Port Of Sound Record Shoppe

I love this place. They have a good selection, although it could be better. The only thing is the customer service… We buy there all the time and the owner knows us, and he never gives us discount or anything. Not that we are entitled, but that would be being a good business owner… more incentive to buy. right?

Probably one of the best record shops in Orange County. The shop focuses a lot on new reissues of records, but sometimes you’ll come across some used copies for a decent price. Most of the new LPs are at standard price, sometimes they will be more expensive than Amazon but sometimes they’ll be way cheaper. Port of Sound sometimes carries a lot of records that most places will not, so basically you’re paying for the convenience factor. All of their music is organized pretty well, so it’ll be easy to find something you’re looking for in particular. They are really great on keeping updated with all new music. They also offer a cleaning service if you’re into that. A great store that I’m usually a regular at.

Medium sized record shop with a billion records crammed inside. Seriously, these guys might have as many records as Amoeba in a much smaller space. The bins are very well designed so you never will hurt your back or have to sit on the floor to look at anything. Every record shop should have bins like they do. I didn’t find anything I needed though.

One of the VERY few decent record stores left in all of Orange County, so I’m very thankful for Port of Sound. (I do miss the days of Tower and Moby Disc, etc in the OC). Large strip mall with parking available most of the time.
Deep vinyl selection of all genres for a fairly small store. Many larger artists’ stock is stored under the main racks which can be confusing. Less this year but they generally bring in a ton of Record Store Day product. LP prices are on the high side overall although I’ve found a few bargains as they do mark down slow-​moving items after a year or so. 99.8% vinyl (new and used) with just a handful of used CD’s and a few turntables.
Service is just so-​so — the (apparent) owner hasn’t been very friendly to me; most of the other staff just sit at the check-​out and wait to get you on your way. They are open long hours which is great.

I visited this record shop for the first time today. I was very impressed with the great selection of vinyl records they possess. Not only new records, but they have a lot of old/​original vinyls as well. I was very impressed with how clean and organized the store was and what a great selection of artists they have. It was easy to find what I was looking for, and I also noticed a good selection of new artists throughout the store. If you’re looking for original vinyl, new vinyl, or wanting to discover new artists you should definitely check this place out. I was more than satisfied with my purchases!

Open late for all the wierds like me who like a nice warm well lit music shop late at night. People are nice and gave me free pins. +++

Literally just went to grab Allah-​Las and came out with my hands full of cool gems that I found. Cool shop to dig around. It’s organized and they have a Latin section, pretty awesome, if you ask me. I would definitely be back.

Best record store in OC. Period. Vinyl inventory is stacked DEEP with classic and rare albums as well as new vinyl from very current/​emerging artists. Largest selection of Hip Hop vinyl i’ve seen from any record store in OC. Small downside is I wish they had more used vinyl in stock. The majority of their inventory is new pressings, therefore subject to higher prices often between $ 20-​$ 30 for an LP. So overall the store is a bit more pricey, but you are certainly paying for quality in this case.

Very good record store located in the heart of Orange County, Ca
Always has a good selection of CDs from dream pop to shoegaze
Found some good gems
Will be back

I wish they were more selective about what they accepted as used inventory. If you’re a Barbra Streisand fan you can probably find all of her albums in there. Same with Neil Diamond. I bought a new slightly overpriced copy of «What’s Going On» by Marvin Gaye a few months back since Amazon was temporarily out of stock. Overall, as far as brick and mortar stores, Crème Tangerine and Left of the Dial records have better pricing and selection. Amoeba and Amazon are the go-​to spots.

