Hi-end audio is a big zero

Thanks for the sensible responses. My experience with B&M dealers has overall been positive and it really is the most practical way to make a decision. They do the best they can working with what we've got. Trying to balance customer service with also making a profit

ebm Interesting you mention that. That what got me going on this subject. Had to get a new boombox for work as mine died after 24 years. Being pretty cheap, I've bought about 10 boomboxes and mini-systems so far. It's been an enlightening experience. Sure it's not hi-end but the same concepts apply. I've been accurate at least half the time on what to expect. Like, a bigger driver gives more bass. But even that doesn't really describe how it will sound.

kota1I agree about Parasound service. Another one, Soundapproach in VA is exemplary.

Maybe the best way to do this is narrow it down with budget and performance to 2-3 products and then try to audition those? Then as deadhead1000 said, just focus on the music

So many great responses. Interesting to read them all. I think more people would be interested in audio and spending the money if they could feel confident about what they are buying. It would be a benefit to the industry if we could figure out how this can be done better.

lalitk Agreed about room treatments. You know something is up when move the stereo to three different rooms and sound is great in one, just bad in another. It is a lot of work moving speakers / acoustic treatments to get things to sound their best.

Good idea. Maybe DIRAC or similar would make it easier? Other options I've considered are 1) omni speakers 2) listen in near-field 3) listen in mono.

classdstreamer Thanks. I was also thinking about hi-end food industry. It is the one that comes to mind where, like audio, it is largely invisible.

gents "What would the OP expect? The dealer recreate his living room? As Sounds a little like making exuses for being a little bit of a tire kicker."

Guilty tire kicker as charged. But no, as stated earlier, I empathize with dealers as they try to balanced excellent customer service with also making a profit. I do not go to dealers often. Unless I do the research first and also serious about what I want to buy.

winnardt"And the first sentence is: "This is no knock on dealers." and then you go on to spend the rest of the post knocking on dealers."

I did not mean to come across as knocking dealers. I am knocking the dynamics of buying a satisfying stereo system.

Years ago, Wyred4sound had a circulating DAC that went around for home audition. Just put your name on the list if you wanted to give it a listen.

Another way is, as people have said before, "That is what Audiogon is for". Buy used and if you don't like it, sell it for about what you paid for it.

Five minutes! It's so frustrating because of the effort to get that 5 minutes! There are always exceptions but five minutes at home is about all I need to get a handle on on a new component dropped into my familiar home set-up. Then there is the long-term which is off and on hours for a few weeks.

The boom-box experiment which got me started on this thread has been very interesting. I still want to try about 5 more. For me, having an overview of what's out there is the best way to feel confident in my decision. I'd estimate to do this with my Stereophile class B / C system would; cost about $40,000. at which point I could buy an "A" system.