Sonic Boom

A really great place, a Toronto staple for vinyl, CDs, and music merch. The daily arrival bins can be VERY rewarding if you visit often. I’ve found some incredible records in there, be patient and you may too. New vinyl prices are generally lower than other places which is nice, and thank goodness for a dedicated heavy metal section with great finds. I love that you can get all your record cleaners and trinkets for your turntables as well, very helpful one stop shopping.
The staff can be amazing, however sometimes they can be pretty serious, so beware… don’t ask silly questions, or else you may get some cut-​eye. Otherwise, they are super cool and chill mostly.

Make sure you do your research before shopping here. Since reissues are a considerable chunk of this store’s inventory, you might come across several different versions of the same album beside one another in the bins. A dodgy 4 Men With Beards reissue that is essentially a ripped CD pressed to vinyl is not the same as a Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab pressing, sourced from original master tapes. New Music Matters Blue Note reissues will sit with 75^th anniversary reissues and WaxTime bootlegs, and it will be up to the customer to determine why the pricing is what it is and which releases are legitimate. This kind of thing isn’t particular to Sonic Boom, but because of its size, you will come across this more often than a smaller store. Know what you are getting yourself into!
Having said that, I will agree that prices on new records here skew a few dollars more than other stores in the city. This is perhaps the cost of long operating hours and a giant space on Spadina with lots of staff. Used records cycle through with considerable frequency, so stopping by the new arrivals regularly is encouraged. Sometimes you can find great things at about average prices. Be sure to check the condition code on used vinyl and don’t be afraid to take the record out and have a look. Records are only visually graded and there is always the possibility of a hidden skip or groove wear. There are turntables to have a quick listen just to be sure. Prices are non-​negotiable even if you decide the grading of a record has been inflated. No discounts from paying by cash here.
Don’t expect top dollar for your records if you are selling. They don’t have a transparent buying-​to-​selling price ratio like other stores do, but it is certainly well below 50%. I will say, however, that if you have less than VG+ records by popular artists, Sonic Boom is one of the few places that will take them off your hands for a dollar or two.
I can’t really comment on the level of service here, as I prefer to be left alone, but you won’t be constantly asked if you need help with anything. Much respect for that.

Sonic is the most well rounded shop. The Sunday — Saturday bins have been genius since the get go. Always, always something there. Prices are completely fair too. And the hours, late night sifting 364 days a year!
All staff are friendly and they get special props for phone calls, as they are just as willing to help over the phone as they are in person.
I just wish I knew exactly what time of day the records hit the bin.

Contrary to some other reviewers here I think the turnover in the used section is quite strong. They get a lot of inventory in. The store itself is huge and the new/​reissue selection is the biggest in the city by far. Prices are generally competitive although I find them creeping up a little lately. Staff is mostly friendly and the ambiance is great — the interior is quite nice. Its easy to spend a loong time in here. The only negative is what they offer for your used records. I almost never sell to Sonic as I get better prices from Good Music.

this place is much nicer than their place on Bathurst (and nicer their place on Bloor before that).
I can usually find what I’m looking for. the service has always been good to very good for me.

I like the location but this place is totally overpriced and the Customer Service SUCKS!!! I feel is that not up to par. The guys at the cashier especially! I feel like they’re doing you a favor and are not Very Friendly at all!!! They don’t smile theirs no eye contact in fact I was waiting a few mins at the cash register while this young dude put stuff away. So annoying and didn’t even look up. How rude!
I asked when a product would be in and no one knows or even cares. How come no one smiles??? I feel little bit uncomfortable at times when I’m in there. Not like other record stores I’ve been in around the world when you walk in your chilled you’re relaxed it’s a good vibe don’t feel that at this place at all!
I go for the used selection now cause I don’t want to spend my $ there being its so over priced. My advice if is if your job is customer service then do your job. There’s a lot of other record stores I could spend my $ in. Not just yours… We’ll see how long they last. Can someone in their crack a smile please. Not a good vibe. Won’t be back.

If you’re looking for a massive record store to drop a bunch of money at… Sonic Boom is your place.
It’s difficult to argue with the fact that Sonic boom has a GIGANTIC collection of vinyl and whatever you’re looking for, you’ll likely find it here.
Despite the fact that this place probably has the most extensive collection of Vinyl in all of Toronto, there are a few bummers to this place.
1. A good chunk of the stuff that is here is reissues. Sure, they’ll have Pet Sounds, Rubber Soul, Meat is Murder, whatever… but it’s going to be a reissue. Good luck trying to find older copies of anything popular here. If you do, it’ll be overpriced and… speaking of which.
2. It’s expensive. Sonic Boom is expensive. There’s no other way around it. The titles here are expensive– overpriced. You can get the same exact titles elsewhere.
3.The location. At least for me, it’s not near anything else cool. It’s a bit of a haul.
4. The staff. I didn’t find them friendly or helpful.
5. The used selection is paltry. They definitely have used titles but it’s just not good. The stuff that is used is not really stuff that a lot of people want in their collection.
Even though Sonic Boom does have it’s shortcomings, it’s still a place you should check out. You’ll find something want here.
They also have DVD’s and fun trinkets too.

