The Turntable Store — Local services in Manheim

I walked into the store with a vintage bang and Olafson turntable, hoping to get it repaired. According to Max, the diamond stylist wasn’t there the motor was busted in the turntable was good for nothing, so I was kind and gave it to him.

I then looked around for a techniques direct drive turntable and he insisted that I buy this techniques DC serve automatic turntable system, which is a linear tracking system for the cost of $200. It was very noisy, but just getting back into records I didn’t know any better. After a dozen records in two months later, the queuing button got stuck and the speed would no longer adjust so every album sounded like the munchkins. He told me I had 30 days to return it.

I purchased some albums and was assured by a fellow customer that is grading system was accurate. I was looking for VG plus. I purchased an album that said V plus and when I got it home, the album cover was perfect. The inside was so scratched up it was unplayable. I also purchased the sticks album, which had the original hype gold sticker on it. I didn’t realize till I got home that he charged me $40 for it. Price gouging.

I came to learn of Discogs and understand exactly how to locate my albums and what they are worth. This gentleman is overpriced and taking advantage of people who appear to be dumb minded about the new album industry.

I ended up purchasing about 10 albums and my total bill was over $400. The gentleman in front of me checked out and had a frequent buyer card. Max never offered me any such thing.

Buyer beware, I get it. But this guy took advantage of me.

I have since purchased a $1k Turntable that arrived in a box on my front doorstep. I balanced the tone arm. I coordinated the weight with the anti-skid I assembled the entire piece, with the help of Crutchfield.

Now, I know I have to check the wax number and look in Discogs, which is also overpriced And offer the median.

People are claiming the album businesses are starting to die down and it’s exactly this is exactly why price gouging. Taking advantage of the consumer because of supply and demand when the supply is not that great in the first place.

So disappointing in a...

I recommend using extreme caution when dealing with this place. Last September I consigned a very fine Creek integrated amplifier for sale. To make a long story short, according to the owner's testimony and that of his employees he sold it no less than three times and each time it was returned. Two of those times he failed to re-list it on his online store. On the last occasion his employee told me it had sold, made the two-week approval period, but that I missed the December 15 cutoff date to get my check. The unit was not listed on the site so I assumed this was legitimate. When I called in late January he denied all this, was unaware it wasn't listed on his site, admitted that he had trouble keeping track of his stock [!], became very ill tempered, but at least agreed to send it back to me. Well, he reneged on that agreement also. I bet the unit came back with cosmetic damage and now he is trying to cover it up. Why else would he deny everything that he had told me over the previous five months? I should never have trusted him in the first place because when I sold a Thorens turntable through him he sold it for lower than the agreed upon consignment price. Honestly I expected better from this guy. Business must be bad now because people are streaming instead of dinking around with turntables and scratchy, overpriced LPs, and all this vintage stuff (sprayed with Deoxit) sounds awful compared to an $800 Class D amp with any of a number of DACs. But that's no reason to treat your customers badly.

*Update: The unit (a Stereophile recommended Creek 5350 SE) was returned and is exactly as I brought it in. It sounds so good I am keeping it so no harm done. Nonetheless, the rudeness of the owner is...

Great selection of audio equipment available to buy at the store. However the repair shop is the reason for the two stars. I dropped off my turntable for repair in late October, and was told at the time by the owner it would be completed before the end of the year. I waited until late December and called the store to check in. I was then told they had a tech out sick for a bit so they were behind on repairs and that I would be called when the work was done. I tried to ask for a new ETA but was just told to “please be patient”. I waited another month and after hearing nothing I went to the store and asked again, and was again given the same excuses that a tech was sick and they were behind. No ETA given again. I finally picked it up the other day because I was tired of waiting. They had my turntable for 4 months (1/3rd of a year) and didn’t even touch it. Clear timelines and communication about any sort of delays would go a long way. A simple “hey we haven’t gotten to it yet” or a “I’m not sure when it will be done” would be better than the dismissive “be patient”...