Sound Exchange of Pinellas

"It's the attitude of the people working there that killed it for me. I was debating on 3 stars, but 3 stars means I may go back. I don't want to go back. This rating is over 2 experiences with this Sound Exchange over a year apart. First experience: I came across some very very rare vintage audio cables made by Polk Audio that were part of a speaker purchase I made a few days prior from a dude out in Lutz. I brought the cables in to see if SE would be interested in buying them as I know they are highly sought after Hi-Fi cables that I'd just not have the equipment to truly appreciate. A woman working at SE said, "eh, they're just speaker cables, I don't see what the big deal is, I'll give you like 15 bucks for them." So she clearly didn't know about vintage Polk Audio Cobra Cables. She was repeatedly rude and condescending when I was asking her if she ever heard of them before, she just shrugged and seemed like my offer to sell them to her was an inconvenience... I was only wanting $100 for them by the way, and they were 2x 20 foot ling cables in flawless condition. So I went home, did more value research, posted them on eBay, and they sold for $550.00 plus shipping not even 5 mins after I posted them. Second experience: I went in looking for a piece of old stereo equipment I saw on their online site. I said, eh, they were rude and seedy last time I was in there, so I'll pass. But I ended up giving it a second chance be ause I really didn't want to buy that kind of equipment online and worry about it being ruined during shipping. So I went in and inquired about the equipment (which was ~$450...not just a cd or even 200 dollar item). I asked if I could check out the equipment that was on a shelf and the guy behind the counter said, "what do you wanna know..." I said, "well I just wanna check the condition of the switches and general condition of it." He actually huffed/sighed and got up and walked over to the piece and moved it to where I could see it and said, "well here it is." I asked questions... he said he wasn't the equipment guy and I'd have to ask that person on another day because he wasn't there. He walked back to his spot behind the counter as I was checking the equipment out. I inquired about a piece that was missing on the equipment and he disgruntledly said, "people like to steal stuff so we keep that behind the counter." I said "... oh, ok. Well I'd like to buy the piece." He looked shocked. And then it was like if you ask a dog if it wants a treat, he perked right up and was all the sudden wanting to be helpful and his attitude was completely different. So, the store is totally a vintage record store and that aesthetic is legit. But the people I interacted with ruined the whole experience. General vibe of condescending mixed with 1. Not wanting to be there or 2. Treating you like a poor peasant until you buy something. I'll only go back if SE has something I can't find anywhere else within a 45 minute drive and I need it same day. I'd much rather buy online, pay for shipping, wait, and get the item from somewhere else over dealing with them, sadly."

"Totally unique. Found collectibles I’ve never seen anywhere else. Smart and friendly staff. Good prices. Hidden gem."

"Great place! Huge selection and well organized so it's easy to find what you need! All very friendly people , wouldn't go anywhere else for your sound and music needs."

"Cool record, cds, cassettes, store. Band t-shirts and Funko Pops too! If you are looking for a specific record, they probably have it..it won’t be cheap though. There are some bargain bins where we find cool records for $1 to $3."