Great selection, Prices not so great.
180G Pressings are all the rage now, so if you’re into that whole «schtick», this is the place for you. I can’t justify paying $ 70 for Nirvana’s «In Utero», or even $ 35 for Depeche Mode’s «Violator». It’s the whole CD pricing ~thing~ all over again.
You can find some reasonably priced good stuff here, but I’d treat Sonic Boom as a very last, last, last resort if you’re desperate for what’s not in wide circulation at other shops (ie. The Cramps, The Cure, New Order, Joy Division, The Smiths, Morrissey).

Came in here for the first time this past week and I should have came here sooner because this is now my go-​to place for vinyls and dope ass little trinkets and tings. Welcoming vibe and just the atmosphere is full of the love for music. Just take all my money.

Oh the ever moving Sonic Boom. Hopefully they don’t have to switch locations again because the new one is super lovely. I do have to say I miss the original location on Bloor which now houses a Dollarama. I had some great memories there in the basement seeing too many to count free shows. The new location however is much more accessible to downtown which is a plus.
Sonic boom isn’t just for music like some of the other record stores in the city. You can find books, movies, and some really random gifts too. The one thing I realllllly don’t like about Sonic Boom is their weird pricing. There has been many occasions where I’ll pick up a record and it has one price on it, and then I find the same record with a different price on it. And it’s still a higher price than some other places… Still I love this place. It’s really well organized and I don’t mind paying a few extra bucks if I find what I’m looking for right away.

When it comes to bringing your DVDs they will tell you after that they are PICKY and depending on the movie titles you have they’ll accept some classics and decent looking titles they know they will sell good. I don’t think I’ll go back to that store at all I would just go to Vortex instead!!!

Had an excellent experience with this store last night. A few months ago I won some music box sets. I tried selling them on Kijiji with no responses even as I kept lowering my asking price. The staff at Sonic Boom checked and bought them all from me at a very fair price in cash. We all came away happy. Also so nice that they’re open late for night owls like myself.
Highly recommended.

Literally everything oldie but goodie. Great selections of music CDs. Just love the vibe. Come and look around. Definitely love it

Because it is on my route to work, I tend to shop at Sonic Boom more than any other record store in Toronto. It’s also useful that there is a pretty fresh supply of used «new arrivals» to check out everyday of the week — so I tend to find things I’m looking for pretty regularly. (Though the «new arrivals» stacks are padded with things that have been there for many weeks, as well — noticing this is perhaps a sign that I stop by too often.)
My only beef with Sonic Boom is that I find new albums to be a bit more expensive here than anywhere else (at least the stuff I’m looking at), when compared to Rotate This, June or Kops.
Despite this slightly higher prices it’ll keep being my first stop for used stuff, but last resort for new stuff.

Sonic Boom will probably have what you’re looking for and the best part is, you can find it at 11 PM on a Tuesday. Plus it’s iconic and was featured in Scott Pilgrim and that’s pretty cool, too. Their new location on Queen and Spadina is gorgeous and the selection is huge, but it’s easily the most expensive record store in the area.
As a result, I stick to browsing most of the time.

this store is a disappointment in terms of really finding exciting, neat, unexpected stuff. it seems spacious until you realise the first floor is stocked almost entirely with knick knacks that look like they belong in urban outfitters. there are toys, books, and other assorted home goods but nothing really stands out.
the real meat of the store, as reviewers have said, is contained in the lower level. while it looks like they have a lot, it’s mostly well known artists and new albums. it’s not quite like the treasure hunt experience of looking through bargain $ 1 used vinyl bins that you might get elsewhere, but if you’re looking for a new in-​demand album to just grab and go, this place cannot be more convenient.
they also have cds, dvds, bluray, and a few cassettes. some new, some used, just like the vinyl, but mostly new.
I will give them credit for a) the wall of candy (who can resist a sweet treat, I ask you) and b) the listening stations around the store that let you try before you buy.
I’d come back with a friend to do some light browsing but if you’re really looking to occupy your time and hold your interest, sonic boom isn’t my recommendation. there are a number of used vinyl stores on queen w that are worth visiting for those purposes.

Checked out Sonic Boom while out on Queen W. It’s a MASSIVE space with an OK selection of vinyl records. I did notice some records I haven’t seen anywhere else but for ridiculously high prices.
The prices are reasonable, maybe a little more expensive than some of the neighboring record stores on Queen W
Sonic Boom was just OK nothing like I thought I’d be.

