Echo Audio

Echoes of Old Portland! I discovered this place through a friend’s recommendation and had a great experience. They hooked me up with a high-​quality, beautiful vintage receiver and an excellent set of speakers that were priced incredibly well (literally $ 200 under the lowest price I was able to find online).
The reason I’m writing this review is due to their truly stellar customer service. I don’t know anything about stereo equipment… I only know how I like music to sound (warm and familiar). All of the guys who helped me were knowledgable, kind, patient with my silly questions about how to connect wires to components, and seemed genuine in their desire to help me find exactly what I was looking for. I’ll definitely be back.

In a community of great hifi shops, Echo is among the very best! The mix of nice, well valued, used gear with new gear is truly awesome and reminds me of Gig Harbor Audio in Washington. Greg invited me in to check out the store. He was was disarming, generous with his time and knowledge, and made me feel at home to customize my demo experience. I already own Harbeth C 7ES-​3 which are kinda amazing so I’m in pretty good shape in the speaker department. My listening room is 18′ x 18′ and almost too big for that speaker to truly shine, however, and the next steps up on the Harbeth ladder take you to used/​new car prices. Oh, no! What do I do? Enter Echo Hifi.
For between $ 500+ you can buy a really fast, musical REL subwoofer here to add a whole new dimension to your listening experience. I can’t recommend this upgrade enough! I bought a Sumiko S.5 sub (same manufacture as REL) for $ 699 and it instantly made our system sound more muscular, rich, and powerful. The music now flows out effortlessly and we can actually hear more of what’s been recorded in the studio. It’s one of the most affordable, but impactful upgrades I have made.
If someone has told you that subwoofers don’t belong in hifi, then they’re lying to you. They’re probably hoarding more subs for themselves, actually. It would be like saying tweeters have no business in home audio. It’s that obvious once you try and the difference is noticeable on all our vinyl. It’s not a genre specific concern. I feel like an absolute idiot for not having done this sooner.

I needed a new set of headphones for work and so I did some online research and thought I knew exactly what I wanted. Ordinarily, I would have clicked the «Add to Cart» button, but based on a recommendation from a coworker, I decided to head over to Echo Audio for a listen first. I’m so glad I did! The headphones I was researching online sounded great but turned out to be a little too heavy for everyday wear. Thanks to some excellent customer service (hi Greg!), I was able to try out another model instead and – BAM! – perfect sound/​price balance. Not only were they less expensive than the ones I was originally looking at, they were exactly the same price I would have paid online. I’m so happy I decided to go local!

I saw this place on our RV trip a few weeks ago.
The sales person sold me a set of nice Grado cans and a DAC so I could listen to iPad while on vacation.
I got great customers service, knowledge and solid price point.
I am currently sending the DAC back for a warranty repair. I will post again after dealing with them on the back side if the sakes process.
Thanks guys.
I just got my DAC back! The team at ECHO is top notch. Thanks guys! See you on my next trip!

This is one of my favorite audio shops. I’ve come to Echo to buy, sell, demo (both in-​store and at home). They also service/​repair equipment and stand by their work. The people here have been a true pleasure to work with and I recommend this shop wholeheartedly.
The most unique and beneficial aspect of Echo Audio is the used gear. There is tons of used gear — both modern and vintage — and new products come in literally every day. I’m one of many who check the website every day to see what new goodies have arrived. Their website says, «we get great equipment because we pay fair prices». That statement is right on.
This is the perfect place to pick up your first HiFi system and enter the world of high-​end audio. Their product range is very well rounded so there is plenty on offer for those who are ready to step up into the mid-​level or even top-​shelf. «She will be mine. Oh yes, she will be mine».
Though I’ve had many positive experiences in this store, I want to mention one specific example. I was looking to buy a subwoofer to augment my bookshelf speakers so one of the staff lugged around and set up a range of not one, not two, but three different sized subwoofers for me to audition. Subs can be tricky to dial in especially when you’re hovering over the thing so he called for a colleague to help him out by giving feedback from a different position in the listening room as he tweaked the crossover and volume knobs. TWO guys were helping me at the same time. It was a gratifying and enlightening experience as I not only became acquainted with a few subwoofer models, but also learned some tips on proper equipment calibration. This is the sort of service that engenders loyalty.
These guys are super likeable, extremely kind and helpful. They make an effort to remember you and work to accommodate your budget and level of knowledge. I am a customer for life.

Bought a Classe preamp from Echo through the internet. Kurt and Matt who were my main contacts, are as honest as they get. The gear was advertised accurately, priced fairly, tested and packed safely so it would arrive in one piece. They did all they said they would do. I could not be more pleased with the transaction and the addition of this preamp in my system. They are also very fair in offers to buy used gear.
I would recommend Echo Audio to a novice or seasoned audiophile seeking either budget or esoteric gear. They are the real deal in the age of HiFi pretenders.

I wanted to update my post to say that since returning the headphones, the Owner Kurt, contacted me personally to apologize. He was sincere, and apologetic about my experience.
I think Echo Audio is probably a great local company, that I just happened to catch at an unfortunate moment.

