable sounds better than ever playing records. Audio Element also has a selection of new and used vinyl records in their store. It is definitely worth a trip to Pasadena to visit Audio Element. read more

It isn't hard to see where the expertise and customer care that was once only found in Old Town Monrovia has landed. If you are looking for turntable and stereo heaven, you need look no further. Brian Berdan is a true expert that gives the type of customer care that's now rare in the Los Angeles audiophile community. When my cartridge needed repairs, he offered to take lead on getting the repair resolved, and put a very musical cartridge on my new VPI Prime Scout until my Soundsmith comes home. He did this and negated the service fee in lieu of the purchase fee of the band aid cheaper $150 cartridge. He did not sell me any of my higher priced stereo equipment, yet treated me like I had spent 20k on a new stereo. This little gesture just earned Audio element a new long term family of customers. Thanks guys! Now let's talk Audio Physic! read more

My 70s era Marantz turntable was dropping out channels, and after searching online I knew what appeared to be a simple cable replacement might be a bit more difficult. After bringing the turntable in to Sean for a look, he quoted me a really good price, and kicked into the repair. Sean was fantastic -- searching for the most efficient/keeping it original repair and in the end ultimately swapped out the cables. When a new cartridge induced unexpected hum -- again, the turntable is 40 years old -- both Sean and Brian dug into every nook and cranny to find the grounding problems that haunt this unit. When I picked it up they only charged the initial estimate, though I know that it should have been much much more. Exceptional service and went more than the extra mile. Oh, and they have record cleaners you can use by just buying the solution. read more

Fine store if you're a wealthy yuppie with more money than sense. Called looking for a cartridge for DJing on my Technics 1200s. Was told they sold Ortofon that would work fine when I got there they had reds and blues. Even if I weren't scratching, who DJs with audiophile cartridges? Ridiculous. read more

Really one of the few HiFi stores left in the LA area that has not turned into a home theater/automation thing. If you want purist 2-channel audio this qualifies. The staff are knowledgeable and are NOT snobs or mad-scientists with food stains on their shirts. I purchased a very heavy pair of speakers (400 lbs each, 800 lbs total) and was very concerned about delivery and setup. Everything was taken care of perfectly as well as professionally re-packing my older speakers I was replacing. I also sent my friend in who had a positive experience purchasing a budget integrated amp. read more

Talked to Brian for setting up a listening session for me and my girlfriend, and then got directed to Sean who also set me up in the store. Sean was very knowledgeable and helpful with explaining the equipment he was setting up. We got a very solid listening experience and quality of service. I would recommend Audio Element without hesitation. read more

Merry Christmas... worst gift EVER. Worst service. Spent close to 4000 on systems for my sons over the past four months. Gave one to my son. They took the time to set up the system but FORGOT the needle. The system is worthless to us.., and the store is closed until after the first. read more

Absolutely amazing store! They carry many of my favorite brands; DCS, Sonus Faber, VTL, Grado, Audioquest, Cardas and Transparent cables, along with many other high end manufacturers. The vibe in here is comfortable and adds to a very pleasant purchasing experience. I was also happily surprised they sell some Vinyl here! This has become my top recommendation for all my Audiophile friends. read more

Great local hifi shop. Excellent quality gear selection and very knowledgable and approachable staff!!

Audio Element did a turntable setup for me. I am extremely happy with their approach and expert opinion beside their fast service. My VPI installed with this new cart sounds the best. I can now enjoy endless hour on it. read more

a very courteous, attentive and no BS young man helped me out as i was interested in getting/listening to a variety of headphones. i had walked in after i listened to my father in law's super high end sound system and had wondered what the poor man's version of that would be. ie, a pair of great headphones combined with my iMac. i was presented with at least 6 pairs of headphones, and the music came from extremely high end audio files, some above flac level, as well as through a series of different headphone amplifiers. in opther words, i was able to cross reference test $100 all the way to $1600 headphones with $100 to roughly $1500 analog and digital amps. it was such an eye - well, i should say, ear opening experience. they allowed me to listen to out of the box, brand spanking sennheiser D800s (1500 bucks), which, together with a 1500 dollar analog amp allowed me to hear things i had hitherto not heard. instruments were coming from all sorts of geometric positions when i closed me eyes. voices became voices, "attacks" of various instruments became noticeable - incredible. i was then able to check that same high end headphone with the lowest end amp, and vice versa. what an amazing learning lesson. at no point whatsoever did i get the impression that i should perhaps purchase something, or was i talked into "yeah man you really want to get this pair" or anything. in fact, the guy stayed like 15 minutes past the official store's closing time. unparalleled customer service. it goes without saying that when i am ready to make a purchase, i will make it at this store. thank you guys. read more

Audio Element is excellent. I highly recommend this shop. I will purchase from them again in the future. I recently purchased a turntable from Audio Element and I was very satisfied with the entire experience. I initially planned to purchase online, but I decided to check out this shop after receiving several strong recommendations. I'm glad I did. Brian and Sean's knowledge and expertise is first rate. The showroom has a wide range of turntables. I did many back to back listening comparisons over three separate occasions. They were patient and accommodating on all three visits. And they were helpful with answering all my questions. Further, they were genuinely enthusiastic. They clearly love what they do. Audio Element went above and beyond. I purchased a turntable from them that I'm very happy with. In the end, the turntable I initially researched online wasn't the one I went with (in fact it wasn't even in the top 3 after a/b comparisons at the Audio Element shop). Hearing the turntables with my own ears challenged some preconceived notions, and even some online reviews. That means that I was able to make a more informed and better decision that met my needs and budget. And I have Audio Element to thank for that. They also have a great vinyl selection and I'll purchase more vinyl from them in the future. read more

