Great service on my 1975 pioneer. Thanks Fast service on this unit. Well respected service

Held my turntables for 2 months then tells me that they might not even be able to fix it. If you want something fixed in a timely manner don't come here read more

If you like terrible service with no follow up or contact, unless you initiate it, this is the place. Dropped off a Dual turntable for repair. I called to check on it a few times and was told the were trying to find a part. Ten months later, I got it back having only had a capacitor changed, and was told I needed a stylus, and it would be expensive. No offer to replace it, just told me I needed one...on my way out the door, after I had paid. Replaced stylus, (AT14sa Shiabata $200) and found the power chord was also not connected well, and was the cause of the crackle I had brought it in for. I had very high hopes. A huge let down by a shop I had held in esteem. Terrible. read more

We were striking out everywhere we looked for new speakers for our turntable, and Audio Lab came to the rescue! We had found that new speakers were all very expensive and were wary of trying Facebook Marketplace. But Audio Lab had a wide selection of used speakers, and they even have a few comfy chairs so you can sit back and listen before buying anything. The person who helped us was clearly very knowledgeable, and was able to find us exactly what we were looking for at a great price. I would definitely recommend Audio Lab to anyone looking for affordable used audio equipment. read more

Been calling this place for weeks to get a quote on turntable repair. The number on Google and elsewhere doesn't work, you have to call the 800 number on their website. Even when you do, you get sent to an answering machine. Went in today, they said they were open on Saturdays on their webpage, Google and Yelp--but they weren't. Lots of fun lugging around a Technics 1200 for no reason. read more

This store is among the last of a dying breed, and they know it: the bona fide audiophile-nerd store. The guys who work here know their stuff, are an eccentric lot, and defy prevailing consumer expectations of cheerful butt-kissing "customer service." In other words, expect a certain level of slowness, brusqueness, even rudeness, especially if you tend to come off as just another narcissistic and over-entitled rich snob type...this ain't no Best Buy type place that employs clueless but eagerly chirpy/servile high school and college age kids. What that means is that they carry true high fidelity equipment by brands most people have never heard of...not overhyped garbage like Bose and Beats. All the same, if you are good at internet research, you could easily invest a few hours on various audio enthusiast online forums (AVS, Audioholics, Head-Fi, etc.) to educate yourself enough to be able to buy components online for a music system that could easily compete with the stuff they sell here, for a fraction of the price. (Amazon, Newegg, Accessories4Less, Audiogon, Ascend Acoustics, Hsu Research, Outlaw Audio, to name a few.) But if you're lazy and rich---sure, by all means come in here, leave your ego at the door, feel good for supporting a local business, plunk your money down and you'll be well served. read more

Best audio shop in my book. Got my Triangle speakers here a while ago. They are great, but still never perfect I thought. So finally ended up listening to Mike who rightfully identified my off-the shelf crappy Sony amp as the weak link. After a few visits where he let me listen to many alternatives I finally settled on Mike's first choice - Rega Brio-R - and bought it on tax free weekend. Although not cheap, it was half the price of comparable amps. I could have shopped around a lot and I may have saved $4 had I ordered online. But guess what - at Audio Lab: I could try out different options. I got competent advise. I wasn't nickeled and dimed. Finally, I got home with my new price. Hooked it up and was blown away. Wagner and Pink Floyd now are in best harmony in my living room. And I am happy. read more

The Audio Repair world in Boston could do with some new personal. I have phoned 5 different places. Everyone is abrupt, rude and largely unpleasant to deal with. This person couldn't tell me whether or not he could work on my appliance, he simply told me to call him back in two days and then put the phone down on me. So disappointing. This industry is in dire need of some classy people. read more

The repairs situation seems to have improved, but the store is lacking in new items. Used to be stocked fully David read more