These guys are sharp, fair, and friendly. Very nice store and great staff. I will certainly go back.

I had one of the best experiences in my life as a customer over at Echo Audio.
My quest for expanding my Sonos home setup led me to Echo Audio as they are an authorized retailer for that audio company. My first contact was via email and within 15 minutes I had a very friendly response back from the owner encouraging me to come on in to discuss pricing in more detail.
Now usually that’s a tactic used by car salesmen but the truth was he just wanted to make sure I wasn’t going to be purchasing to resell.
Entering this store, you’re met with some massive speakers, a wall of top of the line headphones (Sennheiser, AKG, Grado, Audeze) that are all available to test out. The owner, Kurt, came out and greeted me along with one of his extremely friendly sales guys and said to me «Please feel free to look around, if you want to test anything out or have any questions, let us know». That is the perfect way to let a customer know that they can play without being hounded.
I ended up purchasing a Sonos Playbar, Sub, 2 x Play 3’s and after listening to some Sennheiser Momentum, a pair of those headphones. Kurt even cut me a little bit of a discount and I’ve been back there ever since to purchase more Sonos equipment.
If you’re into vintage audio or some really high end amplifiers (Tube Amps), they have some of the nicest used equipment in town.

We talked with several audio/​video businesses in the Portland, Oregon area to help us change our TV watching and recording experience from our 1980s setup. We chose Echo and the owner, Kurt, selected Kollin to work with us. After installing TIVO, Blu-​Ray and showing us how to use them, we ultimately decided to go back to using an improved VCR process. Kollin was with us at all hours and extremely tolerant of our resistance to change. Kurt actively supported the whole project and initiated a billing adjustment to reflect our difficulty in adjusting to change. When we are ready for a different system, or any other TV or audio services and products, we will definitely go to Echo Audio.

I’ve been an Echo customer for more than a decade and have bought almost all my equipment there — some new equipment and also a lot of pre-​owned pieces. I’ve also traded in and up over the years. What I like about Echo is their straightforward honesty, knowledge they have about such an array of pieces, and also the fact they never force any particular brand. They are never pushy with sales either and are glad to answer any questions.
They do choose lines of new products that represent a lot of value, but at any moment, a piece from any manufacturer can walk though the door. If there’s any downside, it’s just that it’s a small business with a staff of 3 so during busy times (like Saturdays) you may need to wait a bit if you have a lot of questions. But they are always helpful. I’m always glad to send my friends to them for any audio gear purchase.

Echo is great. Nothing bad to say. Honest and down to earth. Have purchased and sold many items over the years here since they opened. Stereotypes and Echo are my 2 favorite places to buy Hi-​Fi in Portland. Recommend that anyone looking to purchase a stereo or component check their website on a regular basis.
Love the wall of headphones — I really like to listen to what I am going to buy before making a purchase instead of just trusting on-​line reviews from «experts». Same with vintage gear (very cool…). You many pay just a little more here than on ebay or audiogon, but feels good to actually listen to the specific item you are buying and know exactly what you are getting (i.e. not damaged).

Helpful staff, pleasant atmosphere, great selection of headphones.

I have been going here for years. This is the best audio equipment store in the area. They will never try to sell you more than you need. Their goal is to help the individual customer to the best of their ability to find what he or she is looking for, whether it is a simple starter system or something high end. There is none of the
snobbishness that is sometimes associated with the audiophile world. They are extremely knowledgeable and they clearly love what they do. Be patient if you walk into the store during a busy peak– you will not regret it.

This store is Amazing! Great service, pricing and fun people to hang out with. Best value in Audio equipment in town or online! Start and end your audio search here!

It’s been a year from my initial review, and I’ve become a regular at Echo Audio. I’ve done some upgrades to my initial setup, including a pair of wonderful speakers, a tube phone amp and some other pieces of gear. They’ve even thrown some freebies, including a first press of Miles Davis’ «Sketches of Spain» in mint condition. I’ve always enjoyed my experience at Echo, and I’ve always received top notch treatment. This time however the owner, Kurt, surprised me by going far above and beyond to what I could have expected.
I decided to upgrade my turntable cartridge. Kurt recommended to try the Sumiko Blue Point 2. He actually invited me to step into the back room to watch how a cartridge is installed and aligned, and he explained what he was doing step by step. I took the new cartridge back home to audition it for a week. I decided I wanted to try something different, with a better defined midrange, so I returned next Saturday, and Kurt mounted a Denon DL-​103 on my turntable. Sadly, when I got home I found that there was no signal on one of the channels coming from my turntable. It was 5:10 PM. I called the store. I got the voice mail. They don’t open on Sundays. I really can’t make it to the store on the week.
I panicked. Badly. I wrote an email. Kurt, my turntable doesn’t work. I’m going to be left without my music for a full week. I don’t think I can survive. Heeeelp!
A few minutes later Kurt answered my email, offering to meet me on Sunday –mind you, the store is closed on Sundays. So the next day we met, and with his legendary patience, unwavering good disposition and kind attitude, he fixed the problem. He took an hour of his own personal time on a beautiful Sunday to help me. He didn’t have to. He did it because that’s the kind of person he is, and because that is how customers are treated at Echo Audio.
When people are truly passionate about what they do, it shows, and it’s so refreshing that I hope they will be in business for a very, very long time. Thank you, Echo Audio!