Yea this place rocks from the service to the equipment. The guys were super helpful in helping get this 48 year old rocker mom into loving my first turntable. I bought a Rega turntable and I finally got it set up with my already owned Sonos speaker. Wow I am enjoying the sound from the vinyl. What a huge difference in sound. I will no longer buy Cd's or download music again. I am having a concert in my home right now. The Cult, The Who, Dropkick Murphy's, and more bands will be playing at our house. So glad I made this investment! Can't wait to buy more records! read more

Many audio shops are unnecessarily pretentious - Not the case with Audio Element. They always have a great selection of product and approachable staff who patiently advise and offer great after sales support. The added bonus is there is always something interesting to listen to spinning on one of the turntables. read more

What a great shop! I took in an old (35 to 40 years) Luxman turntable for it's first servicing since I got it. They did a tremendous job. Sean is great at assessing and tuning the turntable. They replaced the cartridge and the overall cost was well worth what they charged. Furthermore, they were extremely friendly and helpful. They even carried out the turntable and put it in my car for me. They are my go to audio shop from now on. read more

Any vinyl aficionado, young, old, just learning, or seasoned veteran should check this place out!!! I needed assistance with installing my new cartridge onto my Pro-Ject debut turntable, they didn't hesitate with helping. Sean was a pro and even went past store hours to finish. In the end it turned out that I was gifted a cartridge that didn't exactly work with my turntable (Shure 97xE). Sean pointed me in the right direction and installed a new cartridge the following week. I've walked into other stores where I was looked down on for not knowing certain information. At Audio Element I was accepted with open arms and encouraged to ask whatever questions I had. I can't express how much I recommend this play. read more

I had a small party to prepare for. Our plan was to have an adult beverage, and listen to records. I traveled all over the city looking for a good quality cartridge for my technics turntable. No one had anything. I walked into this place, and I immediately knew I was in the right place. Not only did they have a selection of quality cartridge's but they also installed it for me. They didn't charge me to install the cartridge or to dial in the tracking weight. NOT only that but they had a nice selection of new and used vinyl. From their 1$ bin I walked out with 4 Al DeMola albums, 2 Doobie Brothers, and a Moody Blues. All the albums were in perfect shape and one was un opened. They treated me like a king. I am definitely going back again as soon as I can afford some more albums, or to get some ear phones. read more

Superior customer service. Was having an issue with my Pro-Ject turntable. Brian diagnosed it as a loose wire. After rechecking all wire connections he adjusted the cartridge and hooked up to his audio equipment to test. Perfect. I mentioned I was interested in upgrading my speakers. Brian asked my budget then came in well below it with the speakers he demo'd for me. No trying to up-sell me, he was all about getting me the best sound with the equipment I owned and with in my budget. I'll definitely be back. read more

This is the best place for hi-fi in Pasadena! I always stop by to pick up some inner record sleeves and have always had great customer service from them. Really patient and willing to talk about the equipment they have in stock. Looking forward to buying a cartridge and having them install it. read more

Support physically existent audio component shops! These guys fill the void of high-end audio in Pasadena. Reading online product reviews is revealed as totally inadequate as soon as you're able to actually audition equipment in person. You will never know what really works in the same obvious and immediate way. The staff are helpful to an almost shocking degree -- the very definition of "go the extra mile." read more

Wow! This place is a gem for audiophiles. Not only were Sean and Brian extremely courteous and helpful but they were absolutely professional. They guided us through the different systems and kept us on budget. There is no way we could have chosen a system like we got without their expertise. I can't say enough about a business that treats customers with respect. I'll be coming back to these guys for a long time. HIGHLY recommended! read more

This an amazing shop. Friendly and easy-going, and knowledgeable. I took my turntable in for a much needed tune-up. They fixed it up on the spot, and in less than an hour I was home with a table that sounds better than ever. They also gave great advice on a new cart. Very happy we have a shop like this in Pasadena. read more

I am so grateful to have found this place. I have brought both my Technics 1200s in for repairs here, and everyone in the shop is courteous, efficient and knowledgeable. Last night, I broke a power cable on my turntable in a freak accident, and I was able to have it repaired before my lunch break was over this afternoon. They are thorough and understanding, and perhaps most importantly to me: I was treated with respect. Often at audiophile shops, female customers are met with condescending skepticism, but at Audio Element I feel no pressure to prove my worthiness. Please consider this review a wholehearted endorsement from a DJ who plans to remain a loyal customer for years to come. read more

I can not recommend these guys enough. Sean was absolutely incredible and changed my needle on the spot. He was extremely informative and helpful. The other Sean was incredible as well. He is in charge of the vinyl section and recommend some great new tunes. Loved the experience and I will most definitely be doing business with them in the future. read more

I can't say enough good things about this place. I purchased a pair of Wilson Alexia speakers and a Grand Prix turntable from these guys and could not be happier. I've been an audiophile for decades and thought I knew most everything there was to know. I not only got the gear but a lesson in high end audio set up and as well. The owner, Brian, might be one of the most knowledgeable guys I've ever met - personable as well. read more