life without audio dealers

when you compare speakers at an audio dealer, will that comparison hold up in one's own stereo system ? maybe.

it is possible that while you might prefer speaker a over speaker b during a dealer demo, you might prefer speaker b over speaker a with your own components.

i don't believe you can extrapolate the results of a dealer demo to your own stereo systems, regardless of the component comparison. if cable performance is syetm dependent, why wouldn't speaker performance be as well ?

thanks john, for your support.

experience at ces shows and reviewing does not give me an edge relative to others who have not had my experiences.
i do not consider myself an expert. rather i know what i want and have ears to tell when i hear it.

you don't have to be a food critic, movie critic or wine critic, for example, to be able to tell that you like something. noone can tell another what is best for that person, with the exception of a doctor or lawyer. we are dealing with aesthetics, not rocket science.

one does not have to understand why or how something works.
you need a good brain, a good ear and an understanding of what you like.

how deos a dealer help ?

he does not have your ears. no one can predict what a component will do in another stereo system based upon what it may do at a dealers stereo system.

this hobby needs more small manufacturers and fewer audio dealers. as long as there are direct sellers of every conceivable component, one has the opportunity to sample products of each category. the designer is a useful source of the nature of a component. however, a manufacturer cannot predict how a component will integrate itself in a stereo system.

there are many surprises. i may expect a silver plated copper3 cable to have a certain signature, but i have been surised.

the answer is listen, listen and listen--at home.

when i go to ces, all i can say is that i either like what i hear or do not like what i hear. i don't try to analyze.

this hobby needs more small manufacturers who offer in-home audition and less audio dealers. ket the consumer decide for him/herself without influence from a person who has a vested interest in selling something. how can such a person be objective about a product he/she doesn't sell ?

an audio dealer is a conflict of interest waiting to happen.

i have spoken to some manufacturers who prefer not to deal with retailers.

the best an audio retailer can do is lend gear at the request of the consumer, perhaps for a small fee. then the consumer can buy it direct from the manufacturer.

a reviewer should not recommend a component. if you read my reviews, you will see that i do not recommend a compoents . i do not indicate that i either like or dislike a product. instead i report my perceptions.

there is no substite for listening with one's ears. a review should never substitute for personal preference and personal experience.

regarding the conflict of interest. it is obvious that a dealer will not suggest that a customer buy a product that he/she does not sell and may denigrate products he/she does not carry. if dealers were order takers and could obtain any product a customer wants without voicing an opinion, customers would be better off.

i see no evidence that trial and error without a dealer's assistance is any less effective than getting an opinion from an audio dealer.

only the consumer can decide his or her preferences. how does one learn? through listening. from a position of ignorance, one listens and then decides that a certain presentation is what he or she likes.

there are enought manufactureres who sell direct who can provide many of the services of the non-manufactryrer audio dealer.

if you must rely on a dealer, who would you trust, the manufacturer/retailer, or the retailer, regarding a product.
in addition, most direct sellers will allow you to return the component within a period of time.

even when dealers are present, consumers still end up with equipment they don't like. just look at audiogon.

so, until there is some evidence supporting the value of a dealer, i am not convinced that dealers are necessary.

when you think of the products that people buy, there are so many instances where all that is needed is the facts, rather than opinions. an example like wine buying comes to mind. if i am buying my first bottle of wine, and i want to buy a sweet wine, i can look on the internet and then order a sweet wine. i don't need any suggestions. after i have sampled enough wine, i will figure out what i need to do the next time i want to buy a bottle of wine.

why is it that in this hobby, the conventional wisdom suggests that consumers cannot educate themselves just by listening ?

there is a difference between infoirm and recommend.

the inform is like the "what". it tells the reader what the product is doing in a stereo system. what is the relevance of then adding : "i like what the product is doing". a reader can make his own decision if he is told how a product performs.

it is like the expression "you report, i'll decide".

with information, a decision can be made. the indication of preference does not inform, rather it persuades.

i would rather have the reader make up his mind than try to influence him/her. read my reviews and tell me what you think. you can read them at audiophilia.com .

the most important function of a dealer is making the product available for sale. it would seem that this should be sufficient for the educated consumer. also provide an opportunity for home audition. a dealer needs to have one demo of each product he carries. withn such a model, i can see the viability of dealers.