Being a customer since the doors opened at Echo Audio over a decade ago, I have always felt I was treated with the utmost respect, as was the gear I have sold and bought at Echo through the years. Curt, the owner has always been a true class act and has never tried to take advantage or misguide me, in order to secure a quick sell. He cares about his customers and business. This sense of being valued is why Echo Audio has managed to become one of the cornerstone of the audiophile community here in Portland Oregon.
I can’t recommend Echo Audio highly enough! Whether your buying headphones for your «cough» Ipod or are in need of world class audio gear both new and used, I implore you to listen with ears as this FIVE star review rings in your head, and check out Echo Audio in Downtown Portland OR.
Bonus…For having a website where all new and used gear is updated on a daily basis!

My husband and I just became instant fans of Echo Audio. He bought some pretty fancy equipment (a turntable, amplifier, and headphones, with the help and guidance from the helpful and expert staff) but I’ll talk only of my experience.
I had been looking for good, not too expensive headphones for a few months. I wanted over-​the-​ear headphones with good sound that were comfortable (to be used from 4 to 8 hours straight) and not more expensive than $ 300. I read reviews, I bought some ‘good ones’ from a big-​box kind of store, got home and tried them… and got a headache in less than 10 minutes. They were the most uncomfortable headphones I’ve ever had the misfortune of using. Back to the store they went.
My husband took me to Echo Audio. Upon entering, I found row after row of headphones that I could actually try on (maybe 20 or more different models, of different brands, ranging in price from $ 30 to $ 1500 maybe). The staff very quickly asked me what kind of music I usually listened to, so that they could find an appropriate CD to play while I tried the different models. I was also able to test the headphones with the music on my phone.
In short, this store was my dream come true. I found the perfect headphones with the sound that I wanted to listen to the music that I like, that were the most comfortable of the lot, and yes, for less than $ 300 — I even got a 10% Unilocal discount after I checked in.
Seriously, if you have any audio equipment needs, just drop by Echo Audio.

Echo Audio is a pretty awesome way to accidentally kill several hours — if you’re an audiophile you will be quite excited at the level of high end gear here, playing with it is half the fun. They actually have quite a few levels of prices depending on what you’re looking for and the staff was very very helpful when I shopped there recently.
I have over time stocked my house with a Sonos hifi system (that makes me feel like I live in a Star Trek world) and plan on continuing to return to Echo for upgrades and additions over time!

I would recommend Echo Audio despite being an audio professional. I have a background in audio engineering, as in the science of it, not the «subjective science» of it.
I brought some English speakers, an American amp and a Swiss turntable here, and they have served me well. I also sold a vintage McIntosh tube amp, beautiful, but a room heater, to them for a fair price in a very professional transaction.
Perception of sound, especially music, has a heavy subjective factor. This fact has enabled an industry of hyperbolic claims that XYZ audio gear: iPod accessories, headphones, DAC’s, headphones, turntables, vinyl phono needles, preamps, interconnects, speakers, amplifiers, vacuum tube equipment, even CD players, have superior, even transcendent, sound.
For example, there is even one equipment maker that places new age crystals in their gear, claiming enhanced sound.
Echo Audio is a fair place to buy used audio gear. Their advice is fair, especially when you clearly describe your background and objectives. They have their own in-​house tech who is often there for a chat.
But they will indulge your interests in the more mystical realm if you request, mythical — in my professional view.
Taking all that into account, in Portland, Echo Audio is the only place in Portland to buy used, thoroughly checked and in great shape audio components at a fraction of the original price.
They are also a great place to go if you have a grandparent with audio equipment estate items needing new homes.
Echo is the only place in Portland in the area to buy vacuum tube gear — power hungry electronics made with hot glowing glass bottles, invented in 1909, the electronics before what we have today. In my opinion, backed by science, FET’s are equivalent to tubes, but tubes look extremely cool and obscure — they will definitely impress your friends (and heat your room)!
They have electrostatic speakers from time to time, large but extremely thin, like two inches, definitely conversation pieces and with a great clean sound.
Turntables? They have some fancy turntables for playing vinyl that look sharp, including the Music Hall line, running between the low 100’s to the low 1000’s. They can talk cartridge sound too, and cartridges vary widely in tone.
It’s not the world for buyers of all-​in-​one audio systems, or purely headphone listeners of 128K MP3’s. They definitely have ‘plug your iPod into’ systems, and you will love that sound with better sound files. But you will find you want the size of your audio files to grow after making the acquaintance with Echo.
Echo Audio is a community of critical listeners and musicians who want components for a listening environment in the living room, especially approximating the recording studio environment. It is the only place in Portland to purchase audio gear that an audio insider with a critical ear would appreciate. Much of it sounds good too, take a close listen, bringing your own familiar recordings to test!