Wanted to leave a review given a lot of negative comments. Went to Audio Lab two years ago looking for some speakers for my apartment. The gentleman who looked after me listened to what I thought I wanted, and then had me listen to a number of speakers. Didn't push, left me alone to listen to each. I'm picky. I've had Alon's, Maggie's, Spendors and Martin Logans, but I needed something for a smaller space. He brought out his demo pair of a speaker I had never heard of...Kef ls50. Ran them through an Arcam. Unreal. Sold! Two years later I still love them. This is a place for people who know quality sound, and have the budget to afford it, although a lot of reasonable choice. No Best Buy stuff here. They are not more expensive, they just sell quality stuff. Went back to get an Audeze headphone amp. read more

Mike is incredibly knowledgeable in all things audio. The equipment Audio Lab sells (with some exceptions which have appropriate disclaimers) is incredibly good, both vintage and modern. All used gear is pre-checked and their tech is wonderful at what he does. As long as you don't bring in a Crosley, or something of equivalently poor quality, he can probably fix it. Come to the store, Mike is more approachable in person than on the phone. read more

Very unprofessional and quite rude. I've been to many high-end audio shops, but have never received poorer service than at this one. When you are considering an $8,000 pair of speakers, I think it is perfectly alright to do comparison shopping between different stores and pick the one that you enjoy the most. The salesperson needs to earn your money, and sometimes even if they are polite and do everything right, you might still choose another product. The service here has been so consistently poor that I ended up just ordering a pair of speakers online. They sound better, were cheaper, but I did need to wait a month or so for them to get in. read more

I have been meaning to write a review for this place for a pretty long time. I wanted to make sure I was justified in giving this place a scathing review before I posted. I'm justified. I wanted to have my record player looked at. I knew what was wrong with it: the belt had broken. I just wanted to see if they had the part to buy. If they did, I could buy it and install it myself at home. Instead, I was stuck waiting for what seemed like no reason for about 30 minutes, after which I was told to come to the counter. I explained my situation. The man I was talking to didn't seem to internalize a word I said and prompted me with my name and phone number. I provided, expecting to reiterate my situation again after the formality. I was cut off before I was done restating my purpose for being there and I was told that the record player was going to need a check-up/tune-up that would cost me at least 25 bucks. I tried to have a conversation with this man (belts cost about 10 bucks) but it seemed that he wanted to charge me the base $25 and push me out the door. He said that all he could do was give the player to the repairmen and tell me when I could pick it up. I told him that I would take the player somewhere else for my needs and he complained to me that he already put my info in the system and that it would take a while to get it out. Very immature and rude. He also mentioned that I would not be allowed back in the shop if I left. Instead of succumbing to his scare tactics, I bade him a good day and left. The rejoinder was a brusque, "Yeah, ok." I get it: they sell cool expensive equipment and selling a little service part may seem beneath these guys. What I think they can learn, though, is that good service begets returning customers, especially customers who may trust them with a bigger purchase. Tl;dr - 1 star for service alone. It's that horrendous read more

Audio lab techs are fucking unreal. I took a broken ( and when I say broken I mean totally destroyed, nothing was seated, all of the parts *might* have been in there) MacIntoch 2500 amp for them to fix. I heaved all 250lbs of it on the counter (which I had previous lugged down from the top of the parking garage, up those few block and into the store all by my little old lonesome) and the tech gave me this "you gotta be fuckin kidding me, right?" look. He shook his head, offered me some water and a chair, and after a minute of rest I gave him my info. A week later I got the call that it was fixed and ready to be picked up. A WEEK!! I was expecting a month to pass and to the get call that they would happily use it as a paperwegiht! I showed up and the bill was a little more than I could have found in the couch cushions. I LOVE YOU AUDIO LAB! read more

