Audio Connection

I went to John as I read some intriguing reviews concerning Ayre products for which he is the local dealer. I explained to him what my current equipment was, the sound I was looking for and my price parameters. We listened to some music together of cds I had brought and discussing the sound I was looking for in my space. John pretty quickly understood what I was searching for and over time allowed me to borrow equipment so that I could realize the potential of the components I was going to keep.
He helped me to build a core system by trial and era with no pressure whatsoever even advising me to start slow and not spend too much money and helped me to find the price point where I was going to get as much bang for the buck as possible and discouraged me from overspending.
His staff is a pleasure and on a Saturday afternoon one can meet a number of music lovers who are really into the music as the ultimate goal. Audio equipment is the means to the end. John understands that music is an emotional experience and knows the potential of that involvement can be intensified and refined through the equipment you enjoy the most.

I held off for nearly a year before writing this. I don’t like dissing a business and didn’t want to act on my emotions. I also second-​guessed myself because of all the great reviews. However, my experience was what it was and that was horrible.
I called around different places to buy a new NAD amp. I should have known from my initial call to AC to steer clear. When the price and terms quoted weren’t to my liking and I offhandedly said I may as well get it from Crutchfield, John the owner went into a tirade and actually yelled at me. This is the absolute truth. But there was something about what he said that made me want to stick with him — that even though it was only one item and that I was never going to be a big customer, he promised to go way out of his way to help, including hand delivery to Jersey City. He promised to make me a very happy customer.
Needless to say, after he got my money, it was all downhill. The amp was missing the phono stage when they got it in from NAD, so it took an extra 2 weeks, 1 week due to John’s procrastination.
I hate to say this, but he’s not the most honest person in the world. While he was at my apartment, I asked him to service my turntable. He took it back to the shop with him. About 2 weeks later or so, he brought it back. That was after pulling teeth; nothing major needed to be done. I asked how much and he told me the price which was fair. I gave him cash. Meanwhile, he had charged my credit card before he came over and never even mentioned it. Thinking back, I should have disputed the charge.
I won’t go into the other hassles but it was just an all around unpleasant experience and I found John to be rude and gruff and full of it. It’s people like him that keeps places like Crutchfield in business!

Honest, patience, not a superficial store. Bought used b and w’s and a Rega amp. This is the best it will get in this field.

The folks that run this store, John, the owner, and his associates, Greg and Nick, are some of the nicest people you will ever encounter in a retail establishment. Although they carry some the finest and priciest stereo equipment on the market, they are real down-​to-​earth guys that are happy just to shoot the breeze with you, but will also share their vast wealth of experience and knowledge, while never pressuring you to buy anything at all.
In fact, John will encourage you to borrow a component, or even a cable, take it home and demo it in your own familiar environment before shelling out any money. This is way better than, for example, hearing an amplifier in their showroom, connected to a pair of $ 10,000 speakers that bears no representation of how it will sound in your home in your system.
John will work within your budget, without a trace of snobbery or condescension that you sometimes encounter at other high-​end audio dealers. He understands that this hobby should always be fun for customers, not stressful or intiimidating, just because you walked into his store, and can’t afford a pair of speakers that sell for more than a new car.

Unilocal isn’t the place I turn to for information on Hi-​Fi, but I got to put in my two cents worth.
Many such stores treat you like you’re inadequate. Whatever you have, be it a $ 500 system or a $ 20 000 is inadequate. John Rutan’s Audio Connection is not that. He will be glad to sit with you and listen to some music in his shop. Don’t be misled by its appearance from the street. This is not just a little storefront. There are quite a few listening rooms scattered both in that space and in another building nearby (one has an amazing sounding system that costs crazy amounts of money but simply has the best sound I have ever heard in my life).
John will be happy to tell help you in any capacity, its up to you what you want to spend and what you want. He is a gentleman, he has a golden ear, and he is a good guy. His sidekicks Nick and Greg are also great.
Stop by Audio Connection and give a listen. You may well wind up like me… a lot poorer but a LOT happier.

If you’re looking to upgrade your 80’s gear OR get that record collection out from mothballs, I would recommend a trip to Audio Connection in Verona. First, let me say, that if you’re handy with electronics, you might be able to get some vintage vinyl gear (turntable, amplifiers, etc.) online sceondhand that could definitely do the job with some elbow grease. Otherwise, if you want to get into high end sound for your CD and LP collection, a trip to A/​A on a Saturday afternoon would be time well spent. They specialize in high end gear such as Rega, B&W, Vandersteen and Magnepan. No real bargains here, but the service and attention is impeccable. They can even help to make that tin can iPod sound better!