Pittsburgh, Pa. Audio Scene 1970's

I wouldn't mind plugging in to today's hi-end enthusiast community currently in Pittsburgh. If any of you popping in here have some ideas, then please PM me.

 

Hey I remember Tasso he and Bill I believe was his right hand man showed me everything I know of audio.I bought my Dalquist DQ-10s my Theta 10-b and an Amber series 70 with a dual 1229/Koetsu black.Man what a system I had in the early eighties.

 

Still using my Belles One amplifier and Advent 300 reciever that I bought at Opus One. Oh, and a Supex cartrige that I have stashed away somewhere.

 

Thanks for chiming in!

 

Yet nowhere for us to shop here now.

 

I just bought a pair of Harbeth P3ESRs from Northern Audio (in the North Hills) and I'm going to have a home demo with a Rogue Stereo 100.

They are appointment only which is a turn off for some but I understand the frustrations of dealers dealing with customers who demo only to end up buying used or online.

 

I have bought a few things; Rogue stuff, Meadowlark speakers, and a Peeachtree dac from Mark. They have a nice walk-in shop in Aspinwall.

 

Sorry I don't understand it, that guy lost me forever... He blew me off on the phone after which I drove up to Butch's in Natrona Heights and dropped 15 or 20k on McIntosh. Actually he probably did me a favor.

 

I lived north of Pittsburg (Elwood City/Beaver County) during the 8o's, the last great time for audio. I'd have to go back into my records (I keep all my receipts!) but I remember buying different gear from a bunch of different shops. Spendor S100's ,Mapleknoll Ariadne, Dolan PM1 from a shop in Butler. Linn LP12/Lingo/IttokIV, MIT Shotguns, Adcom Amp/pre, Sonographe CD player from the Audio Gallery in Pittsburg. Ocos cables, BK 140 amp from another shop downtown. 2 Ceramic ortofon X3 cartridges another shop. I also bought what was than considered the 1st and largest tube TV at the time, a Mitsubishi 35"! Pittsburg was a great town for this ex-NY'er back than, plenty of shows, great record shops, and great flea markets on the Ohio/PA. border where I bought some very rare LP's on the cheap!

 

Northern Audio is the closest Rogue dealer to my home in NE Ohio. My son had a AAU basketball tourney in Pittsburg and I made an appointment to listen to a Cronus Magnum. Mark was really nice. I had told him what equipment I was interested in and he had it set up and ready to go. We switched a few pieces around and hung out for a few hours. Ended up buy the Cronus and a pair of Goldenear speakers from him. Great guy and his family owns Spin Clean record cleaning machines.

 

I lived in Beaver County from 1956-2001 (Industry & Midland). Maybe you know this. A stereo store in Allegheny Center Mall and then they opened a satellite store for a while in Rochester, Pa. It was a independent store. Nothing fancy..... Dual, JBL's, BIC's, stuff like that.

 

I worked at National Record Mart, main store, on Forbes Ave. downtown, next to George Aiken. I bought my New Large Advents at Opus One. I'm pretty sure I paid $400 for them in April of '78.

 

Man, NRM had a great classical section. I was a friend of one of the owners, who got great tickets for me at the concerts of my choice.

 

Sounds similar to the Kansas City scene...sign of the times and the lack of (most) people's interest in our hobby I guess.

 

I grew up in Pittsburgh, Penn Hills specifically, but moved away in 69. I do remember going to Shadyside (sp) to hang out. My love of music, and gear was just beginning.

 

I worked in the ticket office with the owner's daughter Gerrie. We're good friends to this day, although she has lived in Santa Barbara CA for nearly 20 yrs now. Her father Jason, the last of the three brothers who started the business, lives with her now. He's 92, I believe.

 

What's interesting to me is that Pittsburgh is home to Jerry's Records and has a chain of used CD shops. The City overall was down for many years, but there isn't a city this size today which is hotter. It's pretty amazing what's happened here in just a decade and the build-up is just getting hotter. Yet, no legit hi-end shop.

Just an update, those old crummy buildings on Forbes are gone. Nearby Market Square is now amazing. Hard to believe if you haven't visited since 2005 or before.

 

I hear ya, the same thing is happening in KC with regards to the vinyl resurgence as well. However, I don't think the people interested in vinyl are the same people we are...they are probably more likely to purchase a sub $200 turntable from Amazon to spin their vinyl than to seek out the good stuff at an audio dealer.

 

I'd like to go there once just to say that I have been!

 

For the, err, record, I was referring to the economy overall here. There is surge of young people, construction, a hot restaurant scene, etc, and education is pretty good with the likes of CMU leading the way. Sure, I have seen vinyl coming back here, but I don't read anything into that. There's got to be some audiophiles within a 2.5 million MSA.

 

Ahhh...my bad!

 

Gerrie is of whom I was speaking. We shared some classes in high together and usually sat next to each other, especially where alphabetical order was enforced. Strangely, I am involved with the project that is being constructed on the site now, as well as arranging the demolition of the old buildings. PSU, if you ever come out this way, get in touch and I'll take you to Jerry's.

 

I work in the building which has The Fairmont in it, so I'm always over at Bluebird. Yinz hurry up with that project so the street can open!!

 

"yinz" <-- evidence of authentic western PA heritage. I'll bet when you were a child, you were told to "red up your room".

 

Ha! I moved here after college and I couldn't believe that Pittsburghese existed. Slowly dying though.