PLEASE OFFER CLASSES SOON! Please! I've been only once, ultra unique spot. I moved to SF a couple weeks ago, and the actual first thing I did after the movers dropped my boxes off was head to Robotspeak. I find it hard to imagine that other stores like this exist within 5000 miles. I grew up abroad and could envision shops like this in Berlin... but I've never seen anything like it in the states. I visited to ask about their upcoming class schedule and was told that they may or may not offer classes again. Also asked some basic questions about learning / synthesis practice. I got some brief answers, and definitely felt like the owner wasn't too welcoming of newbies (or at least me). Pros: 1. This place looks like the inside of a spaceship. Super cool atmosphere, half-sunken off the street. kraftwerk vibes very fitting of the niche. 2. Bursting with legitimacy. The owner knows his stuff down pat. Robotspeak is clearly a labor of love, a hundred times more authentic than your typical big-box music store. 3. Tons of equipment available for purchase... and even though the monster rig is not really for sale, how many music stores do you know of where you can actually play a modular rig taller than yourself? I haven't got my hands on it yet, but seems like a lot of fun. 4. Classes - not on offer as of my first visit, but definitely could be a great resource (see listings on the site). There are other music schools in SF & the bay, but Robotspeak is synth-centric, offering a host of classes in circuit bending, analog synthesis and modulars. Cost is very reasonable, borderline cheap (I mentioned to the owner they could probably charge 2-3x more and he said they do it to spread the knowledge, not make money). Cool mentality. 5. Events / meetups - Again, not experienced myself, but the fact that this even happens is a testament to the passion of the owners & staff. Cons: 1. Not super organized (class schedule unknown / TBD, though they are all listed on the site as if they're still offered). Very DIY feel with more of a home garage atmosphere - seems like they figure class & event stuff out on the fly, probably based on community demand. Unclear whether classes will be offered or not. 2. The guy in charge clearly knows his stuff and was passionately demoing a piece of hardware to another customer as I entered, but once that guy left and I began talking with the owner, I didn't get what I would call an enthusiastic response. I'm fairly new to synthesis & modulars, walked in with a lot of excitement, and was hoping for a friendlier exchange. To be fair it was probably the 500th time the owner has been bugged by a beginner asking dozens of questions, looking for some free knowledge, so it's hard to say how welcoming I would be in that situation myself. ============ Overall, this place strikes me as a golden resource for those who already have some knowledge / are specifically looking to purchase particular hardware. The store may not be best suited to beginners (I'm assuming newbies get the same response I did). I tried to be friendly but didn't feel very welcomed, even though there were zero other customers in the store for 90% of the time I was there. I felt as if I was wasting the owners' time and that he was hoping for me to leave. For now, I'm giving it 3.5 (rounded up to 4) stars as i seems like a super cool spot for those who can successfully engage the staff, as evidenced by the other reviews and the enthusiasm displayed by the owner while demoing a product to a prospective customer when I first walked in. Hoping to spend a lot of time here as I learn. If they weren't planning on offering classes early next year I'm not sure if I would return until I had a lot more knowledge, as I'd like to be able to engage the staff more fully. Perhaps the class offerings will make a difference in creating a welcoming vibe for newcomers to the city & the store. I hope to find out if/when classes begin again. tl;dr Please offer classes! read more

This is THE place in San Francisco to get digital audio equipment and software. The guys who own/run this place are as friendly as they come and I always send people to them vs. a big chain store. The customer service is unbeatable. I went into the store for the first time years ago...glad they are still going strong! read more

Great customer service when you're in a jam. They will help you find a way to still do your music gig if something important breaks.

Robot Speak is a great little electronic instruments store located in the lower haight. Great selection, very friendly employees, and all around fun store to just drop in to once in awhile. You can find everthing from vintage synths to cutting edge software daw's, instruments, and plugins. Check it out. It won't disapoint. word read more

They gave me a bangin deal on an NI/Kore/Komplete system that saved me over $500. Pretty damned good for a mom and pop shop and I go to them all the time. I've lived and hung out in Lower Haight since 1984 and seen a lot of shops come and go over the years. RS are in an old stepdown record shop and have British Banking hours (you never know when thety will or if, they'll be open that day) but hey, when they are open, they do their best for you and opposed to Guitar Center, whose sales people just plain suck, they are the go to guys for the bay area electronic musician. Yes, they can get busy (only two guys in the shop), yes they get alot of gadabouts who will never buy a thing and waste their time and Yes, they can be tempermental, a little effete and snide, but that is the way of the 'zen' with we electro-nerds, sometimes and their knowledge and real attitude to do their best for you, far outweighs the downsides. Hell I'd be snide too if I had to deal with some of the Lower Haight people every damned day. In the end, we are all human. Furthermore, they give free workshops often, and no other shop I have purchased from invited me to learn the equipment I purchased from them, for free, after the fact. Keep up the good work, dudes! If you love 'tweaks', they are your 'phreaks' read more

I'm from New Jersey and was living in Palo Alto for a few months finishing a residency. Being the gear junkie I am, I decided to make the trek to San Francisco after searching for music shops in the area. I found Robotspeak and got to know Steve the owner, who was gracious enough to demonstrate all of his toys. We bonded, talked shop, I found out he was originally from NJ and we jammed for the rest of the afternoon together on all of his gear. Patrons came and went, I became a temporary employee, assisting Steve with sales; demonstrating the gear and interacting with fellow gear headz. Steve operates a boutique-style shop, perfect for impromptu jam sessions and hanging with cool creative people. If you love gear and your in San Francisco, stop by and see Steve, you won't be disappointed. read more

excellent place for all your dj/vj toys! owner steve is very knowledgeable and helpful and will let you play with the gear before you buy. he'll put you in touch with real people (not some corporate generic support number) to help you get started with whatever you get. they also offer classes esp in ableton it seems read more

There's something about walking down the stairs to the basement that is Robotspeak. Your eyes will want to absorb this micro-museum of electronic audio and your hands will want to tinker with the newest hotness. The owners are chill and when I bought some software a year ago they were able to answer all of my questions. This is a great local business. read more

robot speak is my nerdy oasis of computer music in a sea of crappy music stores, that have no in-depth knowledge about the nuances of electronic music. ...................................................... i have walked into this store many times just to play with the amazing synthesizers that they sell, and to bug them with questions about music tech stuff. and although i have only bought a few things there over the years ( i try my best to buy everything from them) they have still been very helpful every time i go in. .................................................... also my girlfriend and my best friend had the good fortune of hanging out with Bob Moog (before he passed) at robot speak at one of their organized in-store events ................................................... and they have loads of cool little gadgets like circuit bent speak and spells and other little forgotten musical treasures. ................................................... dont be shy going in here even though it is kinda has a basement-like apmosphere. the guys who run it are really nice and will answer the stupidest questions ( i know i have asked them) horray for this tiny synthesizer enclave. read more

Having a comfortable environment to play around in and a knowledgeable staff is worth paying a little extra for. Guitar Center is just the Wal Mart of music gear-- stay away. Plus, these guys really make an effort to contribute to the electronic music community by hosting events and classes, etc. Sure you could find it cheaper online, but these guys deserve your business. read more

These guys are the shit. I just moved to the neighborhood, and now live about 100 ft away from the store... dangerous indeed. They are always friendly, knowledgeable, and down to nerd out with you over just about anything!! You're more than welcome to play with the gear (take a hint, Haight Ashbury Music Center) and its just a generally nice experience to be in there. They have my business for life! read more

Steve is the man! I went for the Church Of The Super Serge & left with a new instrument ! great place! Great community service hosting local tallent synth shows. read more