Cute little store, with plenty of great music. Parking was easier than we thought. Google says this place is temporarily closed, so we called and no answer. We risked it anyway just to see, & they were open, so trust the yelp hours of operation, it's what the door said as well. Google is wrong. read more

Located down stairs at corner of Pleasant and Main Streets, I found some cassette tapes I am looking for. Also well stocked with CDs that I'm looking for. This was my first time here and I found some of what I want. Sorry, I couldn't find a way to attach my photo here. read more

We popped in here just looking to pass time. It was nostalgic and adventurous looking through their CDs, vinyls, and DVDs. They have a good variety artists and genres to look through. I wish I knew more about artists to appreciate everything they had to offer. Prices were reasonable and about as best organized as I could imagine they could be. Would love to come again! read more

Awesome stuff lots of great obscure music and good classic music. Great selection really good when you go in there and you wanna buy some thing they will always help you. They are really great when you want to do some re-selling as well. read more

Great store, just be careful on the steps! Been stopping in and buying here for 25+ years, fair to great pricing, for small place it's packed with opportunities, buyer program is cool. Staff always cool ! read more

A guy cut me off walking and I turned around and then saw this place so was fortuitous. A huge section of Cd's and a solid selection of vinyl. I wasn't really looking for anything in particular, but grabbed a Blotto record I'd never seen, for only a few bucks. Staff were super friendly and the whole vibe of the place is great. If you're digging, be sure to pop in. read more

Turn It Up - Music & DVDs Near Me - Northampton, Massachusetts

A small shop yet no small in collection. Always try to check it out whenever am in the neighborhood and always find something to take away. Decent collection of old LPs and the staff is very helpful. Also try their old posters and books about rock an roll. This time around finally got this album for my collection and as usual left the shop being happy. read more

Turn It Up - Finally got to add this awesome album to my collection. Thank you Turn it up!! - Music & DVDs Near Me - Northampton, Massachusetts

Love this place! Well-stocked, well-appointed, and well-organized analog music store. CDs are the focus, but there are also cassettes, records, DVDs, and the occasional videotape. They've got box sets, rarities, and some rock-and-roll books. Some local musicians also have their CDs available there, which is a nice thing. They participate in the big annual sidewalk sale, and the tent sales, and sometimes they have random impromptu tables up on the sidewalk (different from the regular sidewalk sale). They have good prices, and you can leave requests in their book; they'll call if your item show up in their new acquisitions. Though it seems like they used to give more money for your old CDs ten years ago, it's still a decent place to turn your unwanted media into cash (or credit). Don't be surprised if they don't take all of your media in trade; they usually take 30-60% of what you bring in, maximum, based on the condition of the media and how many duplicate copies they already have for sale. The only thing that sucks about this store is that it is in a basement, down the most precipitous stairs ever. It is NOT an accessible location, or space. Turn It Up! has been a staple of my life for over fifteen years. It's comforting and pretty much defines "local business" in my mind. It's a landmark. I'm really happy it's still around, and hope it ALWAYS will be! read more

Got a 2012 Crosley Record Player for 28$ and my first Bob Marley Catch A Fire Vinyl added on. Came home and the record player played the entire album with the built in speaker. Reasonably priced vinyl. Nice associate! read more

Great source for CD back catalog gems. Remember High Fidelity? Yeah, it's that good. Fortunate that I don't live around here, or I'd need a second job. read more

Went in last week for a look, from the time I walked in till 2 hours later it was the best thing I did all day. So many finds and such a blast digging through so many albums. Can't wait to go back again. A must go to for any record collector!! Thanks!! read more

Not hyperboloizing here in the least... I opened a Yelp account for the express purpose of telling the world how great this place is. Friendly, helpful staff. They let me bring in my dog, took a picture of my dog for their instagram account, and gave him a treat. When people tell you to support their local record shop, this place is the reason why! read more

Turn It Up is the gem of the Valley. It may look unassuming from the street (and be careful on those stairs - they're a death trap in the winter), but inside many musical treasurers await you. Stop first at the cheapy bin by the front door - you never know when you're going to need a $3 TLC cd. Then head over to the new arrivals - with five colleges in the area, there are always bound to be some great finds that have just come through the door. If you're lucky, you'll get some lightly used new releases. Next, take your time moving through all the genres - they have terrific rock, jazz and soundtrack sections. Finally, take a quick look at the DVD shelf. You never know when you'll find that special edition Lord of the Rings or Buffy disc! When you make your purchase (which I challenge you to keep under $25), make sure to get a frequent buyer card. You get a punch each time you spend $10, and then get $10 off when you've filled your card. I bet Best Buy doesn't offer *that* kind of a deal. Or salespeople this bizarre. Or such great prices when you sell used cds. What are you waiting for? read more

They have a huge selection. And, there is a quality collection. They check everything thoroughly. The atmosphere is fun. The store has an open design. They also have books! read more

Fantastic place for used CDs and records that are in fantastic condition at reasonable prices. Owners are friendly and helpful.

