MANHATTAN — Chelsea audiophiles will soon have a brand new place to buy the latest record players, high-end speakers, and surround-sound headphones.
Sound by Singer, which closed shop on East 16th Street last year, is opening a new high-end audio store at 242 W. 27th St. The store was long regarded as one of the top places in the city for high-end audio geeks to find the best equipment for their stereo systems. Complete systems at the store could cost up to $100,000.
Some in the audiophile community felt that Sound by Singer's closing last year signalled the beginning of the end of high-end audio in New York, especially with the rise of iPods and other digital music players.
Andrew Singer, who ran the shop for about three decades, is well-known in the business. The retailer has continued to sell equipment through an online store.
The new 2000-square-foot shop will feature three listening rooms, where customers can test out the sound of new audio equipment before buying it.
The new Chelsea location is expected to open later in the fall.