I have no idea where else you could go to get this much excellent equipment to try. A word to the unwitting: This is a good-stuff-only store. If you usually go to Best Buy and get Beats (which aren't bad! all things considered!) this is a different sort of place. Think about something you care about that other people don't understand, and then imagine the perfect store for it. It would be kind of annoying if it was full of loud people buying crap, right? You'd kind of want only people who want good stuff around. If nothing else, it would ensure a strong inventory of quality items. I can't easily think of a store that would carry Sennheiser 800's, let alone hand them over happily. Or close the door so you can compare every nice pair of headphones you think you'd like without interference. Or HiFiMan amps and cans. Or every kind of Beyer Dynamic. Or a wide selection of Riga. Every time I come in, I buy something, and generally, it's something I didn't know existed, which between you and me, is saying something. The location is in a terrible 80's mall-let, the decor is pretty drab, and sure, the staff is a tad gruff, in that High Fidelity sort of way. But Mike knows his stuff. He doesn't bullshit you, and if you are a likely customer, he'll give you all the time in the world. Every time he makes a strong recommendation, I like it. And in frankness, I end up buying, and satisfied. I love this store. read more

I popped in here just out of curiosity - nothing of interest to me, no customer welcome, no listening that I wanted, looked like a hobby for declining retiree. read more

The Audio Lab is pretty sweet. I've been in there many times and have never had a negative experience. While the main guy who works there might be preoccupied with a chess game with one of his cronies when you first enter he's actually pretty helpful. I've brought some gear to the Lab to demo some of the equipment they have in-house and they were happy to let me do it. They also will let you take things home to demo them if you don't feel like bringing the equipment to the store. They have two listening rooms, which are fairly small but have high ceilings and manage to sound halfway decent. Inside them are a wide selection of components ranging from fairly inexpensive used units to brand new, not so inexpensive McIntosh gear. They also have a wide selection of phono cartridges and while they may not have all their tables in store to demo, they carry a decent line of turntables as well. If you've just got a question they can more than answer it for you and if you've got a broken component they're happy to fix it for you for a reasonable price. If you love the world of high end audio a trip to Audio Lab is well worth it. Their prices are reasonable and the product lines they carry are quality. read more

Audio Lab is great. I called ahead and requested my desire for beautiful Stereo sound....and that I wanted to pair an amp and speakers with a decent turntable. The man- Mike - recommended an excellent solution and upon visiting the store was extremely generous on giving a reasonable discount on a package. Some say Audio Lab is pretentious, to my response is yeah of course...the audio equipment they sell is the equivalent of walking into an Aston Martin Dealership. Try that sometime. I mean if you walk in there looking to spend $5 bucks for a boom box you are in the wrong store. Some may also confuse knowledgeable staff for arrogance, I think the people that are intimidated by the equipment or knowledgeable staff should go to Best Buy. Thanks again Mike. The Rega and Monitor Audio Towers are fantastic! read more

Audiolab is quirky place on the 2nd Floor of The Garage in Harvard Sq, and happens to be my favorite hi-fi place. It is not swanky, the acoustics are bad, and the staff are very individualistic but all have really good ears for sound and value. Plus they are consummate customer service reps. When I bought my stereo, I went to all the local shops. Some were weird, some were really expensive, some were out of business, some didn't have any taste. But Audiolab just felt and sounded right. They put up with my usual gearhead shenanigans, and even gave me props for bringing in a handtruck/dolly to carry out gear to test at home on a regular basis during my trials. "That's a real audiophile!, bringing in a dolly!" I've purchased other things and have been happy with them, and had pieces repaired to satisfaction. If it's under 100 bucks, I'll pretty much take their word on it and buy it at this point. They have been in business for a long long time, and I've met the owner, and he is a sweet old man. He mostly stays out of the way, but manages to provide great service and value in hi-fi to many, many customers over the years. If you want laid-back attitude and free-range, with little pressure and good value, this is the place. No hints on product, because my speaker company went out of business, wahhh! read more

