Headphone shopping in Tokyo

[max_the_lab 0]

Hi all,

 

Just wanted to get some advice on headphone and headphone amp shopping in Tokyo. Where to go to and what's good value over there?

 

Cheers.

[idkfa 0]

In Tokyo, get STAX, AKGs, Audio Technica, and MP3 players. Good value? humm...nightclubs?

[Mackie 0]

Good value? Yen strength is definitely against U. Target the specific product instead as a lot of items are not available outside Japan. Just stay away from the impulse of buying their mobile phones for they won't work with our system. Akihabara (around Sunshine City) area is a good place to start.

Edited February 23, 2005 by Mackie

[idkfa 0]

Akihabara (around Sunshine City) area is a good place to start.

If I am not wrong, sunshine city is in Ikebukuro and Akihabara is the the opposite side of tokyo. Akihabara is a good place to shop for electronics but as for audio stuffs, it's mostly consumer products. If you are looking for hi-end stuffs, you gotta hit the pro stores. There are a couple of them in shinjuku, 2~3 in Akihabara. I do most of my shopping in akihabara. It's not cheap but then I got good servicing from the boss.

 

If you can give me the specifics of what u wan, maybe i can guide you a shop.

 

And why is everyone into the japanese phones? haha. I get so many requests from friends...

 

Rgds,

[Mackie 0]

U're absolutely right. I often mixed up the names of these 2 places. I got a great deal on Hamilton watch at Ikebukuro.

[max_the_lab 0]

I'm not sure whether phones are going to be cheaper in Japan, but I figured there must be a huge market for them there, given how considerate the Japanese are and the size of the average apartment in Tokyo... if not cheaper then at least a good selection?

 

Looking at trying out something domestic- Stax or Audio-Technica perhaps? And also looking at some Accuphase stuff.

 

Is there a centralized place for hi fi like Adelphi or are they scattered all over the place?

[idkfa 0]

It's mostly scattered, but in akihabara(electriv town), it's one hell of a electrical shops scattered all over one big area. Kinda like chinatown but appliances style!

 

I wouldn't say the market for hi-end audio is huge here. Most of them are still very backwards and leaned towards cheap panasonic and sony still. It's because of the huge population and size of the country perhaps, that the market seems bigger than ours. You can try asking what is a MP3 in tokyo and be shocked at the answer. I often get the stares after telling my friends I am using a mp3 player.

 

Yes, stax and audio technica is good for value. Accuphase is very niche. Almost impossible to find ard here.

 

When are you coming here? Time for the blossoms?

[Absolute0 0]

In Tokyo, get STAX, AKGs, Audio Technica, and MP3 players.

How about Sonys, like the Qualias and the CD3K? What's the cheapest you can find the CD3K's for?

[idkfa 0]

The 3Ks are really very volatile. They fluctuate from time to time for no reasons. Sometimes I can find one for SGD$300+ although rare, and sometimes I get quotes for $650+. Yhe discontinuation for it doesn't help one bit.

 

Cheapest I found was SGD$300. And I missed it a few hours after the reserved sign was stuck. Darn. My biggest miss for last year. And it was in darn good condish.

 

Qualia take time to make. Last I know abt the 010, it takes 3 weeks to make. Earbuds take 6 months. IMO, get stax.

[max_the_lab 0]

When are you coming here? Time for the blossoms?

Hi idkfa,

 

Thanks for your advice. I will check out Akihabara.

 

I hope to be in Tokyo around end-March... when exactly do the cherry blossoms appear?

[idkfa 0]

Well this year is pretty cold with lotsa snow, so cherry blossoms will be rather later than usual. I figure the 2nd or third week of april this year. Actually I can't see the big deal regarding cherry blossom here. Only that the working class see it as an excuse to really drink till they drop under the cherry tree.

 

End will still be pretty cold so bring you downjacket along with you.