Definitive Audio

Went there for the first time this weekend & the woman who helped us was AMAZING! No, we didn’t buy anything, because we weren’t looking for top of the line stuff, YET, but they were so helpful, understanding about what we wanted & gave us a lot of good direction on what to get. Personally I loved having a woman to talk to in one of these types of stores, because typically I run into men salespeople either a: ignoring me or b: treating me like an idiot. I REALLY appreciated her customer service & would recommend this place to anyone who wants to be treated like a normal human being just looking electronics.

I have bought a number of items from Definitive Audio. I typically work with Hans, whose knowledge and customer service are second to none. My experience has been the same with many of the other sales representatives. I am certain that I will continue to bring my business to Definitive.
The store can be intimidating to those who are new to this kind of stuff — but I assure you that they can accommodate a wide variety of budgets. As would be expected with a store of this caliber, they allow plenty of time for you to demo your favorite music on any equipment you’re interested in. You can spend hours if you like, and make multiple visits. They understand that this kind of investment may take repeat visits to come to a final determination. They will also let you demo equipment at home (with a deposit).
Their staff’s knowledge of all things audio equipment is matched by their knowledge of music. They have a nice area, newly setup, where they sell current audiophile remasters of albums. It’s clear that while they are all gearheads, their primary goal is to help you get a setup that maximizes your enjoyment of music. Highly recommended.

Carrie Connolly as a fabulous sales person at Definitive Audio. First I have to say I don’t normally take the time to write this type of email because I usually end up too busy. I just purchased over $ 4000.00 in new equipment at your store. It started out with a phone call to your Roosevelt store to figure out if I really was a DA customer. I really only needed to replace a receiver and wasn’t sure my needs were sophisticated enough for all the fancy equipment they sell. Carrie was very easy going but very knowledgeable. She easily walked me through options. I was super impressed when she quickly pulled up my purchase at DA from 1993 and could speak to complementary new equipment. From start to finish she was professional, knowledgeable, really nice and never made me feel intimidated by the products. I ended up with new speakers, Sonos and a sub woofer. Truth be told I wanted to upgrade what I had and get smaller speakers but didn’t want to deal with it unless it would be easy.
The set up crew was also very professional and made things very easy for me.
Unfortunately the level of customer service at DA is truly rare out there in the world of retail. They make it fun to shop again.

WE received extraordinary customer service from Hans! He was gracious, efficient and very pleasant to interact with. We’ll be back!!!

Superb. I went to the store to buy a traditional a/​v set-​up (receiver, speakers, remote) for home audio video. They down-​sold me to a Sonos system that was less money, way less hassle and excellent quality. They do a lot of high-​end stuff, but their prices for fundamentals — tv’s, speakers, audio components — include units that are price-​competitive. A cut above the big-​box stores.

If you are in the market for high-​end audio and home theater, Definitive should be your first and last stop. Over the course of several weeks, I worked with John, one of their sales guys, on selecting matching a/​v gear to meet my high-​end tastes while still staying within a budget. How do I know these guys are good? I came back several times armed with all the crazy things I read on the internet – asked a million questions – and they never flinched. I half expect sales people to roll their eyes when I say something like, «so I was reading through some forums online… what do you think about _​_​_​_​_​?» John and the folks at Definitive very thoughtfully responded to all of my questions – even the obscure ones.
So okay, these guys are friendly, know their stuff, and have a great selection of gear (including stuff 100x the cost of what I could afford). As someone who LOVES researching gadgets and making purchases on the internet, I hold brick and mortar establishments to a pretty high standard to get my business. What sets Definitive apart from your average big box, snooty specialty shop or bargain basement eCommerce site is their willingness to go the extra mile. Sure, I spent a few thousand dollars, but they also have customers that outfit their private yachts and mansions with systems that probably cost as much as my house. Throughout the entire sales process, I felt like I was getting the same level of service that the big guys do. They even offered to come out to my house and help me make the final tweaks on positioning/​levels/​etc.
Will I go back to Definitive? Without question.

I’ve never purchased anything from here, preferring used gear. While there can be an air of superiority among the staff here, I received GREAT customer service the other day. I didnt even buy anything! My stylus was very dirty and Tom took almost half an hour cleaning it up for me. He would not give up! I came away with a greater appreciation for this place. Thank you D.A.!!

