Elusive Disc
Family-owned audiophile retailer founded in 1989 in Anderson, Indiana, selling vinyl records, SACDs, XRCDs, CDs, and high-fidelity audio equipment (turntables, headphones, amplifiers) globally via direct-to-consumer e-commerce and a single retail storefront.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1989
- HeadquartersAnderson, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Elusive Disc does
Elusive Disc is a family-owned direct-to-consumer retailer founded in 1989 and headquartered in Anderson, Indiana, specializing in audiophile-grade music media and high-fidelity audio equipment. The company's core product set spans physical music formats (vinyl records across 7-inch, 12-inch, 180g, 200g, colored, mono, and picture disc variants; CDs; audiophile CDs including XRCD, K2 HD, UHQCD, and SACD; Blu-Ray Audio; DVD; and Reel to Reel tapes) and a broad audio equipment catalog including turntables (Clearaudio, VPI, Pro-ject, Music Hall), phono cartridges (Hana, Sumiko, Ortofon, Grado, Koetsu), amplifiers, CD players, headphones (AKG, Grado, Stax, Audeze), headphone amplifiers, loudspeakers, tonearms, DACs, and audio accessories. A proprietary play grading methodology, where an in-house audiophile evaluates each used LP and discards 40-60% of incoming inventory, is a distinctive operational process that supports the company's used-record guarantee.
The business runs a DTC e-commerce model on BigCommerce with worldwide shipping, supplemented by a single physical retail storefront in Anderson, IN. Revenue streams include product sales across music media, audio equipment, and accessories; a hardware trade-in program; and Affirm-backed BNPL financing that supports higher-ticket equipment purchases. Pricing includes volume discounts (10% off at 4 titles, 15% off at 8+) and free domestic shipping above $79, with global real-time rate calculation at checkout. Customer acquisition leverages paid search and social advertising (Google Ads, Bing Ads, Facebook), organic social (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok), a content marketing blog, and email campaigns.
Leadership is concentrated in the founding Bantz family (Bob Bantz, President/CEO; James Bantz, VP Sales; Diane Bantz, CFO), supported by a small team spanning sales, purchasing, finance, e-commerce content, customer service, and shipping/receiving. The company holds BBB A+ accreditation, ships to 30+ countries across North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, the Middle East, Latin America, and Africa (with noted EU shipping constraints), and serves a long-tail global base of audiophiles, vinyl collectors, and general music enthusiasts.
Elusive Disc firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Elusive Disc
- Legal name
- Elusive Disc, Inc.
- Website
- https://elusivedisc.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1989
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Family-owned audiophile retailer founded in 1989 in Anderson, Indiana, selling vinyl records, SACDs, XRCDs, CDs, and high-fidelity audio equipment (turntables, headphones, amplifiers) globally via direct-to-consumer e-commerce and a single retail storefront.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Elusive Disc industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Audiophile Music and Audio Equipment Retail
- NAICS
- Sporting Goods, Hobby, and Musical Instrument Retailers (4591), Musical Instrument and Supplies Retailers (459140)
- SIC
- Retail-Radio, Tv & Consumer Electronics Stores (5731), Retail-Record & Prerecorded Tape Stores (5735)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Hi‑Fi / Audiophile Components (DACs, Amps, Turntables, Streamers) (CRACANAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Instrument & Pro Audio Retail (Online/Brick-and-Mortar) (MPAIAJAH), Turntables & Vinyl Audio Equipment Retail (CRACAEAH)
Keywords
Where Elusive Disc is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Anderson
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Elusive Disc business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Product Sales - Music Media: Sale of vinyl records (new and used), SACDs, CDs, XRCDs, Blu-Ray Audio, DVDs, K2 HD, UHQCD, and Reel to Reel Tape. Products sold at various price points from budget to premium audiophile titles. Used records sold at 40-50% discount with 100% guarantee.
- Product Sales - Audio Equipment: Sale of audio equipment including turntables, cartridges, amplifiers, CD players, headphones, loudspeakers, tonearms, audio cables, and accessories. Equipment ranges from entry-level to high-end audiophile gear.
- Product Sales - Accessories: Sale of turntable accessories, headphone accessories, cable accessories, vinyl cleaning products, record cleaning machines, vacuum tubes, and other audio accessories. Also includes books and magazines on audio topics.
- Trade-in Program: Hardware trade-in program where customers can exchange used audio equipment for credit toward new purchases.
- Financing Services: Partnership with Affirm to offer buy-now-pay-later financing options to customers, providing another revenue channel through financing arrangements.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Volume discount - Buy 4+ titles |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Free shipping threshold |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Used records discount pricing |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Affirm financing option |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Elusive Disc product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Elusive Disc is a family-owned retailer selling audiophile music media — including new and used vinyl records, high-resolution digital formats (SACD, XRCD, CD, Blu-Ray Audio, K2 HD, UHQCD, DVD), and reel-to-reel tape — alongside high-fidelity audio equipment (turntables, cartridges, tonearms, amplifiers, CD players, headphones, headphone amps, loudspeakers, DACs) and audio accessories. Products are sold to individual consumers worldwide through the company's own BigCommerce e-commerce website and a physical retail showroom in Anderson, Indiana, supported by a hardware trade-in program and Affirm financing.