I came here on a whim with a friend after coming out of the Habit. This record shop is very small, but is able to with hold a ton of vinyls! The shop is really well organized and offers a lot of different artists. You can find anything from Selena Gomez, to Smashing Pumpkins, to even some black metal bands like Behemoth and Dimmu Borgir.
Prices are also pretty reasonable, although they tend to be a little on the pricier side.
I didn’t get to interact much with the staff, but they did seem to be readily available for any questions.
I would most likely come here again! :)

If Your Into Vinyl Records Port Of Sound Is A Great Record Store They Have Everything You Need.1 Stop Record Store. You Walk In To Get 1 Record And You Walk Out With Your Hands Full Of Vinyl, How Great Is That. Port Is Like The Original Record Stores Of Times Past When They Were All Over Town But There Not Any More. So If You Want Great Sound From Vinyl Then Go Check Out (PORT OF SOUND)

Awesome record store! Well organized, with every «aisle» designated by musical genre hanging from the ceiling. You’ve got anything from electronic, Christmas, jazz, hip hop to pop vocals. Since I have yet to dive into the world of eclectic musics, the back right corner is probably where I’ll be stationed when I visit. The artists are alphabetized for easy browsing, and the artists that are slightly more popular have designated pull-​out drawers indicated on their markers.
Like I said, this store is organized well. The guys are the front counter are very helpful, too, if you aren’t sure what you’re looking for. However, before stopping by Port of Sound, I went to Factory Records and purchased Radiohead’s OK Computer vinyl — it was priced $ 5 more at Port of Sound! I recommend doing some shopping around a bit for the more popular artists before coming here. But Port of Sound has a huge selection compared to other record stores, so the price tag is partly for the convenience.
Will definitely stop by again for my next vinyl record splurge!

If you like vinyl stop by here. This place is a find and I generally come prepared to do two things. First, I start by hunting for specific albums and artists –I keep a list — and then I just wander and browse. This is no fancy OC store but I say this in a good way. This trip we picked up an eclectic mix of newer presses (Cold Water Kids and REM unplugged 2001) and some used finds off the list (Stevie Wonder –In the key of life, George Michael-​Faith, Lionel Richie –Can’t Slow Down, The Pretenders II). Used albums we grabbed were $ 7 – 11 and new around $ 24. It was relatively crowded today but isn’t usually too busy so browsing is easy. The people who work here will absolutely help you if needed or will leave you alone. Both options are appreciated depending upon the reason I am there.

Awesome record store. Always has something that I want and need. The prices are actually really good for some pretty good albums. The owner is very organized with each genre of music. I love going to just look around or trying to find an album I want. It is an awesome little shop, I love it!

I have very mixed feelings about this place; I mean, owner guy is nice and well rounded, selection while leaning toward new releases does have some older stuff, and the store is clean and all. Plus, they have supplies like poly bags and whatnot. What are my issues? My biggest has been documented in reviews for other record shops: most all the used stuff has been «highly curated» which means that the owner has looked up the perceived value of basically every record and sells them for eBay/Discogs.com prices.
Case in point. Just last week I picked up a very clean copy of the Beach Blvd. comp. on Posh Boy for 14.99 at my go to used shop. Port of sound has two copies on the wall, one priced at 60.00 the other 30.00, which notes on the label that the record is playable but has some scratches. So I would place the one I purchased for 14.99 to be at least in the 45 – 60 range from this place.
I dunno, I just have problem with places that charge eBay prices for store stock. Anyone who has done any eBay business knows that just because someone in the world will pay some high sum for something doesn’t necessarily mean that a casual shopper/​browser will.
That said, I have purchased stuff from here that was maybe higher that I could have gotten elsewhere, but at the right time, pulled the trigger on the purchase and have never been disappointed. The place DOES have a high end record cleaner which all the collectible stuff gets cleaned with so at least your 60.00 purchase is super clean, shiny and in a new inner sleeve. So there is some value there.
In short, if you don’t mind opening your wallet, you will probably find some stuff that you have been looking for.

What a cool find! I was looking for a unique and personalized gift for my boss. Forget the gift cards, the lunches, the office plants, I wanted to give something that was unexpected. Randomly one day, I thought how cool would it be to give him a vinyl of one of his favorite musicians. Good ol Unilocal steered me in the right direction again and I saw there was this records shop just down the street from where I was at. I’m very familiar with the shopping center it’s located in as I’ve been to the sushi place and kicking crab many times.
I was a bit intimidated when I walked in because number 1, I know nothing about classic rock, number 2, the sheer amount of selection in the place. The staff there was super friendly and helpful. The helped me find a unique Bruce Springsteen album that was at a reasonable price. Great service and such a great selection.