I was in the market for a decent turntable and I knew Definitive had a good selection. Salesman John Peters helped me pick out my Clearaudio table and I was pleasantly surprised my the level of knowledge he had and how easy it was for me to make an informed decision. Bravo.

I’ve had my surround sound for about 10 years. It was a Sony 6-​disk surround sound player that also played DVD. I put that in past tense because the DVD part of it broke. It still sounded good, still played CDs and radio, and I was able to connect my Blu-​ray player to it.
I wanted to upgrade. I wanted to go from a good system to a great system. Since I am not a real audiophile I really had to start from square one and figure out what is out there and what fits my lifestyle and budget. A surround system is nice but I live in an apartment and don’t watch enough movies where I would want to utilize all of the speakers (plus I didn’t want all of those wires around my apartment). I also wanted my system to be able to play the music and podcasts that’s on my iPhone. I was leaning towards a Sonos, which a friend of mine has and is a great system. But before I make a purchase like that I wanted to do my research and talk to people to see if I am really getting my bang for my buck.
I was around the Roosevelt area because I wanted to check out what Magnolia Hi-​fi had. I remember my uncle, who knew about stereo equipment, used to rave about this place. I also checked out Hawthorne across the street. Both places have great equipment and I am sure I would have been happy with a purchase from them. But, again, when you are making a purchase this large you really have to think about what you are getting and have no regrets.
As I was about to leave I drove past Definitive Audio and decided to check them out. Jesse helped me out and he was awesome. When I walked in the first thing I asked about was Sonos because that was the only thing I really knew about. He told me they had it but I had to ask about what he would recommend for someone like me. I told him what I was looking for, the specs and price point, and he pointed me to a Rotel amp and two really great sounding B&W speakers.
Now these were expensive. I paid more than I ever thought I would pay. While I loved music and wanted good speakers I didn’t think I’d pay what I did. But the punch line is that the system I bought is on the cheaper side of what is available at Definitive Audio. I was shown systems that ranged from $ 7000 and above.
I felt comfortable with my purchase. Jesse was informative and not at all pushy. His passion and love for music and all things audio really came out when we talked. I couldn’t wait to go home, set up the system and start listening to music. I don’t see myself upgrading anytime soon but if I do I know where I will be going first.
Zipzap Zubidy Bop!
*UPDATE* They sent me a tin can of cookies! So if you go here you get great speakers and delicious cookies!

Kevin’s review below was identical my experience. Asked to demo some Ayre equipment which they said was in another branch and could be brought over in a few days. Took my number but never called back. I called again and went through the same process only for the same result. They have a lot of Linn, McIntosh, Wilson type gear, so probably don’t focus on anything other than megabucks orders, which is a crumby customer experience, really. I went across the road to Hawthorne, who are down to earth, attentive on email, and awesome to deal with.

This is a really nice store. They have a few listening rooms. Their inventory ranges from high end to really high end. No cheapo AV stuff here. A great place if you’re an audiophile or looking to build a theatre at home.
Nice staff who are willing to let you browse the fancy hardware. I’m not exactly into $ 40k stereos, but there’s lots of McIntosh here if you are.
I bought some nice stuff and got a decent price from them. The people were really friendly.
The one bit of feedback I would have is that in their main listening area, you need their help to try different receivers with different speakers, etc. It would be nice if this was easier and the media was more readily available.

had great service today. they asked questions and gave advise where Best Buy Magnolia guy did not. Supper friendly service (Ron) and no rush.

What Definitive Audio does well is to showcase great components and to highlight all the reasons why you would want to buy a piece of equipment with sales people who know their stuff and do so in a personable way. I am a big fan of their twice yearly shows as well as walking through the store.
Where they have failed consistently though is in the close, which sounds odd. On one occasion, I placed an order for speakers that were not in stock and they informed me that they were going to order them. When I didn’t hear back for a few weeks, I checked in and it turns out that they had arrived. The person on the phone said that they were going to call me the next day, but nonetheless not great. Strike 1.
The second occasion was when I wanted to buy a new receiver. I went to the store and consulted with one of their specialists. I left the store having a good idea what I wanted, but since a new model was coming out soon I asked them to let me know when it arrived. I kept on top of the model and I saw that it was indeed available and I even called Definite Audio and found out they had it. I never heard from them directly though. Strike 2.
They didn’t completely strike out yet, but I doubt I’ll ever give them the shot at it. In the end, I ended up buying a receiver online and one major reason is that I couldn’t support a business that was so poor in their customer experience. It’s ironic in some ways because I am willing to pay more for the in store interaction that you can’t duplicate yet online. They succeed in that part, but they utterly failed in closing the deal.
In some cases you will be forced to shop here if you want a local dealer for some premium brands, but I would recommend looking around to other stores either in the Seattle area or south of here where your dollars may be more appreciated.