Product overview
Elusive Disc is a family-owned e-commerce retailer established in 1989, specializing in audiophile music and high-fidelity audio equipment. The company operates as a single unified e-commerce platform selling both physical music media and audio equipment. Their product portfolio consists of vinyl records (in various formats including 7-inch, 12-inch, 33's, 45's, 180g, 200g, colored vinyl, mono vinyl, and picture discs), digital music formats (CD, XRCD, SACD, Blu-Ray Audio, K2 HD, UHQCD, DVD), and Reel to Reel tapes. The audio equipment category includes turntables from brands like Clearaudio, Music Hall, Pro-ject, VPI, Sota, TEAC, and Audio-Technica; turntable cartridges from Hana, Sumiko, Ortofon, Grado, Soundsmith, Koetsu, and Van Den Hul; amplifiers including Cayin tube amplifiers; CD players; headphones and headphone amplifiers from AKG, Grado, Stax, Audeze, Manley, and Lehmann Audio; loudspeakers from Magnepan, Harbeth, REL, Edifier, and Airpulse; and tonearms from Graham Engineering, Clearaudio, and VPI. Audio accessories encompass record cleaning machines, audio cables (RCA, XLR, Tonearm, Digital, Speaker), turntable accessories, headphone accessories, vinyl accessories, and compact disc accessories. The company also offers financing options through Affirm and a hardware trade-in program.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Vinyl Records
Companies that use Elusive Disc
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Elusive Disc technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration8 records
Feature1 record
Elusive Disc partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators4 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Elusive Disc competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Acoustic Sounds: The largest US-based audiophile retailer of vinyl records, SACDs, and hi-fi equipment, founded in 1986. Explicitly named by Elusive Disc's own customers as a direct comparator, making it the most comparable peer in the audiophile specialist space.
- Music Direct: Long-established audiophile retailer selling vinyl, hi-fi equipment, and accessories, frequently cited by Elusive Disc customers alongside Acoustic Sounds. Closely comparable product mix, customer base, and curation-led merchandising approach.
- Turntable Lab: NYC-based specialty retailer focused on turntables, vinyl, and DJ/audiophile equipment. Comparable curated assortment and audiophile customer base, though with a stronger urban/DJ crossover focus.
- A Records: Vinyl specialty retailer offering audiophile pressings and equipment. Smaller-scale but directly comparable curation model and target audiophile buyer.
Broad incumbents
- Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab: Audiophile record label and direct-to-consumer seller of premium vinyl and SACD releases. Competes with Elusive Disc on exclusive pressings while also being a supplier whose titles Elusive Disc resells.
- Analogue Productions: Audiophile reissue label that sells direct as well as through retailers like Elusive Disc. Represents both a competitor (for direct sales) and a key supplier relationship.
- Crutchfield: Large US electronics retailer with deep audio/video equipment catalog and advisory-led selling model. Overlaps with Elusive Disc's audio equipment business but at much broader consumer-electronics scale.
- B&H Photo Video: Major US consumer electronics and audio retailer carrying turntables, headphones, amplifiers, and speakers. Comparable equipment inventory but with a much broader, non-audiophile-specialist customer base.
Emerging players
- Discogs: Global marketplace for new and used vinyl, CDs, and cassettes with collector-driven pricing and grading. Competes for the rare/used vinyl buyer segment but operates a marketplace model rather than a curated retailer model.
- Vinyl Me, Please: Vinyl subscription and curated record club targeting a younger, mainstream collector demographic. Partial overlap in vinyl sales but operates a subscription-first model aimed at a different customer segment.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Elusive Disc social profiles
Digital presenceElusive Disc financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Elusive Disc leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles15 records
Elusive Disc funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Elusive Disc M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Elusive Disc
What does Elusive Disc do?
Elusive Disc is a family-owned retailer selling audiophile music media — including new and used vinyl records, high-resolution digital formats (SACD, XRCD, CD, Blu-Ray Audio, K2 HD, UHQCD, DVD), and reel-to-reel tape — alongside high-fidelity audio equipment (turntables, cartridges, tonearms, amplifiers, CD players, headphones, headphone amps, loudspeakers, DACs) and audio accessories. Products are sold to individual consumers worldwide through the company's own BigCommerce e-commerce website and a physical retail showroom in Anderson, Indiana, supported by a hardware trade-in program and Affirm financing.
Is Elusive Disc a public or private company?
Elusive Disc is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Elusive Disc founded?
Elusive Disc was founded in 1989. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Elusive Disc based?
Elusive Disc is headquartered in Anderson, United States, in the North America region.
How does Elusive Disc make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Product Sales - Music Media is the primary driver. The others are product Sales - Audio Equipment, product Sales - Accessories, trade-in Program and financing Services.
Who are Elusive Disc's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Acoustic Sounds, Music Direct, Turntable Lab and A Records. Broad incumbents are Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab, Analogue Productions, Crutchfield and B&H Photo Video. Emerging players are Discogs and Vinyl Me, Please.
Does Elusive Disc have an API?
No public API is recorded for Elusive Disc.
What industry is Elusive Disc in?
Elusive Disc's product category is Audiophile Music and Audio Equipment Retail. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRACANAI, Hi‑Fi / Audiophile Components (DACs, Amps, Turntables, Streamers), with a secondary code of MPAIAJAH, Instrument & Pro Audio Retail (Online/Brick-and-Mortar). Its NAICS code is 4591 and its SIC code is 5731.