Q Audio

Dariusz at Q Audio embodies the rarest of the all-​too-​rare-​purchasing experiences; being listened to and advised well, according to your needs and budget.
As others have expressed, Dariusz looks out for his customers like the audiophile tech-​friend you wished you had.
He literally wants you to have the best quality, at the best price.
—Wow, imagine if the rest of retail world only knew this secret! :-)

Dariusz opened the store for me even though he had just closed up shop. I was looking for an anti-​static record brush, and he was able to hook me up with one quickly and for less money than I found online. In my brief stop at Q Audio, it was clear that the shop is well-​stocked and Dariusz is very knowledgeable about audio equipment. I’m looking forward to stopping in sometime soon during normal business hours so I can spend more time.

If you could give 10 stars that’s what we would give Q Audio. Dariusz, poor guy had the luck on Veteran’s Day for my husband and I to have decided to finally decide we were ready to look at a sound system and stereo replacement for our small ranch home. We are so not tech and have relied on our young nephew to fix and help us with most of whatever tech we have needed to update or figure out. Since he has moved to CA. we (me) have decided it is time for us to figure out how the world is running. With this in mind we Unilocaled and realized Dariusz seemed to be a match for us… thanks everyone for your reviews! Anyway he spent so much time with us making sure we had an awesome match for what we wanted and our goals for a sound system that not only fit our budget nicely but, replaced our stereo and made my husband’s surround sound dream come true. He then came to the house and set everything up. He made the whole project seem effortless and look absolutely fabulous!!! Now for the sound it’s outstanding after much time listening and thinking of our needs with Dariusz’s help we chose a Sonos sound bar and speakers that we can add to over time. It’s wonderful and I have figured out how to download our Christmas music and will play to figure out a hard drive (whatever that is) at D. suggestion for our albums. I hope by this review anyone even thinking they could not manage to learn something new realizes it’s the teacher (Dariusz) and his wonderful customer service!!! If you happen to know your way around tech and sound he had customers come in while we were there and you could tell he knew his stuff by the discussion of higher end choices and what would be appropriate. It was a busy place but, we did not feel rushed or pressured or that we were not being cared for at all… I don’t know how he does it.

I had a bit of a tricky issue with my turntable that involved some rewiring and an even trickier issue getting home in time to box it up and make it to Central Square before Q Audio closed. I made it two minutes after closing time but was let in by Dariusz anyway, who politely waved away my concerns about arriving so late in the day.
He assessed my turntable and agreed that it was a bit of a tricky problem, but despite the time, he told me he’d do what he could and that it might be a couple weeks because he was backed up with repair work.
Sure enough, a couple of weeks later I get a call telling me the work is completed. Not only that, but Dariusz re-​balanced my tonearm and even built a custom made handle for the cartridge (I’d taken mine off before bringing it in).
All for a very reasonable price. I’m very impressed and my music has never sounded better.

I brought Dariusz my e-​bay mashed up Pioneer PL-​55DX and had very little hope it could be brought back to life. The seller had shipped w/​out securing the platter and that’s a recipe for disaster. He gladly took it in and rebuilt some of the mechanisms and it works and sounds amazing. I can’t thank Dariusz enough. He’s pretty busy and will manage your expectations around timing. However, it’s well worth the wait. I plan on bringing in my Marantz 2230 next year for restoration.

I found this company through its wonderfully informative website. I had a set of Bose 901 speakers with an equalizer, a Pro-​Ject turntable and an older receiver all of which I wanted to connect in a way that would give me the best sound for the budget I had. I sent an email inquiry and I received a prompt call from Daruisz, who visited my house and gave me a number of suggestions for integrating the television and audio components based on my budget and needs.
I visited the store to listen to the Sonos PlayBar. The experience was refreshingly unlike the one you get at a big box store like Best Buy. Daruisz is extremely knowledgeable and low key; he listens to the customer and makes suggestions based on what he hears, NOT on what he wants to sell. I was able to sit in a comfortable seat for all the time I needed, with no pressure from him, listening to various types of music through the sound bar I had focussed on. His store is a fabulous place to try out equipment! He gave me the time I needed to ask questions.
When he came to install the Sonos system, Daruisz was meticulous about the wiring and the set-​up and about not making a mess from drilling holes in the wall. He was very conscientious about making sure that everything worked and that I understood how to manage the system. He is a friendly personable fellow who really knows his stuff and respects the fact that not everyone is an expert in A/​V equipment.
The system I purchased is expandable and I will not go anywhere else in the future for my A/​V needs. I recommend QAudio very highly!

