Friendly knowledgeable staff. Didn't try to upsell which was a bonus. Decent select of equipment and are willing to take the time to explain products and discuss your needs or wants. I have been dealing with them for years and will continue to do so. Unfortunately they closed their service department which sucks. Had a few things repaired there over the years but they were very helpful in recommending a reliable service outlet. read more

I am a longtime customer of Audio Ark. Even though the store has a lot of high end equipment, I have never felt pressured to buy beyond my budget. The staff of Andrew, Simon and Emilio are knowledgeable, friendly and helpful. Andrew in particular has let me demo lots of equipment, has been patient with me and his recommendations have always been spot on. A great store. read more

These smug weasels will all talk down to you, diss you for purchasing competitors' products, repeatedly tell you that they're done with you, refuse to demo products if they don't have reason to believe you are going to make a huge purchase and the usual audiophile BS trying to establish themselves as an authority by citing having at least $40,000 worth of personal home theatre equipment and making you feel like what an insignificant insect you are and in need of being brought up to par with human standards. Ironical, considering these very people acting out of animalistic instinct to survive in business, need to become better human beings first and audiophiles later. Most speciality shops survive on intimidating customers, and this one is no exception; but it is definitely the worst one I have ever come across. They told me it usually takes 8-10 business days for special orders, and took my money on that premise. Five weeks later the item was apparently en route between Vancouver and Edmonton, and eight weeks later it still hasn't arrived. Even if the wood was cut, fabric woven from scratch, then the hand-made item dispatched by messenger pigeon, still the item should have arrived by now. These despicable liars took my money, not the distributor of the item; but they portray themselves as the helpless middleman doing me a favour by procuring the item for me. read more

Friend of mine had some questions about some speakers he had bought awhile back (not from audio ark). So, we figure maybe these guys could help. Staff literally insulted him for buying audio equipment from another store. And this is after they had told him they couldn't help. Avoid like the plague. read more

I've been using these guys for probably 20 yrs on and off and have never had a bad experience. I mostly bought headphones and speakers here and one amp and a cd player and have never had an issue. They have a lot of very nice audiophile gear that i can't afford lol but it's fun to look around . I read one review where they said the store didn't want to do some demos and i understand why. A lot of times demos take awhile to set up plus some effort and stores like these are constantly being used as test places for customers who get them to demo things and then the customer goes and buys the product somewhere else or online at a better price. I figure the internet will eventually be the end of stores like this so can't fault them for being wary. read more

Tremendous service! I needed to buy an amplifier and speakers that would pair well with a specific turntable. I was met by knowledgeable staff who were friendly and patient with a customer who doesn't know much about audio equipment. They were happy to work within my budget despite specializing in expensive gear, and thankfully, were not condescending in any way. Would happily recommend to others. read more

We've been a customer here for quite a few years, and have always received amazing customer service! We have definitely visited the store more times than we have purchased something, but we've always felt very welcome, the staff are very knowledgeable, and always offer to hook up something specific for us to listen to... The newest speakers or receiver. Our sound system has pieces purchased from here, and elsewhere. There is no bias against products they don't carry, from the staff their. They are all very knowledgeable and don't knock a product just because they choose not to carry it. Our receiver had to be sent in for warranty, which was very unusual... It was the firs time they've had to send that brand in for repair. But it was taken care of in a reasonable amount of time. These guys take care of their customers, and show gratitude for continued patronage. In all the times we've been here (close to a dozen), there was only ever one sales guy that was a bit stuck up and closed minded... And that was a couple years ago. He was a young guy and I know he used to work at a box store... But I only seen him once. Everyone else we've dealt with is great. One last thing... While I love Yelp reviews, this place has been around for decades, so clearly they are doing something right. So don't let the negative reviews deter you. read more

Great store, helpful people, can chat up a storm with decent advice. Only problem is that they do not have an online store. Behind the times, it seems. read more

Called them only because a bestbuy store associate said they might have the receiver I was asking for. Honestly I knew nothing about the store, called them and the guy on the other end was rude and sarcastic when I said I was looking for a receiver around 500. Probably wont step into the store after this experience. read more

Not a great place to buy branded speakers. Poor warranty support. The sub woofer I bought in 2015 which is still under warranty started making continuous loud noise when turned on even without any signal flowing through it. They refused to fix it or replace it. Rather the technician commented I should have bought an expensive one to avoid such noise. I sub woofer is costed me $420. Typical front end sales was great and once you pay and leave the store they show their real face when u want something fixed or repaired under warranty. Such a poor customer support and service. read more

I am signing up to YELP just to post this. I have not purchased anything from Audio Ark, but I spent over an hour with Simon yesterday talking about equipment purchase and install for a home theater. He was super helpful, despite the fact that I have a smaller budget than he is probably used to. We talked through a number of options and he was totally open and honest about what I would need and what they could do for me. He was NOT, as one reviewer claimed, negative about competitor products - in fact, on his own, Simon suggested that if I was wedded to a competitor brand, they would incorporate it into the system and install it alongside their equipment. Neither of the other high-end audio stores I talked to would even consider this. He even was willing (again, unlike the others) to install a piece of my current equipment within the system in order to keep to my budget. As for setting up demos, he was eager to set up the system that I am interested in so I could bring my family down to see and hear it - he would even do it the same day (the other stores needed at least two days advance notice). I was extremely impressed with Simon and Audio Ark and see absolutely no evidence supporting many of the negative claims made by some reviewers. BTW, I am really curious why someone would go to a high end audio store to buy banana plugs in the first place. Ridiculous. Makes the whole story implausible... read more