Oustanding! I always get great advice from this place. Great selection, great store. I’ve returned items with no problem whatsoever. I’ve always received great technical support that went above and beyond what I expected from a typical electronics retailer. I’ve been to the other hi-​fi audio stores in Seattle/​Bellevue and Definitive Audio is my most highly recommended.

For the hubster’s 50^th birthday ~ we upgraded the media room with new audio equipment. After spending many, MANY hours comparing options between Magnolia and Definitive ~ We are very happy with the Classe system we finally decided to get! The guys at Definitive (on Roosevelt) were very helpful and patient each time we came into the store.

Definitive Audio is in a class of their own. I have been to many audio stores around the country and typically leave disappointed because of the treatment I have received at Definitive Audio. Definitive carries the best brands such as Vandersteen, Linn, Wilson Audio, Bowers & Wilkins, and the list goes on and on. In addition to great products, Definitive offers excellent customer service and is always willing to find a solution to any problem. The staff is extremely knowledgable and most have been in the business for quite some time. Definitive’s showrooms both in Bellevue and Seattle are the perfect environment for trying out audio equipment. The listening rooms are comfortable, classy, and offer a great space to showcase their offerings. As my family has spent tens of thousands of dollars at Definitive it would be an understatement to say we love Definitive. If you are in the market for only the best in audio make sure Definitive is your first stop.

It’s O.K. to want a lot of money. It would be rather nice if you did something worthwhile to earn it, though.
I recall coming in ten years ago to buy some stereo speakers. I was told that I would have no problem returning them in case I was unhappy with them.
Well, in a few days, I did, and the reception I received was unfriendly, rude, and unhelpful. I was shocked.
I wrote to the president of the company about the treatment I received. I received no response whatsoever.
A few days later, I went to Magnolia Hi-​fi and bought some speakers. I have never had a problem returning speakers and other audio equipment anywhere except here.
Friendly when they want to sell you something, unfriendly when you return it.

Pretty close to the «Chain» feel in hi-​fi. Throw in some plasmas and you will be at Magnolia. They do have good gear and knowlegable staff but depending the salesman can be too egar for a sale.

So how do you review a place where they have interconnectors that cost more than your car???
AWESOME!
Word of advice: Just don’t get bitten by the hi-​fi bug or you won’t be able to feed your kids.

These guys know their audio. Here you will find incredibly knowledgable staff with top-​notch facilities. They are one of two B&W distributions in the Pacific NW and I think may be the only distributor of Linn in the area as well. They also sell televisions and many other high-​end audio equipment.
Even if you are unfamiliar with the aforementioned names, don’t know a watt from a woofer, these guys will definitely help. When it comes to audio, many things are subjective, but at least they will steer you in the right direction.
You’ll listen through your entire music collection all over again once you’ve bought a set up from Definitive. Admittedly, their offerings are not for the overly price-​sensitive. They do not carry the same stuff as your typical big-​box retailer. Sure, we don’t all have $ 45,000 to spare on a couple speakers, but boy is it sure fun to demo them — pure bliss for your ears. The sales reps will gladly let you play your favorite cd in their $ 15,000 cd player even if you have no intention of purchasing [the cd player].
Both their Bellevue store and Seattle store have a close-​out/​open box section — you can find some great deals in there; especially since speakers don’t go on ‘sale’ like other consumer items.
Last weekend I walked out with some beautiful B&W CM-​1 bookshelf speakers for my master bedroom. I’ve been spending most my time listening to all my favorite songs all over again — these speakers bring out an incredible amount of detail I did not hear before.
They have a very cool trade-​up program where you can recoup the cost you paid for your item as long as you spend it on something 2x the cost. I.E. If you buy $ 1000 speakers, 6 months later you have to buy $ 2000 speakers but you only pay the difference of $ 1000. Unfortunately, that’s the way it goes with hi-​fi stuff, the price increases exponentially with only a marginal increase in improvement, your personal pleasure however, is immeasurable.