I love that you can arrive looking for Irish music & leave with that plus Digital Underground! Great, well-organized selection of CDs, DVDs, vinyl records, even cassettes. Fun spot to browse though you'll have to dodge the obligatory oblivious aisle hog! Great staff & pricing too! Get there! read more

This is the best Turn It Up of the three. You will find Indie music, and obscure metal. The area is rife with several Colleges, peoples of alternative lifestyles, Goth's Hippy's. So your chances of finding weird cool music are tops. The record selection can be kind of picked over, but with all those cool cats trading in goods, stock will always be awesome. That said give yourself at least an hour if you are a nerd. Like the other Turn it Up's prices are fair. The records here are in much better shape than the Keene store as a general statement. They also have a listening station where you can check out any non collectable piece of ephemera. Great selection of movies and live videos too. read more

Okay, so Turn It Up may not be my favorite record store in the world This is due mostly to the fact that it's primarily a used CD store, not a RECORD (as in vinyl records) store, and I'm more of a record collector than a CD buyer. I'm also not much impressed with their prices on recently released used compact discs, but that's another story. I did however find a replacement copy of my 3rd Bass 'The Cactus Album' cassette there for a VERY good price after a tape-deck ate mine a few years back. All said, I can't comprehend how ANYBODY could possibly find this place even remotely "pretentious" or "scene." It's where people go to buy discounted copies of for the most part relatively POPULAR records. Sure, they also sell a lot of "Indie" stuff, and even carry product from local bands in some instances, but it's a USED COMPACT DISC STORE in a BASEMENT. How pretentious and "scene" could it really be? read more

I'm not a hipster but I love this store. I just wanted to get that right out of the way because people are talking about how this is a hipster record shop- not true. I listen to mostly 70s bands and acoustic music and I have always found great CDs for either decent to really cheap prices. It is just a fun place to browse and discover new music. The employees are always really friendly and helpful. They let you listen to any of the albums to hear if it is something you might want to buy. Seriously watch the stairs going down especially if it is rainy or snowy! I can't wait to visit Northampton again and hit up my favorite record store! read more

Checked out Turn It Up and was pleasantly surprised with what I walked out with today! The PROS -good selection of genres -clean store -friendly staff -reasonable/fair prices -good used selection -listening station The CONS -parking can be a bit of a pain This is a pretty cool shop that yielded some nice finds! If you are in the area or traveling and looks to do a little digging I'd suggest checking it out! read more

Hip store. Staff aren't snobs. Good stuff comes and goes fast, so it's hit or miss. I got some old vinyl for a nice price. Steep stairs down, so be careful. read more

If you're a Northampton hipster and dress like one, you'll love Turn it Up. So many kindred spirits in one place! Also, if you like superficial conversations spoken through the nose, about how much you enjoy that no one is familiar with the band you both love, this is your place. If you don't fit the above, you maaay enter the store, realize that you're in unfamiliar territory to the extremely un-hip and decide to look else where for the music you're looking for until its not cool to hang out in record stores. Note: I love music. All kinds. I hate scenes. A lot. read more

I am thoroughly impressed. I've been wanting to go to Turn It Up for a while now, and I finally got the chance to today, and I was not disappointed. First of all, it was clearly a hotspot because it was fairly packed when we first arrived. And why not when the stock is so great? It's mostly for general music lovers rather than extreme collectors, but there were a few rare records/cds/dvds, so you might just find a gem. My two favorite things about this store are 1. That it is fairly well-organized. I walked over to the DVD section and spent about ten seconds looking and I already had Donnie Darko in my hands (love that movie). 2. The prices are extremely reasonable. That Donnie Darko DVD was $5. The majority of the records were $3. The CDs ranged from about $5 to $20 depending upon how used they were. Right when you walk in the door there's a few boxes of $1 records, some cheap cassettes, and some nicely stocked racks of $3 CDs or 6 for $10. I left the store with 3 CDs: Dance Without The Queen by The Smiths (unopened - $10), Sigh No More by Mumford & Sons (gently used - $8), and Good News For People Who Love Bad News (gently used - $8). Very excited. Finally, the member of the staff I interacted with was one very friendly guy and he totaled really quickly (tax and all) in his head I think, and it was kind of really impressive. All good things to say about this place! (P.S. This place is definitely not wheelchair-accessible; it's barely accessible to anyone. I'm a healthy 17-year-old able to keep pretty good balance and even I felt like I was going to die on those stairs. Scary steep! But worth it!) read more