What can I say. Utterly impressed. I needed a new cartridge for my TT and was referred to Q-​Audio through a client. I called the store where Dariusz asked me about my equipment and what my taste in music was. He said to stop by so I did. He gave me a recommendation that I agreed with and had it installed with in minutes while I waited.
My second encounter was when I purchased my first Marantz 2250B from another source. It was in good shape but needed cleaned and some love to bring it back to its full potential working order. Called Dariusz again and he was very busy and couldn’t take it at the time and to call back in a month. I got impatient and took it to Audio Studio in Brookline. When I dropped it off i was specific in what I wanted. Lights updated to LED’s as the old stock lights were half burnt and one of the channels for phono was weak. I said that I wanted this to be as if I had just opened the box. He said no problem. 3 weeks later I pick up the unit and he says he couldn’t do the lights. Ok not a problem he fixed the main things inside right? Got it home and wrong still had issues.
I called Dariusz and to my delight he said to bring it in. I picked it up soon after dropping it off and just looking at it in his showroom i automatically saw the difference. the face and knobs were gleaming like they were the day they were installed. He explained what he did and plugged it in to show me. He even took off the cover to show me the inside and the amazing job he did. Before he did I said «no, that’s ok you don’t have to». His reply was «I want to, I am proud of it». What? This shows a lost art in taking pride of your work no matter how big or small and taking the time to show his work. The Marantz needless to say is now perfect and looks/​sounds amazing.
Thank you,

Very knowledgeable. Great experience.

Did mail order from NYC. Darius was quick and responsive to emails.
Items got to me on time!

I brought my turntable in to Q Audio earlier today and could not have had a better experience. It’s cliché to say, but this place is a breath of fresh air when compared to the big-​box electronic stores.
As it turns out, the needed repair was minor, but the owner, Dariusz, could not have been more informative or friendly. He answered all of my novice questions about what differentiates quality turntables and was genuinely excited about teaching me a little more about them.
Headphones, monitors, amplifiers, and speaker systems in a clean space with a great owner — when I’m ready to upgrade my stereo system, this is where I’m heading.

Small store right off of Mass Ave by MIT. I was surprised at the location and the small size, but I felt it was perfect for this One-​Man Operation. It’s a pretty chill and cozy place which I like.
Dariusz is a wicked accommodating and friendly guy! I called in around 6:20 heading into Cambridge and he offered to stay open longer for me to come in and drop my headphones off. Got there about 20 minutes later still open. Jackpot!
Before leaving we discussed about when I could pick my cans up, and he said that he might be able to finish my headphones by the next day. I think that’s pretty quick for a headphone jack repair in addition to his other work.
We talked and he even took into consideration the fact that I had work the next day and couldn’t pick it up until sometime later next week. He called my cell and within about an 30 minutes to 1 hour later he finished! He said said that he’d be closing within 10 minutes. I rushed to make it as I was still in the area and gave him a call again to let him know, and he firmly assured me that it’s fine.
I was ecstatic! He was wicked professional, without being a stiff stick for sure.
Oh yeah, the headphone jack was a nice One piece gold plated housing and jack, with a flexible gold plated sleeve for added durability to the wire as well was nice too.
Price: $ 20
If you have a nice pair of cans and want to save yourself the headache (I’ve tried to do this with another pair) $ 20 is not bad at all for JUST the jack termination.
A full re-​cable will cost more depending on le model
P. S. He has a sense of humor, and he also suggested on getting new cans, but I never felt pressured at all. I will definitely be back to take a look and consider in supporting his business.

