Pat’s Audio Art

I came here today with my GF looking for Naim products. Pat took the time to explain to me the product range. No pressure to buy, and he didn’t care to answer the phone when I was with him. He said that I could bring in my speakers to audition when I am ready to buy the electronics.
I will come back here to purchase when I am ready. This small store really beats the large ones like HIFI center and the 2 other major ones in Vancouver.

I don’t have anywhere close to the kind of money for the stuff in here– I made that clear to Pat when I came to take a look. Despite my clear intent not to actually purchase he showed me some of the equipment, explained the benefits to me, and even let me test out some of his nicest speakers. I may not have the funds to be an audiophile right now, but Pat’s gracious hosting definitely makes me want to get into that world. It’s been a while since I’ve been here but if it’s still all the same, there should also be a very sweet Collie (or is it a Sheltie?) greeting you when you arrive!

Left a message on the website two days ago requesting information on a good home audio system. Got nothing back, not even a «get lost». Guess shopping online is the way to go.
Update– Received a response a day later with a considerate explanation for the delay. Too late for me, however based upon the email, this is a place worth checking out. I would encourage anyone looking for good advice and equipment to pay a visit.

Seriously, people — pay Pat and Arthur a visit. When I wrote my initial review, I had walked into the store, made an inquiry about record cleaning, received advice more helpful than I was expecting, and had left without buying anything. I wasn’t even a customer at this point — just someone who had been in the store and chatted.
A few weeks ago, I went in to buy some antistatic record sleeves. To my surprise, Pat had found an old vacuum record cleaner in someone’s basement and set it aside for me — for free! It needed a little clean and a polish, but it’s working perfectly now and I’m glad to have it, and amazed that Pat made such a gesture when I wasn’t an established customer or friend. He didn’t have to give me the machine; he could’ve given it to a buddy of his, or made a few bucks off of it himself. But it was a friendly, kind gesture and it impressed me.
Pat clearly is a cool guy who enjoys shop talk, and wants to help people make the best of their home audio systems. The store is relaxed and pressure-​free (as the other reviewer mentioned, Pat does have a big commercial espresso machine in the back, roasts his own beans, and makes a mean latte). If you’re in the market for a new system or just a chatty hobbyist like I am, pay Pat (and his associate, Arthur) a visit. They look out for their customers, give helpful advice, carry amazing equipment, and are generally great, friendly guys who are passionate about music and the toys we buy to make it sound as good as possible. Highly recommended.

Recently, I was fortunate enough to discover Pat’s Audio Art on Burrard. As a former owner of a High-​End store in the U.S., I will say that Pat’s is a must stop if you are looking for quality audio and/​or video equipment in B.C. Pat and Arthur are very knowledgeable about music (which is, or should be, the reason we buy high-​quality equipment) and the audio/​video business. They carry excellent equipment, from the affordable to the wish-​I-​could-​afford-​it level. As they have been in the audio/​video business for a long time, they certainly know their products and their competitor’s products as well. They are very happy to demo their equipment, answer any questions and will give you as much time as you need. Most importantly, there is NO PRESSURE to buy. And to top it off, they make excellent espresso (be sure and try one), and Pat even roasts his own coffee beans. Highly recommended!