Turn It Up is not my favorite record store. The quality of their vinyl is not terrific. I've taken them out of their sleeves to inspect (which you always do at ANY used record store) and have been surprised they were not in a dollar bin. Scuffs, scratches and mild abuse were apparent multiple times. To me this means there is no system or 'ownership' in rating or accepting incoming stuff. I'll give the store one more chance before I drop it off my 'visiting NoHo' list. The other thing is (as is the case more so in college towns) is they have a lot of offbeat or indie stuff in their bins. I'm not saying this is good or bad, it just is. On the other hand they have a large amount of used CD's and DVD's (the store is maybe 1/4 vinyl.) As mentioned in other reviews, be careful on the stairs down. If they're wet or could be icy make sure you have a hand on the railing. Also the aisles are very narrow, if you have bags from shopping at Thornes, a baby carrier, or large body type it will be nearby impossible not to bump into fellow patrons. Good luck! read more

Turn It Up is a competitively visitable* music store in the Northampton area, or even anywhere for that matter. Emerging from its depths in the basement one will immediately see Newbury Comics directly across the street. Why should one go to Turn It Up instead of Newbury Comics? There are a few reasons if one cares enough. First, the prices across the board at Turn It Up are generally more affordable. While Newbury Comics continues to treat its back stock of CDs as $14-16 items, Turn It Up generally keeps tunes around the $6-10 range. There's a strong assortment of necessary discs for each artist for most sections, though the Soul section was a little short. I imagine that if one cannot find what they're looking for at Turn It Up they will find a way to get it for you. Another reason for visiting Turn It Up is the listening station. If the place was bigger it'd be great to have even more listening stations (a la the defunct Virgin Records in NYC), but given where they're at there's only one. Still, it's a great way to check out what to buy before you buy it. I have tended to take leaps of faith with affordably priced music only to regret the $10 or so I'll never get back from a purchased album. Turn It Up gives a little more convenience to the customer. Finally, I have to say that the staff at Turn It Up edges out the nearby competition. These guys are veterans of the shop and know the music they have within. In my few visits to the store they've always been accessible and chatty about people's purchases. Being laid back also helps (no crack downs on my coffee cup). As for other aspects of the store, they've got modest assortments of games, books and box sets for those interested in something other than singular albums and the like. They also have a large cheap music bin near the entrance that holds a few good ones for the musically adventurous, though one may balk at paying $3 or so a disc. There was a Cute Lepers disc in there last time I was there so you should check to see if it's still there and buy it. If I lived near Northampton I would easily visit both Turn It Up and Newbury Comics on my music binge sprees. However, I would go to Turn It Up first for the price and atmosphere. * - Yeah, made this up. I'm setting music store visitation standards, people. read more

Great staff and constantly changing selection of CDs, LPs and DVDS. Always worth a pop in to check out what they've go in stock.

Great place and open late. People are pretty nice here and outgoing. Love the basement style location and atomosphere. Lots of great music selections. Sometimes Ill find Vinyl records I dont see anywhere else. And at times they will get some really cool books in stock. You have to come here if you go to NoHo. read more

Used cds! For cheap! In a rad little basement in Northampton (the most annoyingly trendy place in Massachusetts or even perhaps, New England). I'll be honest, I don't care for Northampton. It tries too hard. But I will brave the hell that is parking in Hamp to go to Turn It Up! for good music! read more

I should admit that usually, record stores are a bit dull for me. This one, though, offers endless amusement and cds I actually want! They even have a few books, including a four-pack of Kerouac for $10 - I defy you to beat that anywhere. Best, you can sample any cd to make sure you don't hate it. Look out for all the goofy bits of wall text, like "BOOKS: THE PAPER INTERNET," and the weird DVDs, like The Gingerbread Man with Gary Busey [tagline: EVIL NEVER TASTED SO GOOD]. Definitely worth a visit. read more

I didn't shop here but my husband did. I think he was impressed with all the vinyl and he found a Stereolab cd he didn't have yet.

