Nowhere to hear speakers and amps anymore!

@aldermine - the unfortunate thing about Audio Vision is you don't get all day to audition as much as you want for your $250. I got to audition 3 speakers (plus the ones I brought in as reference) for an hour or so in total. Fortunately, I found something that was just right for me, but others may not be as lucky. 

@soix yeah, never ending resentments. I hate my neighbor's screaming kids, he hates driving 2 hours for sushi. (He probably hates sushi, his wife loves it)

I deal with the same issues as far as being able to try new gear. I have a couple high end Theater dealers installers in the area. They do Mac gear as well. They have a few rooms set up but that's all they have..the stuff that is set up. No shelves or other equipment on display. No prices on anything and if you're interested in any of the theater equipment it has to be ordered. 

I came across a stereo store somewhat local that had nice gear. 6 different setups where one could sit in front of each setup to listen. Choices were pretty much between Mac, Rogue, Arcam, all integrated stuff..speakers were basically Klipsch and JBL unless they had some trade-in/used gear in a corner. No prices on anything and when I asked about price everything seemed a few bucks above average retail. 

I've always been of the mindset that if a store doesn't have prices on products I'm in the wrong store. Unless I know exactly what I'm looking for and asking a dealer to order that specific item. If I wanted to compare a few different preamps or dacs or streamers I wouldn't know where to go. 

So mostly one in my position has to scour the Internet for user reviews or half truth YouTube videos. Always taking a chance ordering gear from big online retailers, the 50/50 chance whether I'll actually like the product. Returns can be an issue. Especially ordering boutique type stuff. Usually a restocking/reshipping fee. The 3rd time I returned something (in 24months) to an online retailer with initials MD I literally got bitched out by an employee. Nothing was wrong with the $500 product but I just didn't like it. After getting an earful from the employee he said he'd send me a return slip. He never sent it. I ended up just selling it at $100 loss, which is about what I was going to lose on shipping and restocking. A waste of time and money. When it comes to big tower speakers one should have the expectation that they will work for you in one way or another. Few hundred bucks easy to return with insurance. 

As others have mentioned Best Buy has actually been easy to deal with. As long as you are cool with most newer mainstream products. The problem is you can only sample what they have set up..which is different at every store in my experience. But they carry KEF, Martin Logan, SVS subs,  Klipsch, Wharfedale, Elac, B&W, Arcam, JBL, Technics, Denon, Marantz, Yamaha, Pioneer..I'm sure I missed a few.  They offer a couple higher end brands like Mark Levinson, Classe, and Devialet on line, you just have to have  it shipped to store for pickup. Even when they didn't carry the Wharfedale Lintons I was able to order them thru BB by calling their Internet phone number. Even got them to price match another verified Wharfedale dealers prices. 

Once upon a time or maybe even still now I feel people looked down or joked about buying gear from BB. Just Polk Klipsch crap and AVR receivers. They have great stuff available usually, no questions asked returns or restocking fees and I can just drive it to any local store to return or pickup stuff, plus no interest financing if you use their card. I don't work for or affiliated with this store, just mentioning it as one of the last  local stores that aren't a hassle and have a variation of stuff. 

@aldermine There is a nice store in Mountain View, CA right near the CalTrans or was it BART station. 

CONTACT - Audio High

I heard the KEF Blades with Chord gear there long ago. That was an amazing sound and good store setup.

@soix

"Sorry man. I feel like I’ve been a bit of a preachy jerk here."

Your words---from just last month. (You forgot "humorless.") I’ve looked at many of your older posts, as well. It’s your MO. You crap all over people at the drop. You did it to two people right here, before my post. You just invented "location-shaming!" Goodonya!

You’ve corrected people’s spelling, then groaned! Who does that? (Someone who also sucks at punctuation, evidently).

Not to worry. You can have your site back. I’d depart with labeling you a pedant, but I defer to Samantha Bee and Kim Jong Un; feckless dotard.

@bob70 Sorry you wasted your time cherry-picking a few of my prior posts to suit your narrow and shallow needs.  Fact is, I’ve done a lot here to help many people make more informed purchase decisions over many years, which you’ve conveniently ignored here, so I don’t give one damn about what you and your 16 posts think of me.  But glad you’re departing, and good riddance. 

@bob70 

Loved living in the Boston area for a number of years way back when.  Visited the Tweeters and audio stores in the Harvard Square area and around town.  Not to mention the great nightlife.

Hope you stick around.

I just wanted to add Century Stereo of San Jose to the list.

