Convincing your local dealer to let you try speakers at home


So, I had a great experience listening to some Devore 0/96 speakers yesterday. The challenge for me is that the room I heard them in is wildly different than any other room I’d ever listen in. (I’ll share a photo, below.) I really have no idea if spending $13k plus on these speakers would work out. I’d need to try them at home.

For all I know, these dealers might be ok with me trying some speakers at home. I don’t know and am not yet ready to ask.

But I’m curious whether folks here have any stories to tell about the reactions they’ve gotten when they’ve asked to try speakers at their home. If you have a story, especially if it’s a more expensive speaker, I’d love to hear your story. How did you convince them? If they turned you down, what was the reason? Did you agree?

 

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Showing 1 response by clearthinker

Off subject, but a bigger problem is auditioning cartridges at home.  I know of no dealer who allows this, even ones well known to me for many years.

The refusal is understandable, carts are extremely delicate, easily wiped out, damaged, or just put out of adjustment.  Further, once out of the box, their value falls to no more than half retail, so there is a big problem for the dealer if you audition at home and then choose not to buy.

Recent case in point.  I bought an Ortofon Anna but found I had not factored in its high mass in my lightweight arm.  It simply did not gel and I could hear this immediately.  So, with an hour or two and a day on it, I wanted to resell it.  I found no dealer interested, even at half price.  There is little market for used carts.  This is a costly cart, so I put it in my second system with heavier old 1980s Zeta arm.  It sounds good there.

Perhaps a dealer wishing to take a large share of the high-end cart market could dedicate one piece each of a few models to demo, taking a damage deposit of 50% retail?