Memphis Listening Lab

Unbelievable nonprofit! Don’t miss the opportunity to go listen to some history! Inside the masterpiece of repurposed real estate that is Sears Crosstown! I only spent 20 minutes inside but will spend hours there the next time I am visiting Memphis! Don’t miss this one!

I had a talk with the person in the front, and I was impressed with the fact that this experience of hi-fidelity listening is just...free! They actually make their money with album listening parties and other private renting events. Other than that, if they have the album, they'll just let you listen to it. What a fantastic contribution to the community and to the art

We had our wedding party there. It was amazing. Kristin and the staff went above and beyond to make it a great party. Reasonably priced as well! What a gem this place is! So rich in musical culture! I highly recommend!

This place is a gem. It’s located in a really wonderful coop of businesses and restaurants. Extremely helpful staff, and a great, laid-back environment. I walked in, they helped me choose some Laps, and guided me to a player with headphones. All free, and awesome. I listened to an entire album, reset my life, and went back out into the streets. I was happy to purchase a few items to support this amazing resource for the city of Memphis. So excited to return.

This place is amazing! A vast collection of 10,000+ LPs you can listen to for free. The staff is super-friendly & helpful. We asked for a recommendation of a local band influenced by Big Star & they were happy to oblige. Highly recommend a visit!

Amazing this place is free! The turntables with the 🎧s are cool. But the listening room is really amazing! The Egglestone Works speakers and reference audio equipment sound like being in the recording studio. So much detail. If I lived in Memphis this would be my remote office.

I came here with my friends, and we don't know much about records, but the staff member was so helpful and showed us how to use the turntable. It was such a fun and unique experience, and the space is really beautiful. Highly recommend visiting!

If you are a music lover, an audiophile, this is your place. Visit this niche place for an extraordinary music listening experience. They have very expensive, high end record player with tower speakers, and a number of listening corners with headphones. The music listening room is outstanding with this high end system, comfortable couches, and all. They have over 15K records in collection. Stop by anytime and gift your soul with a great time. The entire facility is free. They host many events too. I can't recommend enough.

I love the Memphis Listening Lab. The entire concept is truly unique. They have an impressive curated collection of vinyls with over 75,000 pieces of different media. The initial collection was started by John King, a Memphis native that founded Ardent Records with ties to the music scene as a musician, promoter, and more. This is a legendary establishment. Quite frankly, a gem that should be preserved. Every time I visit, I try to donate to their cause. I hope to one day contribute to their collection by donating vinyls as well. With so many available options, some respectable relics, some new, as a listener there will be no problem finding something to enjoy. If you're new to the Listening Lab, I recommend asking the vinyl conservator for guidance. Be sure to have in mind what you'd like to listen to, perhaps even ready for a recommendation too! The VPI players are EXTREMELY high quality and deserve the highest care for preservation of this beautiful facility. They even have a dedicated sound room for the ultimate hi-fi experience. The listening space is beautiful, with great views and comfortable seating. Overall, it's a magnificent and top-notch establishment. I love coming here and dedicating a moment or two to a listening experience.

I was invited to a private event to the Memphis Listening Lab and was in awe of being surrounded by the musical history of Memphis. It features 30k 45's, 10k LP's and 20k CD's...that's just the collection! The staff will play many of the albums in the collection and in some case you can take the album to a listening station (or the sound room) and listen to your hearts content. It's the biggest music library/collection I've ever seen (donated by John King). While it's a little hidden away inside the 2nd flood of the Crosstown concourse it's open to the public as a venue to enjoy music history as well as for special events. It's a gem and can only be found in a town like Memphis rooted in the history of music.

Amazing place to experience music on vinyl. Take care of the place and enjoy! Lovely place to bring visitors and locals alike!