After hearing volumes of positive feedback on Turn It Up, I can understand what the hype's all about. Northampton's college-town vibe makes a lot of hippie-era dads feel cool over the hill in a sea of thick-rimmed, tight-jean hipsters and bohemians the town is known for. Turn It Up is just the place to flourish mainly because of this more eclectic clientele. Buried below ground, Turn It Up is one of the more interesting, gritty, cozy music shops that have become hard-to-find and often draw a niche market to pilgrimage to Northampton's center. For the most part, this shop gets it right where others do it wrong: a stuffed selection of all genres, priced well and even a bargain section right at the entrance of dollar castaway discs found cheaper than thrift stores. While mostly junk, it lives for you to come across a no-hassle buy, especially at only a $1. I came here to browse the jazz section, which is too often overshadowed by rock and pop, overgeneralized with Davis and Coltrane reprints, not recognizing the batillions of other artists who comprise jazz of the 70's and beyond. They had a few here and there artists I don't normally find though they still needed work with some rarer artists typically impossible to find in most music shops like Jean-Luc Ponty, George Duke and Joe Sample. It's a shame they don't have a little more space to flex since their stock since they have so much in so little space. I saw a few discs that were a tad over compared to online prices, some whose conditions were alright for what was being asked and no real multi-buy discounts, which prevented me from picking up a few on-the-fence buys. The LP section is pretty good and they even have an impressive selection of classical and movie soundtracks. The video game selection ought to be expanded or phased out as they have only scraps. The store is overall a tad claustrophobic, often hoarder-esque behind the counter, where piles of unstocked discs sit (until priced?). The staff were stoic kind of guys who would help you find something if you needed it. This store is a surefire hit if in the area, definitely earns a visit whenever in the area and much better than the snobs over at Newbury Comics across the street, which also has no jazz section at all. If Turn It Up stocked the jazz a little more and offered some multi-buy incentives, this place would be a monthly venture. Due to Yelp's limited grading system, I'd like to add that this shop is better than most of the music shops I rated at three stars (ideally I'd give it 3.5 if I could) which includes Redscroll Records (Wallingford, CT), Music Outlet (Enfield, CT) and just about breaks even to Trading Post (Canton, CT). read more

I absolutely love this place. I went to high school and college in the Northampton area, and used to buy almost all of my CDs at Turn It Up. I was very pleased to come back for my college reunion to find that little has changed there. The prices are excellent, the selection is great, and the salespeople are helpful. I will miss it, until the next time I have an opportunity to visit Western MA. read more

This place is awesome!! Great service, awesome selection and prices. A throwback to the great record stores that are almost extinct - as a rabid vinyl collector, it's paradise for me - also it becomes quite apparent right away that these guys love music just as much as I do - I got a frequent buyer card and I intend on using it many times!! read more

I have been going to Turn It Up since I was a kid and I LOVE the Northampton location. It's small, but has a fantastic selection (lots of good local stuff) and a decent vinyl collection. My favorite thing to do is to sift through the new arrivals. An abundance of good cheap records! And I love that it is in a cozy little basement. The staff is always nice and helpful and they have CD players so you can listen to your selections! I could literally spend hours in this place (and have!). read more

Excellent store. Friendly and helpful staff. Lots of titles you don't often see in other shops. They seem to give really fair value on trade ins. They also have a rewards card where they will give your card a stamp for every $10 you spend. Once your card is full, you get $10 off your next purchase. read more

Best place to buy used music in Noho. I like Newbury, too, but the music they play at Turn It Up (from the Pretenders to Funkadelic) is better. Also, when you sell CDs, you'll get a better price at TIU than at Newbury. Only caveat: expect it to be cramped while you're shopping. The store is about the size of a studio apartment. read more

More than once I've told the friendly knowledgeable people behind the counter that if I lived in the Northampton area they'd be sick of seeing me. Great selection considering how tiny the space is--definitely not handicapped-accessible. I always come across something that's hard to find, and at a reasonable price. Yesterday I bought the 25th anniversary edition of the Pussy Cats CD by Harry Nilsson for $14! (Currently on Amazon for $39). I was moved to write this because of the woman who wrote that parking in Northampton is a nightmare. I parked in the safe, centrally located public parking garage for 6 1/2 hours yesterday, and paid $3. The first hour is free. What, I wonder, does she want? read more

