Bars worth the subway ride

Marcus DiFranco

@benchseatmarc

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Ten spots I keep sending customers to when they pick up their amps. Half are proper listening bars with gear that'll make you jealous, half are just good honest rooms to drink in after a long day on the bench. Judged on sound, pour, and whether anybody's gonna mess with the needle.

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The list

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Bars worth the subway ride — 4 items
Name	Neighborhood	Address	City	My take
1Public Records	Gowanus	233 Butler Street, Brooklyn, NY 11217	New York	Custom-built system, no distortion even cranked. Upstairs lounge is where the real listening happens. Worth the trip alone for the speakers.
2BierWax	Prospect Heights	556 Vanderbilt Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11238	New York	5,000 records on the wall and they actually spin them instead of just decorating with them. Good tap list too. My kind of multitasking.
3Kissa Kissa	Crown Heights	667 Franklin Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11238	New York	Jazz-only kissa room, mostly Japanese pressings. Quiet enough to hear the needle drop. Bring someone who won't talk through the set.
4Mr. Melo	Williamsburg	61 Withers St, Brooklyn, NY 11211	New York	No reservation, no attitude, just walk in. Happy hour's a steal. This is the one I send people who think listening bars sound snobby.