Audio Element has two locations in Southern California. Our Pasadena store is at:
117 E Union Street,
Pasadena, CA 91103
(phone: 626-793-7229).
Our Carlsbad location is at:
5235 Avenida Encinas, Suite A, Carlsbad, CA 92008 (phone: 760-814-8009).
Both locations have dedicated listening rooms where you can audition systems by appointment.
Audio Element is an authorized dealer for Wilson Audio, Dan D’Agostino, dCS, VTL, Octave, Dynaudio, Rega, Transparent Audio, Cardas Audio, Rogue Audio, ClearAudio, Grand Prix Audio, AudioQuest, Grado, Audio Physic, and additional carefully selected premium hi-fi brands. Our selection is curated based on 20+ years of manufacturer relationships and firsthand listening evaluation. We stock speakers, amplifiers, turntables, DACs, music streamers, cables, and isolation products.
Yes. System building is one of our core specialties. Whether you’re setting up your first turntable or assembling a high-end dedicated listening room, we offer free consultations to match components to your musical tastes, room size, budget, and lifestyle. Our team handles expert setup and home installation throughout Southern California.
Yes. Our team provides professional home audio installation services across the Los Angeles area, Pasadena, the San Gabriel Valley, Carlsbad, and wider Southern California. We handle everything from initial room planning and component selection through final calibration and tuning.
Audio Element at 117 E Union Street, Pasadena is Southern California’s most established specialist hi-fi dealer, with over 20 years of experience. We are the only dealer in the region authorized to carry Wilson Audio, Dan D’Agostino, dCS, VTL, and Octave under one roof, alongside a full range of turntables, digital sources, amplifiers, and speakers.
For someone new to vinyl, we typically recommend starting with a well built entry level turntable from Rega or Music Hall, paired with a quality phono stage. The turntable and proper cartridge alignment matter more than any other single choice. Most starter setups (speakers, turntable, amp, streamer, cabling) at Audio Element run from around $2,000 to $5,000 fully set up, and we handle the setup and calibration in store or at your home.
Yes. We maintain a rotating pre owned catalogue of speakers, amplifiers, turntables, and source components, a good option if you want high end sound at a lower entry point. Current pre owned inventory is on our Pre-Owned page.
Walk ins are welcome at both our Pasadena and Carlsbad showrooms, but we recommend scheduling a listening session in advance, especially if you want a private room or want us to have specific gear pulled and ready. Sessions typically run 1 to 2 hours.
Entry level systems focus on getting you a clean, enjoyable listening experience affordably, usually a turntable or streamer, an integrated amp, and a solid pair of bookshelf speakers. High end systems, from brands like Wilson Audio, dCS, and Dan D’Agostino, are built around component matching, room tuning, and cable and isolation choices to get the most detail and realism out of your music. We work with listeners at every level and help you figure out where on that spectrum makes sense for your ears and your budget.
Yes. Our team handles delivery, installation, and room tuning for systems purchased through us, and we typically return for a follow up visit once the equipment has had time to break in.
We’re an authorized dealer for Wilson Audio, Dan D’Agostino, dCS, VTL, Octave, Dynaudio, Rega, Transparent Audio, Cardas Audio, Clearaudio, Rogue Audio, Grand Prix Audio, AudioQuest, Grado, Audio Physic, and more.
We have two listening rooms in Southern California: 117 E Union St, Pasadena, CA (626-793-7229) and 5235 Avenida Encinas, Carlsbad, CA (760-814-8009). We serve customers throughout Los Angeles, the San Gabriel Valley, Pasadena, Inland Empire, San Diego County, and all of Southern California.
Absolutely. Customers regularly bring in an existing turntable, amp, or speakers to compare against what we carry, or to have us diagnose an issue. It’s one of the best ways to hear the difference for yourself.
