Most of the preamp’s and amps I want to look at are not readily available in my Geographic area and many of times I have bought them without hearing them first. And even hearing them is problematic in a dealer if even possible because their systems are very different than your home system.
Further most hi end components are not on display anyway.
The hi end audio business is very small and don’t know why manufacturers don’t begin selling directly to consumers. PS audio does this end it seems there components are actually cheaper versus a retail store but I don’t like PS audio.
I think hi end market is undergoing a change. They really don’t need retail stores. For lower-cost mass market products you need retail stores. If I buy a hi end product from a retail store it will be drop shipped from the manufacture often times. And further i don’t really like giving 40% of price to a retail seller when added value is very limited.
We all know high-end components are over priced and there needs to be a way to bring these prices way down and direct sales would go very far.
There are 2 different business models. The business model where a luxury manufacturer does not sell direct-to-consumer is purposefully built to drive traffic to the retail space so the prospective customer can see/ touch/ experience the products in person. This happens quite often in "pull" lines from luxury manufacturers such as Chanel, Rolex, McIntosh, etc. Driving down a retail price for an item isn't a deciding factor as much as creating a positive buying experience and creating relationships with their customers for them.
Neither model is wrong compared to the other, just different, imo.
there is a lot of good, direct sale out there...unfortunately PS didn't lower prices when they went to direct sales, but I like their stuff and they offer great trade in value when you purchase...
@paradisecomraises a good point. Indeed, a retail outlet with people who know there stuff can also help with future upgrades, repairs, etc. This is part of what a customer may want or need.
It depends on the size of the manufacturer and the number of units sold. A small boutique hi-end manufacturer wants the dealer to sell and deal with customer concerns because they don't have the staff to that function. Big companies can service/support their products much easier with in-house staffing.
I have to wonder how much of the "high end" even needs audiophiles. So much of it has gone to installers catering to the uber wealthy.
If our industry survives for much longer it will be a cottage industry with manufacturers making tiny amounts of gear, and the Crutchfield type of online presence.
Installers of home theater system's or horribly insensitive to sonic quality. The components to use tend to be second rate. But they may offer a pretty appearance at the end of it all. Always wondered why people invest so much money in a home theater room when it's typically not used very often. Regardless of how wealthy they are
In fact service from a high end manufacture is often better because the dealers tend not to know much about the products they're selling. If their product doesn't exist in a Store then what value does a retailer have for higher end components. Although they may still offer a better deal then a manufacture which is bizarre. Manufacturers will need to be shaken up and reduce their prices and maybe increase the volume and maybe stay in business.
Never mind the increment of value sonically for a component costing $15-$20,000 more then a mid teens product which is still pretty damn good.
What PS Audio did is NOT what I would consider consumer friendly. The trade-in gimmick is ridiculous. I'm less interested in them now than I was before. On the high end, I prefer brands that use traditional dealers, and I don't see that changing.
And I *definitely* hate paying an online retailer full MSRP (or nearly that) for something that's simply going to be shipped to me. Might as well buy 2nd hand higher-tier gear at that point.
Do youo really want to spend $10,000 or so (and up!) for a product you have not seen, touched, or heard? And some guy who sees as just another heavy box is going to drop it on your porch? Fragile Smagile, he's got ninety mor stops to make today. If you sell only a small number of item X, you've got to buy a demo and pay to store your inventory, maybe be faced with an inventory tax. I wanted to open a store, but the City made it so difficult, (permits, business license, insurance, fire codes, handicap access + I have to house and feed my family, pay the cable bill, etc. - all that has to come out of the profit from the sale of goods) I gave up on the idea. I am thankful for the dealers I patronize.
A big side benefit of having dealers is they carry multiple brands. You get exposed to something you may never have considered if everything was just available direct with no dealers. Not to mention their experience and knowledge with all the gear they sell and what synergy there is between the gear. Unfortunately not all dealers are great, but a great dealer IME is invaluable.
If you’re buying Macintosh B&w, marantz, Sony the new dealer is a good thing.
The whole issue here is the exceptionally over priced high end audio gear that exists which is not widely available. Most people buy on faith having never heard it. The high end industry takes advantage of those ultra rich people who don’t really care and would gullibly pay the higher price. The wealthy just don’t know no better.
So blame the rich people for the high prices. Not much of it is made and there’s more than enough wealthy people to buy it all. It never is available used because really rich people don’t have the time to sell older gear that was upgraded and now no longer use it.
"And I *definitely* hate paying an online retailer full MSRP (or nearly that) for something that's simply going to be shipped to me. Might as well buy 2nd hand higher-tier gear at that point."
Absolutely!!! I have purchased some of my best gear used, otherwise I could never have afforded it Example: Zesto Leto preamp. New $7500 , used $3500
If possible, I prefer the ability to actual listen to equipment before buying. If a direct to consumer brand can do that at a reasonable cost, I'm open to listening to equipment that way, but their marketing, professional reviews and consumer reviews need to be spot on for me to consider dropping $100+ to pay for an in-home demo.
I listened to 11 pairs of speakers when I last bought a pair of speakers in Jan 2020 and it was definitely worth my time to do so. 6 of the 11 speakers would have been non-starters in my system and for my listening preferences. 3 other speakers were not ideal. 2 speakers best fit my preferences. Both were Monitor Audio speakers. I couldn't have figured that out with as little effort by getting these speakers shipped to me by mail.
It would be great if a local dealer had the merchandise but the manufacturers make the dealers buy the equipment before they can show it to you, horrifying.
So manufacturers need to figure out a better way to sell much better gear then is available to the mass market. You can’t see it you can’t hear it you buy it you can’t return it and the dealer profits 30 to 40%. And then when you want to sell it you got to take a mark down by 50%.
It’s incredibly difficult to listen to gear that is very unlike the room you’re going to use.
The market needs to change. They also need to improve the communication of the high points of gear that is being sold. Marketing descriptions of gear leave a lot to be desired. They are most often not helpful.
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