This shop is fantastic!!! They had everything I was looking for and more. We had to wrap it up and leave before i closely looked at anything, for fear of finding even more records i couldn’t leave without and having to sell a kidney to make rent that week. (Small joke!)
The prices here are extremely fair. The selection is phenomenal and the taste of the owner is superb. Everything is so neatly organized, shopping is an absolute breeze. I loved that i went home with 4 records i had been searching high and low for, going on about 1.5 months now at several different shops with no luck. Absolutely best place to start if you are into late 80s early 90s music or indie rock. I was swimming in happy selections! Absolute heaven

I’m a vinyl junkie. Not the newbie type who started buying records at Urban Outfitters because it was fashionable to do so, but the sort who cherishes his original Smiths records on the Rough Trade label or original Queen «The Game» with the mirrored foil sleeve from 1980. If this sounds like you, this is your store.
I stumbled upon this store by accident. I live in the San Francisco Bay Area and was in the Irvine/​Costa Mesa area on business. I hadn’t eaten dinner and the only place open after 9:00 around me was «The Habit» (hamburgers). As I head to my car post-​dinner, I notice Port of Sound Records across the parking lot. Wait, it’s nearly 10:00pm and it looks open? Unlike too many record stores who thought it was better for business to start closing at 8:00, this place was open until 11:00! …And I wasn’t the only one in the store.
I walked in and was overwhelmed. I approached who looked to be a manager/​owner and asked that he show me the ropes. He was very gracious as he showed me how to shop his store. While a somewhat smaller space, the selection is out of this world.
I had been looking for a copy of Bowie’s «Low» record in very nice shape. I go straight for the Bowie section and see the usual suspects «The Next Day, The Next Day, Let’s Dance…» and then see a placard that reads «More in the drawer behind you». The drawer behind me? I turn around and beneath the normal shelves, there is indeed a BOWIE Drawer. I pulled out the wooden drawer and there it was. A U.S. original version of «Low» on the RCA label… wait, TWO of them to choose from! Now, if you found this record at Amoeba Hollywood or San Francisco in this good of shape, it would be pinned to the wall for $ 70 or $ 80. There was also a modern import re-​issue on colored vinyl. Incredible.
I found a UK EP from Elastica on 10″ yellow colored vinyl, a Dum Dum Girls SubPop LOSER Edition on Blood red vinyl that I missed out on in 2010 and it was in excellent shape, used for $ 12.00. I found this import 12″ UK single from Depeche Mode (on Mute Records, Not Sire). Its black sleeve and record were in such great shape, I couldn’t have done better had I taken a time machine to Berwick Street, London in 1986 and bought it brand new (see picture). Found a Jarvis Cocker solo record and the Modfather’s new brilliant album «Saturn’s Pattern». Such a great experience. He also has all of the accessories to satisy even the biggest vinyl junkies. Crystal Clear Re-​Sealable 12″ Record sleeves that are better quality than the Japanese ones and inners, etc.
Prices are reasonable. If there’s a rarity, you’ll pay for it, but logically so. Brand New’s «Deja Entendu» 180 gram re-​issue is $ 49, but it was $ 39 MSRP and try to find it anywhere else… try to… not at Amoeba, or anywhere. Not inside your local indie store, or online. So you have two choices: eBay or Discogs for $ 90, or this place. They had two.
I’m not a Brand New fan per se, but it’s extremely cool that you can walk into your local indie shop in Costa Mesa and grab it. I wish I lived close enough for it to be my local shop, but I guess I’ll just have to find additional and frequent business trips to Orange County so I can buy more.
I mean, Amoeba’s one of the best in the world, but if you’re a hunter and you want more than just the usual suspects under your favorite artist’s sections, you cannot do better than Port of Sound.

Great place, one of my favorites!
The people who work here are always friendly. I once caught the tail end of a conversation between the manager (owner?) and some guy who had just been hired. He stressed how important it was not bring that High Fidelity bs into the store. He wanted all people to feel comfortable. Yes! Kudos! So appreciated!
Varied selection organised impeccably. Price is always warranted and honest.
Definitely check this place out!