Had a great experience here. Darius was very friendly, knowledgeable, and clearly excited to talk about anything related to stereos!
I am pretty new to hifi stereo equipment and am slowly piecing together a nice home stereo. I have found other hifi audio shop owners to be a bit pretentious, making it hard to ask basic questions without feeling stupid. Darius is definitely NOT in this crowd. He is helpful and mindful of your budget when recommending equipment. I would recommend this little shop to anyone. I will definitely be back.
If you drive, make sure you have quarters for the meters down the street. Like many parts of Cambridge, there is pretty limited parking.

I was excited to get a new stylus for my turntable, as the warm, crisp sounds it used to play had diminished. The stylus was old, and had seen particularly heavy daily use by me and my roommate over the past year. I had already done business with both the Audio Lab in Cambridge and the AudioProz in Watertown. I like them both, but wanted to check out another place I had heard about near MIT called Q Audio.
The website said to email Dariusz with questions, so I did and explained the basics of why I wanted a new cartridge, what equipment I use, and what I listen to. He resonded quickly and suggested a Grado Green, which I had read about on a few forums. He also mentioned that they were out of stock but would be coming in, in a matter of days. When I checked in a few days later, he said they were in stock and to come in.
I stopped by unannounced last Saturday afternoon. The store is small, but organized, and offers what looked to be a few different brands of speakers, headphones, amplifiers, and components. Some new, some used. Dariusz was on the phone and the store was empty. I introduced myself after his call. He remembered who I was, asked if I wanted to go ahead with the new cartridge, then without so much as a hesitation, started the installation. I was certain I’d have to leave it for a week or more. Watching the process was fascinating and obvious that he had done this very thing many times before.
While he was working a group of three came in looking to get a turntable, preamp, and amplifier, which is certainly a big sale. Even though I would have gladly come back, he told the group he’d be with them in a bit and to make themselves comfortable. Then another guy came in to talk about upgrading to a multi-​thousand dollar amplifier, which he did, all while Dariusz focused on my turntable, never so much as diverting his attention. I should mention I was spending $ 100. Not much. Meanwhile he has two people who will probably bring him close to $ 10,000 in sales and instead he treated me like I was the big dollar customer while they waited for their turn. He rang me up and I was on my way. I have no doubt he treated the others with the same level of respect and expertise. Consider me impressed, I’ll be back.

Darisuz is a real gem. He introduced me to Paradigm and helped to outfit our newly renovated home with wireless sound throughout the house. In addition, he did all of the installation work as part of the sale. He was always enthusiastic, and honest, but never pushy.

I was looking to upgrade my home theater sound system to allow for both a high quality listening experience for my vinyl collection, for uncompressed and compressed digital music, but also for movies. After doing some research I decided to do it the right way and make an investment in some nice high-​end speakers and replace my current run-​of-​the-​mill 5.1 speakers. I read a little about Q Audio here on Unilocal and otherwise as well as a few other places. Last weekend my first stop was to Q Audio where i met with the owner Dariusz. As I explained my needs he immediately steered me in the right direction and introduced me to a product line that he is clearly very proud of and knowledgeable about. I got the sense from him, based on his enthusiasm and passion for the product, that I was in good hands. He was just what I was looking for; an expert who was passionate and helpful without being pushy or pretentious about it and whom also respected my needs, desires, and knowledge. I definitely spent more than I was planning to spend but I felt good about it. Dariusz was careful to describe the ins-​and-​outs of the product, give me extremely helpful tips on setting it up and getting the most of it, and placing my order for me. Little did I know that I’d have to wait a few days to get my product, which was a little frustrating but to be expected as his shop is not big enough to hold much inventory. The money I spent made the wait all the more exciting. While we waited Dariusz was good enough to give me the FedEx tracking number so I could eagerly watch its progress. Along the way I gave him the measurements of my house, the details of my equipment, and he customized my wiring and connectors, and gave me very detailed instructions on how to make the most of it all. When the packages arrived I drove over to Q Audio like a bat out of hell, as eager as a child on xmas morning. He helped me load up my car and gave me specific reminders about the connections even put post-​it notes on the boxes. After 48 hours of drilling, wiring, connecting, calibrating I have to say I am absolutely thrilled with the products! I’ve been listening to a wide range of vinyl and digital music and watching movies and sports with a whole new appreciation for high fidelity audio. And needless to say the speakers look absolutely awesome in here! I even filled the speaker stands with sand, as per Dariusz’s instructions and spiked them into my floor and holy moly what a great sound. Even as recently as a few hours ago Dariusz was available by phone to answer a few last-​minute questions and sounded as willing and passionate as that first visit a week ago.