I went in here looking for some new speakers for a record player I got for Christmas. To be honest, I was a bit skeptical going in, but wanted to give the place a shot, rather than defaulting to the internet. I couldn't be happier with the decision. I told Mike my price range and he demo'ed a couple of sets for me, talking through the pros and cons of each. In the end, I got a great deal on some floor model speakers that were $100 off MSRP. I'm at home right now listening to the incredible sound. Highly recommend you check this place out. read more

Audio Lab is a solid audio store that sorely needs a better location...but alas...it is where it is...without any good listening rooms. I ordered a mcintosh integrated from them after talking to Mike and auditioning it elsewhere (not a high demand there from clientele to keep them in stock) and I got an exceptional discount due to special order nature. They just generally have a nice selection of stuff. Location is just awful however. read more

Horrible service, abrupt, rude, dismissive, come on. In addition, they "serviced" my Nakamichi receiver that I've had for twenty years, it makes a crackling noise when you turn the volume and the rear speaker jacks were a little messed up...suffice to say this was not repaired or fixed or serviced. Will never use them again. read more

Audio Lab is a gem in Harvard Square. I am very pleased with the service from Winter who is a very knowledgable audiophile and extremely courteous. I dropped off my old reliable technics turntable last week. It was stored over 25 years in a dusty basement. My turntable required a new cartridge and a channel was out. The technician(s) went above and beyond! They replaced the RCA jacks, installed a brand new cartridge, cleaned and lubed all the moving parts, switches and dials in less than a week turnaround within my budget of 100 bucks. I picked it up today and it works like new. I highly recommend hope others support this place. The quality service I received at Audio Lab was stellar! read more

.The absolute worst experience I have ever had dealing with AUDIO LAB. I sent in My pristine 40 year old vintage high end cassette deck in for repair. It first came back to me and only worked for 1 hour. I then shipped it back . The 2nd time they shipped it back to me it was damaged in shipping, Audio Lab failed to repair it again and left the front glass broken and levers bent. They did not pay for the damaged deck or would even refund me what I did pay for repairs. In speaking to Mike on the phone,he hung up on me twice. Complete disappointment . read more

Sorry, but these guys are just batshit crazy. Service on equipment is a crap-shoot at best and their attitude to customer service seems to be the same. Sometimes they are helpful but mostly they seem to just not care. I brought some older McIntosh equipment to them for tune-ups for years but won't bother anymore. Sad to post a negative review for what used to be an iconic name in Harvard Square stereo. read more

Venerable! Audio Lab has been around since Oriental slaves were hand-carving wax cylinder recordings of temperance speeches. When you need a rad tonearm or a dope preamp or totally sweet interconnects, Audio Lab is the place you go. The salespeople are bona-fide audio geeks who will spend as long as it takes to demonstrate and help you find the component you're looking for. If the Garage burned down tomorrow, this would be the only shop I'd feel bad about losing. read more

You know how when you really listen to someone's voice you can sort of figure out what they look like? Well, I just got off the phone with a fellow from Audio Lab who definitely had a mustache. You probably don't find that relevant to the quality of the business or its products, but I'll tell you what -- when I look at a middle-aged man who still wears the 'stache he likely started growing in the 70s, I feel justified in assuming that man knows how to work a turntable. He started growing that piece while jamming out to the hi-fi in his parents' rec room, and he obviously will never let go of those memories, which is also why he plays in a Floyd cover band two weekends a month. So my point is, I was freaking out when the belt came off my turntable earlier... but was immediately put at ease by the reassuring sound of technical advice rustling through a bed of mustache hair. Devoted customer for life. read more

They're awesome here at audio lab! Came in today with our MCS vintage turntable and were hoping they could help us out with repairs. They know their stuff!!! Figured out all our issues and set our minds at ease. Definitely recommend audiolab for any of your hi-fi needs.... Smart, friendly, and affordable. read more

