Music and Audio Stores in Taipei

Click pics to enlarge. Top, The National Opera House and concert Hall.

Letter from Taipei (23-2): Brick and Mortar Stores

Article initiated in JFK Airport during flight delay, finished in Chester, UK.

A few members of our NYC audio wechat group were originally from Taiwan. In fact, Andy was a regular foreign correspondent to local magazines in his younger days. Unfortunately, as he has no family members there now, he hasn't been back in the longest time. Member Leo provided a name (a doctor) for me to contact. Unfortunately, the person was not in Taiwan during my visit, so I didn't get to visit anyone.

In the heart of Taipei, there is a street 开封街 around which audio stores congregate. More than a decade ago, I visited Taiwanese bang-for-the-buck loudspeaker manufacturer Usher there and brought back to Hong Kong 2 pairs (here). It is sill there but has moved to a smaller front (bottom most pic; one can still see the S520 displayed). The stores sell mass appeal lower and mid end stuff and I was not motivated to enter any of them. It's good to see brick and mortar stores though, a sign that local audio scene is still alive and kicking. Taiwan has one of the largest audiophile populations and is renowned for its audio shows. There are numerous dealer showrooms around town but again I was not keen to visit them during my short stay.

Well, the real reason why I visited the area was to have a bowl of the iconic Noodle with Beef. I always went to one of the two Halal joints on 延平南路, where the broth is highly flavorful even if the meat is slightly too chewy. This time, in haste, I entered the wrong one, and it was the other way around, with tender meat chunks but a less flavorful broth. I was compensated though by the Fried Dumplings. These are classically made (open on both ends), stuffed with beef instead of the usual pork (this is a Halal place) and absolutely delicious. One can hardly find dumplings of such quality in other places, be it China, HK or Chinatowns.

Classical music is thriving in Taiwan. Though fewer than before, one can still find stores selling classical CDs and LPs. 佳佳 is one of them, sells everything, and the store in 西门町 is till there. And big distributor Sunrise Music is still around, though of course they sell only the labels they distribute. Again, I didn't really stay. My purpose was to take some pictures and report to you.

Taipei is a lovely city with much to offer in culture. Marvelous bookshops, audio stores, CD shops and a relaxed atmosphere. Great food and a thriving coffee culture. What else would one wish for?