I’ve had nothing but excellent experience at this place. Sadly this type of store is a dying breed. The selection of brands is small but that’s because it is well curated — they only stock top notch audio equipment. The proprietor is a an electrical engineer and domain expert on hi fi audio and really knows his stuff. When was the last time you dealt with an expert at Radio Shack or Best Buy? The prices are competitive with online stores. If the prices are a few dollars higher you will be more than rewarded by the expertise and ability to actually try out the equipment. Audio is highly subjective. You just can’t buy audio equipment from reviews alone.
I recently purchased a pair of headphones. I went to the store with my old headphones and some CDs so I could A/​B them with the store’s models. I was set up in a comfy chair and allowed to play to my hearts content under ideal audio conditions (no blaring TVs or video games). How many other places let you do that? I choose a pair of Denons. After a week of using them they sounded great, but there was a slight squeaking coming from the plastic ear cup joints. I went back to the store and Dariusz knew exactly what I was talking about and had a perfect fix for them — a particular type of lubricant applied in the right spots. Now the phones are completely silent and the sound keeps improving with use. Dariusz definitely steered me toward the right purchase — these phones are fantastic.
A few years before I also purchased a set of Grado headphones here for my college bound son. Had the same great experience back then.
To my knowledge there are only two places like this in the greater Boston area — this place and a place in the Garage in Harvard Square. Q-​Audio is better IMHO.

A+++ in Expertise and Service
Dariusz of Q Audio has exceptional expertise in audio and related equipment. We have sought his help in getting audio equipment repaired on numerous occasions. He also possesses deep knowledge in the subject matter and his recommendations on audio equipment acquisitions are highly reliable. His advice has always proven right, even after conducting extensive research on anything he recommends.
He has even helped friends from California who could not find anyone locally to get their Unison Unicco SE repaired.
Dariusz is very professional and reliable, and we are lucky to have such a talented and gifted expert close by

I brought my receiver to Dariuz at Q audio because I thought I had fried it somehow when I first bought it a couple of years ago… it always gave me fits and problems, and Dariusz gave me a diagnostic and told me exactly what he would be doing, and what it meant. turns out I am just an idiot as there was nothing wrong with the receiver, just with the owner (me) and he showed me what I was doing wrong and how to use it in my house. All for an INCREDIBLY reasonable price, just the diagnostic.
Cheers to Q audio for being honest, easy, accessible, and reasonable. Restoring my faith in local business one merchant at a time.
D

Had them repair a cable for me, it was quick, the cost was reasonable, and most important, the work was top notch.

My fiancée and I were on the market for a stereo last year and decided to take our time visiting various stores in the area to sample a range of systems. Dariusz at Q Audio was extremely helpful and relaxed in letting us try out different setups in his small — but very professional — store on Vasser St. After a few trips to his store and several others, we had decided on one of the entry level bookshelf speakers (Paradigm’s Mini Monitor series). Dariusz worked with us to figure out both our budget and what we really wanted in a set of speakers. He let us take our time and didn’t push us to make a commitment, even the third time we came into the store.
Having settled on the Mini Monitor’s, that last trip we (read: I) decided to just have a listen to the next step up in the Paradigm brand, the Studio 10s. All I could say was «hallelujah!» Those took what I thought was amazing sound and opened up whole new depths of the music I’d never heard before. I’m sure Dariusz was pleased we ended up going with them (and with the NADC326BEE Amp), but I know he would have just as happily sold us the Monitors. Such service for a customer at the lower end of his sales was fantastic to see, and I think it is lost on most businesses these days.
Dariusz was even kind enough to drop the system off at our house, which was on his way home.
He doesn’t have the biggest range in brands in the store, but he’s spent a lot of time finding top quality systems for every person’s needs. Even if you don’t end up buying from him, I recommend stopping by to hear how your music could sound. A year on, I still smile when I play music I haven’t listened to in a while and discover a hidden melody in a song I thought I knew so well.