Stradeum is run by iRiver’s high-end sound system brand, Astell & Kern, which is why all of the audio equipment is manufactured by them. Some of the headphones are worth over 1.6 million won, and What Hi-Fi? in the U.S. chose Astell & Kern’s speakers as the best stereo speakers of 2015. Although of the equip met is made by one brand, the place doesn’t give you the impression of strategic sales. iRiver asked architect Seung-hoi Gu to design a space "purely for music,” and the amount of effort they put into delivering quality sound rather than on selling merchandise shows. Some devices have limited archives compared to the size of high quality music files. Luckily, there is a device that offers a high quality streaming service called "Groovers," which can be found in the basement level. While it may seem like a place to just go enjoy music on your own, if you go up to the 2nd, 3rd and 4th floors, you’ll find yourself in a more open atmosphere. You’ll definitely want to stop by the 2nd
and 3rd floors because they were designed, organized and coordinated by Japanese acoustic designer Sam Toyoshima, who was also responsible for the set up of London’s Abbey Studio. Not only can you listen to music, but you also get to hear performances, seminars and even live studio recordings. One violinist was very impressed by how he could hear “the sound of every single stroke the bow made on each string” after he finished performing. Located on the 4th floor is a rooftop café where you can take in some nice mountain views of Namsan. I applaud Stradeum for creating a space solely dedicated to "sound,” and no one would be able to deny that it is quite a bold step towards a new trend.