When my mom and I first came to AudioLab I was honestly reluctant. I found the prices to a little but to costly for my taste. However I wasn't the one paying to fix our 1995 stereo system so I realize that complaining in such a situation would be pretty irrational. What mattered most in the end was that we received a well repaired stereo which enabled us to once again enjoy our assortment of vinyls and compact discs. If this had been my only interaction with AudioLab I'd probably give it 4 stars but my first visit was far from my last. When we returned to pick up the stereo I struck up a little conversation with the store clerk about my passion for vintage radios. At some point I told him that I have some radios that have seen better days and need to be fixed. He replied that a repairman who worked at the store could not only repair one of my radios but actually allow me to watch him work! What an exciting opportunity! I don't believe AudioLab has ever had a such a request for they called it 'odd' what can I say? In many ways I am indeed an odd adolescent. A week later I brought in my 1962 RCA crescent shaped clock radio named Gru who's 54 year old filter capacitor had turned faulty. Victor, perhaps the sole repairman of AudioLab was eager to get to work on Gru as soon as he got a good look at the old appliance. As an adolescent who aspires to one day repair and restore vintage radios it was an unforgettably awesome experience to watch Victor perform 'sergury' on one of my favorite antique electronics. He even explained to me the issue of the faulty capacitor, gave me an interesting lesson on electricity, and provided me with some useful tips in radio reparation and selling. Not to mention that Victor let me keep Gru's faulty filter capacitor once he had soldered it from his circuit board. The best part of the entire experience was when Victor turned on Gru and for the first time in the 4 years that I've owned him, I heard something else than a horrible hum come from his speakers. Gru had been reborn and boy was I in rhapsody. I told Victor 'Thank you' to which he replied 'Well it's what I do." The day was August 28th, 2015, a day I will remember in appreciation for many years to come. This review isn't all about me though, it's about you too. Since I got a sneak peek at the workshop that lies behind the front desk I can tell you that your electronic devices will likely be in good hands if you bring them down to AudioLab. Victor has both the equipment and the exceptional skills under his belt to resurrect your broken electronics just as he repaired mine. And hey! Who knows? Maybe if you stop by some years from now I'll be the one at AudioLab bringing the life back into your broken electronics. read more

I've had awful experiences buying earbuds at best buy, circuit city, and online; you can't return earbuds and it's too easy to walk away with some hip-hop oriented piece of trendy junk with Bass XPANDER or some other corporate marketspeak for "can't use these for music composition or remastering under any circumstances." I went in here looking to find some sound isolating earbuds in the $50-$100 price range, so I can finally listen to my 320 kbps recordings of Nobukazu Takemura, Renaissance motets, and Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli piano performances on my iPod. I explained to the guy what I wanted, and walked out in five minutes with a pair of Sennheuser earbuds that fit the bill exactly. Ever want to listen to something sort of subtle while blocking out the subway's deafening screeching? Try this place; it's a local business with the real deal in customer service. read more

I recently purchased a receiver and some add-ons from these guys, and they were pretty helpful during that encounter, although not very polite during the transaction now that I look back at it. I expect to hear 'thank you' when I spend $5 at a 7-11, yet alone $500 at an audio shop. When I returned a few months later to purchase a record needle, I was told the type I wanted was out of stock. I was told to come back the following weekend. I came back, they weren't in stock, and was asked to come back the next week, at which point I left him my phone number and said, 'please call me when they come in'. He never called. I called two weeks later to inquire, and he garbled some BS into the phone and said he had my number. Dude, WTF? I immediately logged onto Amazon and had one delivered to my office two days later for half the price you would have charged me. You, an independent store-owner who should appreciate conscious purchasers like me who like to support independent, local entrepreneurs, LITERALLY and very DIRECTLY drove me to give my money to Amazon. Way to go man! Your snide attitude and stoner demeanour may have played well in Cambridge circa 1974, but in the internet age I ask for at least a 'thanks brother!' and a thin veneer of pleasantry in order to keep my business. read more

