Founded in 1976 in Fort Collins, the Sound Doctor hasn’t always been in its current place.
The audio equipment repair shop has bounced around a few different storefronts in Northern Colorado, but its current home on West First Street between Wilson and Taft avenues in Loveland makes it a good spot for Lovelanders with vintage audio equipment in need of fixing.
Its founder, Don Barr, is retiring, so Alex Anderson is taking over the job. He runs the day-to-day business already, but the official torch-passing was delayed because of a recent move to the current storefront and the COVID-19 pandemic.
A surge in demand for vinyl records has made older stereos a big hit, and the Sound Doctor is also one of a dwindling number of businesses capable of fixing older gear, ranging from eight-track and reel-to-reel tapes, to Betamax recorders.
Back in the mid-1990s, when most people were buying cassette tapes and then eventually CDs, the market for vinyl records dwindled to a few hundred thousand units sold per year, according to the consumer market firm Statista. Around 2007, vinyl started to rebound in popularity, and last year, 27.5 million vinyl records were sold in the U.S.
Anderson said that the charm and built-to-last ethos of a lot of old gear makes it appealing to consumers, and that there’s value in helping people fix old stuff instead of just replacing it with the latest cheaply-made gadget.
1) Technology develops at a fast pace these days, but it seems like the last decade or so has seen a spike in popularity of “vintage” sound equipment. What do you think accounts for that?
The vinyl resurgence plays a big part for sure. People like the “analog” experience of listening to music, and the equipment is often a part of the charm. Once people get into the hobby, they realize that this vintage equipment actually sounds really good! It can become an addiction, collecting used gear. It’s just so much fun trying out different amps and setups. I can’t speak for everyone, but that’s the appeal for me.
2) How did you get involved with audio equipment repair? What’s your story, and how did you meet Don?
I got my start in this industry doing smartphone repair, but then I got a job as a tech at a local books and records store that would buy, sell and repair audio gear. I worked in a small closet in the back, but I didn’t care, because I loved it! After doing that for a couple years, I heard Don was retiring after 40 years of business, and we got to talking. Don has given me the opportunity to take over the business after his retirement, and I’ve been working at the Sound Doctor ever since.
3) Are there many technicians left who do what you do these days? What gets lost when this kind of service goes away, and what does keeping it going bring to the community?
There are not many technicians left in this industry. Many businesses have closed down in the past 20 years, and it’s getting to the point now where all the old techs that stuck around are retiring. When these businesses go away, consumers throw away their equipment rather than fixing it, resulting in more e-waste. Audio equipment is often quite heavy, making it inconvenient and costly to ship for repairs, so having a service center in the area results in more devices being fixed and reused.
4) What is the oldest thing anybody’s brought in to have repaired? Were you able to fix it?
The oldest thing I’ve worked on is a General Electric “tombstone”-style vacuum tube radio from 1935. The unit was so old it required a complete restoration of the electronics. After a restoration and alignment, it was fully operational.
Jenny Sparks / Loveland Reporter-Herald
Alex Anderson, electronics technician at the Sound Doctor, solders a part while working on a tube amplifier Friday, Oct. 1, 2021, at the shop in Loveland.5) Why do people bring in this old stuff to get fixed instead of just buying the latest gadget?
Our customers often have an attachment to their old gear. Many have bought them decades ago, so there is a lot of sentimental value in keeping them working. Prices for vintage gear are rising, so fixing them up is usually worth the investment. Vintage units are well made and repairable, whereas many modern units are much more difficult to work on and cost more to fix or replace.
Alex Anderson
Age: 26.
Time doing audio repair: Five years.
Time with Sound Doctor: Two years.
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