by alfa » Thu Jul 17, 2014 8:14 am
Last july 12,2014 I went to Hong Kong to leisurely window shop at audio stores. I am updating this thread to assist others who may want to audio window shop in Hong Kong.
1. Yau Shing Commercial Centre (Mongkok MTR D3 exit)
51, Sai Yeung Choi Street South, Mong Kok
Its along sae yung choi st., From the Mongkok MTR station take exit D3 you then proceed south. About 100 mets from the MTR exit you will see it. Its at the corner of Sae Yung Choi and the alley named Nelson St. The marker for the building entrance is a doorless hallway between a Cafe de Corral signage and a Body Shop store.
Go inside the building and ride the elevators on the ground floor. I suggest you proceed to the 16th floor and take the stairs down to browse per store per floor. You then work yourself down till 3rd or 4th floor. There is 1 stereo store per floor 95% of which are audio stores. The tip is start to the 16th floor.
The brands represented in the building among others are JBL, Harbeth, Proac, Sonus Faber, B&W, Mcintosh, pioneer, marantz, definitive, cambridge, lexicon, etc.. Generally stores are open between 11 to 8pm but some varies from store to store.
2. Grancastle stereo Building
Mongkok exit D3 MTR.
This is a building with a very narrow entryway which you might miss. A good reference point is that the building's entrance is beside a Watson store, the only one on sae yung choi south. The building is almost at the corner of sae yung choi and Dundas street. Building's entrance is on Sae on sa yung choi.
Take the elevator to the 19th or 20th floor. From the topmost store take the stairs going down as there is one audio store per floor. I saw the brands Wilson, Vienna Acoustics, Cayin, Burmeister being sold in the stores among others. There are 2-3 stores selling pre-owned equipment ranging from JBL, SONUS, Focals.
3. wanchai computer stores
Take the MTR to Wanchai. At the Wanchai MTR station there is an exit that leads you directly to the computer store building entrance. Wanchai computer building mainly has computer stores. Work your way up to the 2nd level of the computer area which is chockfull of headphone esoterica and equipment. They sell headphones, DACs, headphone amplifiers and players from the cheapest to the very expensive ones. There were 2 stores selling the astrell and kern US$3,000 portable FLAC DSD player.
Most of the stores in these 3 areas have prices indicated. You can haggle with the shopkeeper. Cash and major credit cards are accepted. Some even accept US dollars and use a reasonable US to HK$ exchange rate.
This guide is true as of July 14, 2014