This is the first 3-star review. 1st three-star review! they were competent, but, ahem, they were not very nice. after telling me my repair was ready they hung up on me. I said goodby to a dial tone. I think I trust their repair, but, they must be good to be that rude.... Now that I write this, i fear I must get a second opinion. if you want to get parking discount, they work with the garage at 124 Mount auburn. while in 'the garage', they are not in 'a garage'. read more

I am glad places like this still exist. Can you really buy stereo gear online without having first listened to it? (And listening to in a store and then buying it online is about as scummy as it gets.) I was looking for a pair of good quality headphones. I called several places around Boston and southern NH. Audio places are dying breed. Those that keep a good inventory of headphones even harder to find. Audio Lab was the exception. They had a great selection, including AKG, Grado and Beyer. They had entry level stuff like Newbury comics next door, but also middle and high end headphones which I was having trouble finding anywhere except online. At the store, I was able to try (and try again) all of the cans I wanted to check out. I got good advice from the guy behind the counter. He was patient and had lots of good info. In the end I selected a pair I have been extremely happy with. I was also happy with the price which was the same as the online prices , but frankly, I'd would have been OK with paying more than the online price (NOTE: I DID NOT HAVE TO) because unless business like this are supported, the next time I need a new set of headphones, or speakers, or a component, I won't be able to listen to them first. While I was there, I poked around the listening rooms and noticed lots of high end gear. Unlike some places they also seemed ti keep a pretty good inventory. In short, great place that has been in Cambridge since the early hippy days. Highly recommend. read more

I ran into some very knowledgeable people here when I was looking for something very simple -- a cable to connect my iPod to my car. They had just the right cable in the right length (1 meter!!). read more

Tucked away on the second floor of The Garage, this is one of the best places to shop for audio equipment in Boston. The store has a good selection of products, from headphones to speakers. The staff here is friendly and not pushy, and allows you to relax and test out what you want to get. The listening room, however, isn't the greatest, but they are knowledgable and prices are pretty competitive with online vendors. Definitely hit this place up. read more

Their products and services are all phenomenal - obviously not the cheapest option for stereo equipment, but their knowledge and service cannot be beat. They sold me my Rega P1 8 years ago, and I have been back in a couple times to get some parts replaced or upgraded, and they are always happy to help out, and take pride in what they do. read more

Mike @ audio Lab is amazing! He is so knowledgeable and straight forward! Best part is he is so reasonable! He fixed our old Thorn Record player and it plays beautifully now! He is also fixing our wind-up phonograph! An Honest place for your audio needs! read more

I have nightmares about shopping for electronics, but I can sleep well now that I've found Audio Lab. I came in looking for a radio to listen to in the kitchen, I explained what I wanted, he showed me what fit the bill and let me play around. No pressure at all, very laid back, inviting but then letting you alone to try things out. I love good sound but I really don't give a damn to know about electronic equipment, and was happy that someone was there to answer questions and could go into great detail if needed but was not at all one of these sales-y types in khakis and button-down shirts that makes you sit through a half hour lecture just because you want to buy a radio. The store has a very local feel, pictures of the Dresden Dolls and other bands, the staff dress like normal human beings not corporate drones, and they have lots of fancy audiophile type equipment that I would buy if I could afford a home stereo. He also had a really nice CD that I ended up going across the hall to Newbury Comics to buy (ark Knopfler and Emmylou Harris). Very nice equipment, extremely competent people to help you find what you're looking for, and very cool laid back music loving atmosphere. Music people, not salespeople. What's that you say? I can't hear you over the Magnetic Fields Distortion (they weren't kidding with that title). Oh. Yes, I LOVE my new radio! I can finally hear the sounds on the cd unlike with my crumby computer and stereo. And it wasn't too expensive either for a really decent little radio, especially considering how pricy those awful ipod sound systems are. If you'll excuse me now I need to put my opinions aside, I have some dancing 'round the house to attend to. read more