I love Sonic Boom. Reminds me of my youth and love of record stores. I lived in record /​CD stores all through the 80’s and still collect LP’s (and CD’s) to this day. My collection recently passed the 2,600 mark.
I love the anticipation of finding something new in the store. Sonic has a massive LP section and even a huge Heavy Metal section for me! Albums sound great on a good system and they are fun to collect (unique artwork on the covers).
Sonic sell new and used. Everything from LP’s, CD’s, DVD’s etc. I can easily spend an afternoon in the store. Staff are very friendly.
For the younger crowd… This is what music shopping was like before the Internet. I’m showing my age here, but I don’t care. This is the way music should be bought!!!
BK

Came to sonic boom on the recommendation of other Unilocalers who love vinyl as much as I do.
This place is pretty funky looking with an huge downstairs full of vinyl, cds and dvds.
I was amazed by the amount of vinyl, until I realized that most of it is either a) re-​issues or b) new vinyl.
Barely any used vinyl at all! At least of known artists.
I only came out with 1 Lp and 1 cd because honestly the prices were a little crazy even for some of the used vinyl.
I understand the more antique an album is the more you charge, but $ 175 for 1 beatles album that has 10 identical ones behind it on the shelf? Please.
If your looking for new expensive vinyl your at the right place.
As for the used vinyl, there is a turntable you can tests out your finds on but like I said, it’s like going on a treasure hunt.
I came out with one of my fav artists so I wasn’t entirely disappointed but would probably only come in once or twice a year.

visited the new location finally, a shell of its former self, as the one on bathurst was fairly bigger, having said that, the selection of the New location is fasinating. a split level store with all sorts of goodies and nick nacks on the street level store, followed by all of the records, cd’s and dvds in the basement. a few huge differences bewteen this store and the previous location. this location is damn near spotless, the staff are super friendly, and they have a live dj? (all the times i went to the previous location they only had a radio on?) i also noticed the pricing was considerably lower at this location, sometimes by at least five bucks or so, which is amazing
come check out canada’s largest independent record store \m/!

I was in town on business and made a large purchase of used CDs and DVDs. When I got home (2+ hours away) I realized that one of the CDs did not match the case (partially my fault for not checking). I called to explain what had happened and that I am not often in town. Long story short: the staff corrected the error entirely at their expense and effort. A great example of excellent customer service. I will be in town again shortly and definitely plan to revisit. Large stock, reasonable prices and great customer service!

Neat place. They have a large selection of used CD’s in the basement. They sell other swag like T-​shirts, books, etc.
There is a good selection of new and used LP’s as well as some DJ equipment.

I’ve gone to a variety of record stores in downtown Toronto, but most pale in comparison to Sonic Boom when it comes to diversity of music library. Whether you like indie, punk, hip hop, pop, electronic, R&B, metal, world, or the like, you can probably find something you like here.
They do tend to run out of stock on specific items, having such a wide variety, but you can always ask them to order the record if need be.
If vinyl isn’t your thing, they also have a variety of CDs, videos, books, and knickknacks to check out. I would put this on my «must visit» list when in downtown Toronto.

We visited Sonic Boom on a whim while exploring Chinatown, and I’m really glad we stopped in. You can’t really tell from the street, but the store expands downstairs into a huge vinyl section. Everything was organized really well. They also have gift items like books, record players (tons of them), movies, retro-​trading cards (think Garbage Pail Kids) and more. I was surprised to find even a cassette section. I snagged a Do Make Say Think record and a Sonic Boom tote bag while we were there. Will be back next time we visit Toronto!

My girlfriend and I finally got to check out the new (third) location yesterday, and I have to say I was definitely impressed! Was sad that I couldn’t find the «PNYC» Portishead DVD that they showed that they had in stock, though it’s probably because they were still unpacking from the move from the last location. No hard feelings.
As for the location itself? Amazing. Spacious, wall-​to-​wall with cool stuff and they also have an Elton John «Catpain Fantastic» pinball machine!
Check it out ASAP :)

Sonic Boom is the biggest name in the underground music business. As big chains slowly die a slow death (HMV, e.g.) up pops a larger and swankier little business with no signs of slowing down. Hosting some impressive names in live music at their old location on Bathurst, Sonic Boom now has a cavernous home in the spacious spot in old chinatown next to Dark Horse on Spadina. With plenty of room on the main floor to browse the not-​so-​dusty bins of vinyl and check out the vintage electronics stacked artfully in the front windows this spot has never looked so purposeful and attractive. The dungeon-​like basement has been spruced up with fancy new flooring and wall-​to-​wall bins of rekkids. With their grand opening just last weekend, go and smell that new LP smell as soon as you can!