This shop excels in their cassette selection. At times, they've had 50 cent bins full of popular and eminantly playable stuff. Somebody left a nice eighties metal collection in there, and yes, they honored the fifty cent price despite those tapes easily fetching $3.00 a piece anywhere else. They've also had some incredible cutout tapes. I found The New York Dolls, MC5, The Circle Jerks, The Damned and more still shrink-wrapped. I'm not sure they're so great for used CD's compared to the much better Valley offerings in this regard, but I suppose they make an appealing alternative to Newbury Comics for new CD purchases, The clerks certainly know music, and are willing to tell you if an album isn't very good, even if it costs them a sale. read more

Here's a quote from a previous reviewer on their vinyl collection- "Scuffs, scratches and mild abuse were apparent multiple times. To me this means there is no system or 'ownership' in rating or accepting incoming stuff." Yeah, I can agree with that totally and the other reviewer who mentions the "superficial conversations" and hipster attitudes in the store. Yeah, the guys in the store really know their stuff especially when you don't. They can rant about how much experience they have in the business all they want, but talk is cheap and so is their stuff because they're getting it that way. They only want vinyl that people are giving away. I was in the store to get a price for approx 150 classic rock albums. The majority of the vinyl I brought in was in good shape, well cared for with little to no scratches. We love our music and always took great care not to scratch and used the best players made back then. The covers were well worn, but some were newish and less than 20% had signs of water damage due to a crate getting wet ages ago. Without those its still 100 albums. So the guys can't give me a price on the entire set till they look over every album and they've already pulled out a few and mishandled them, big paw prints and then tried to shove them back into the paper all cockeyed. Would you handle your own albums that way???? Then they proceed to try and tell me they have to go through all of them because they can see damage-yeah well I had sorted the bad ones into one section. I don't have the time to wait around, so I try to just get a bottom price, and they want to give me $20 for the lot. Come on guys, The collection has original Woodstock, Pink Floyd, CSN, Neil Young, Stevie Wonder, Bruce Springsteen, Fleetwood Mac and one of a kinds INXS, Beatles, Blondie, the Fixx, Supertramp, Kansas, Hall & Oates, Cat Stevens, Van Morrison, Jimmy Buffett, Poco, U2 etc, etc. I said I'd like at least $50 and they said $40 but if I wait I could probably get more after they look them over. o.k. They suggest I go and leave a number they can call me at. I do just that and ask that it'll be less than an hour please. After + half hour down the block, it occurs to me that I just left my stuff in the care of strangers with no receipt or guarantee of anything. Man, I bet they're going to pick out only the good albums and tell me I have to take all the others they don't care for home cause they guys will say "they're not worth anything." So I head back in, and get a look like "what does she want". So I ask them if they have a price yet. One must understand that they are picking through the albums behind the counter, my first impression is why can't they do this in front out in the open. DUH, its not their stuff. I proceed to try and get a price and explain my predicament that I don't have the time to wait and I don't understand what the big deal is. They keep telling me it takes time to evaluate them all and proceed to tell me yes, they are picking what they want out. I tell them its all or nothing, why can't they just take the whole lot? They proceed to call my stuff trash and tell me that they will dispose of it if I want. They get irritated that I can't just leave them alone to go through my stuff and "do their job" and tell me how they've been doing this for years. Doing what? Manipulating customers and mishandling personal property? They're irritated that I would question them about my albums and the fact that I have no idea what they're doing with them all behind the counter. I apologize for not be a trusting, naive person, yet they can't seem to care.. So when I ask if they'll give me the $40 they mentioned earlier now, cause I don't want to keep hanging around, they tell me $20 or nothing cause they need more time to look them over thoroughly. Oh, I guess that means they need more time to put their paw prints all over them, pick out what they want and tell me after and hour or more, they can only give me $20 cause I brought in trash. I can only feel this was their plan, no matter how long they took, have her wait 1-2 hours and she'll take $20 cause she wouldn't want to have wasted her time. She wanted to get rid of this lot anyway. One guy said to me "Maybe you really don't want to get rid of them yet." No, I didn't come in to GIVE these albums away to a store that is treats customers the way I was treated. So when they see I'm not going to take the $20 they tell me its not worth the hassle dealing with me so I can just take them all back. (duh from behind the counter) All I can say is "sleazy way of doing business". All I'm looking for is honesty. If you are only gonna give me $20 for 150 albums tell me that from the start. Don't play games with customers and waste their time, up and down with your price knowing you are going to give the initial low ball price anyway! Please keep your fingerprints off the vinyl and don't mishandle property when its not yours! read more

the best record store of all time. Great staff and amazing selection. You never know what's going to show up. I found some amazing, amazing stuff there. read more