I'd heard about this place and took my Technics turntable in there to be fixed. I'm always a little weary of anyone who works with vinyl because you get a lot of weirdos, but they were responsive, good with follow-up and called me when it was ready - a few days early by the way. Quality work - if you have a turntable or other hi-fi that needs work, this is where to take it. read more

I wasn't sure what it was, but sitting atop the subwoofer was a giant gift wrapped package (hey-oo!) topped with a bow. It was my birthday, but I was still caught off guard, I mean how often do you get such a huge present? Inside could have easily been a small television, a fish tank sized terrarium, maybe even a bread maker. I'd take a terrarium but other than that the prospects weren't good. It was a perfect square, and immaculately wrapped in paper that went surprisingly well with my living room decor, if we can call it that. I didn't want to open it. But, I had friends over to watch the Patriots, and I felt the pressure to open it at halftime, so I dove in. As it turns out the wrap job was merely a lid. I lifted it off to find the ultimate present, a lovely 1974 Pioneer PL-15Dii turntable from my girlfriend. I had been doing a fair bit of resurf over the past several months for a turntable, and apparently talking about it enough to spread the word. But where I couldn't convince myself to pull the trigger she did, and on a real beauty. Its got wood grain veneer, a tinted dust cover in flawless shape, and a handsome head shell. I was truly impressed. But this isn't a review of my birthday, my girlfriend, or of the Patriots march to another Super Bowl. This Particular turntable was listed as "very good" with the only issue being that it played 33's "correctly" when the lever was switched to the 45 speed setting. I thought it should also get a tune up, and I wanted an excuse to head to Audio Lab. This was a perfect excuse. We lucked out with a parking spot and walked it in. I must have looked like a new father carrying a newborn. People ran to get doors for me and let me pass when it was too crowded to fit us both. Upon arrival, I plopped the turntable down on the counter and Mike (99% sure that was his name) came over to find out what was up. I doubt Mike talks like that. He came over to see what might be the problem with my turntable. Mike pulled out a jagged old magnifying glass and asked what the problems were. We explained that turntables were pretty "new to us" and were told that it played the wrong speed, and that we wanted a tune up to be sure it was cut out to play records in a desirable fashion. He checked out several areas, removed the platter and checked out the belts and motor and who knows what else. He made comments along the way, including, "people say record players are in very good condition, but they rarely are," and "lots of things can damage in shipping." But he also added "the cartridge is in good shape," and "it's rare to see dust covers in such good condition." I asked if the speed thing sounded like a big deal, and he said that he "wasn't the tech." He also mentioned that over 90% of their business was repair based. After a thorough once over he took a $35 down payment (or close to it) and said that they'd call with an estimate soon. At that we headed out. That was on a Monday. I called on Friday, because I hadn't heard back. Mike answered and said they were running about seven days out for quotes. I wasn't in a hurry, and told him so. Either way, he called me back on Tuesday to say it would cost another $50 on top of my down payment and that it'd be done the next day. That was more than fair I thought, so I gave him the green light. I showed up on Tuesday after work, and per usual, there was Mike by his lonesome. He asked my last name and went back to get it. Sitting it down on the counter I gave it a once over noticing that they affixed the arm to the table to avoid issues in transit, a nice touch. I needed some longer RCA cables, which they had in stock, and nice ones at that. This got me even more excited to bring it home and light up Arlington with an impromptu concert. Before leaving I felt the first inclination of warmth from Mike, he said "when you bring it to the car, carry it flat, like a pizza." I thanked him for the service and the quick turnaround and headed home, much to the dismay of my neighborhood. I hooked it up, and have been enjoying the vinyl experience ever since. My experience with Audiolab is precisely what I hoped it would be, and was nothing short of positive. Mike is very knowledgeable and should I ever have a problem or a question, I will most certainly head to Audiolab for assistance. Some of the other reviews suggest that there is a "holier than thou" attitude at Audiolab, and that might very well be the case. They know there stuff, and are a little rough around the edges. If Audiolab were a restaurant, it'd be a diner with a cult following, read more