@Thomson723 I wish Century Stereo was still around - that was my go-to place. Closed now forever. 

Boston still has a reasonable number of options- Audio Lab and Q Audio in Cambridge, Natural Sound in Framingham, Goodwin's High End in Waltham (really high end $$$), and in nearby Nashua NH Audio Visual Therapy and Fidelis.  Best Buy/Magnolia also some decent equipment but the expertise is very hit and miss. There are even a couple of audio repair shops that can actually repair older equipment.  It is not like the good old days but there are still good options.

Down here in the South East there are a couple but are by appointment only. I’ve been to a couple and frankly they have rubbed me the wrong way but I understand. The market here for most everything is pretty ridiculous with influencers thus hard for them to filter who’s who; who is a tire kicker and who is serious.

I requested an audition to go see and feel some amps. I felt very unwelcomed and there was hardly any interest in trying to win my business. I asked about taking the units home to listen to it and it was a flat no (I offered to leave a guarantee).

Forward a couple of months and a friend was going to visit for a listen of my system with my new amps and was bringing a friend of his. Yes, the friend was the owner of the showroom. "I remember you, man you have a very nice system, why didn’t you buy the amps from me.....".

I have had great experience with various out of state vendors who will give you a money back trial period. Give it a shot.

I hear you, @ervikingo!  But I also understand we aren’t living in a 1970’s economy. The internet changed everything and provided endless means to find the best price, making those who stock product in a store look like they might have missed the train. But I’ll tell you that when you encounter someone who REALLY listens to what you need and finds the right solution for the right price, that’s a deal whether it’s done in person, internet or on a forum like this one. I had such experience with a dealer here (I’m not sure I can mention the name, but you can search the respondents to my original question to find him). He listened to what I was saying; had experience with my current amp and with others in its class and knew EXACLY what I needed. Then he cut me a great deal for a demo product with a handsome exchange. I’ve never met this fellow, but he owns a store in NJ and my hat is off to him for knowing his business, internet or not. 

@aldermine You are correct.  I bought a pre-amp from one of the advertisers here and on AudioMart.  We had various phone calls about my system and what I was looking for.  I was in the middle of an out of state family trip and our calls were after hours to accomodate my schedule.

The exchange of information gave me a sense of confidence and I bought the pre over the phone.  It came with a note to call him when i received and was ready to install it, which I did.  It was a great experience and a fantastic purchase.

@aldermine You are spot on with the manufacturer supported "listening hubs" throughout the US.  I have often thought that would be the solution to the paucity of dealers.  The reason it won't happen is it would likely kill off the remaining dealer network. This industry is in need of disruption.

@skinzy Thats for sure; disruption is long overdue in this space. 

Consumers have voted with their money; very accurate Chinese counterfeits at aliexpress for a fraction of the price including many popular cable brands, buying out of state from small mail order dealers to avoid local sales tax, plenty of great gear on the used market with a lot more to come at the next recession, many great kit and DIY options and the recent trend towards high value factory direct with little or no dealer mark up (Schiit, PS Audio). I also believe this relatively small market can’t possibly support all the brands and models available now. Many will fold in the upcoming recession and there goes your warranty, used value and repair options.

In a way the secondary market has become the primary market. I have bought and sold many more used items then new. It’s a huge hassle though, I think I liked shopping better before the internet. Things were more expensive but you bought less stuff and held onto it until it broke or became obsolete. The buying process was actually enjoyable and bringing something new home was much more exciting. And you didn’t have to save the box. I mean who among us doesn’t have a pile of empty boxes in their garage? It’s kind of depressing feeling like you never really own your stuff and maintaining it in perfect condition for the next guy.

I have been fortunate to have 3 dealers I do business with. One in Nashville, one in Denver, and one in Louisiana that send me components to audition in my listening environment.  I live out in the country in South Dakota. 

I also found the post by @vinylvalet quite interesting and to a degree to be true. Not sure where he gets his or hers economic information from?  

Consumers have voted with their money; very accurate Chinese counterfeits at aliexpress for a fraction of the price including many popular cable brands, buying out of state from small mail order dealers to avoid local sales tax, plenty of great gear on the used market with a lot more to come at the next recession, many great kit and DIY options and the recent trend towards high value factory direct with little or no dealer mark up (Schiit, PS Audio). I also believe this relatively small market can’t possibly support all the brands and models available now. Many will fold in the upcoming recession and there goes your warranty, used value and repair options.

Lone Crow Audio in Santa Rosa Ca!....North Bay! Brick n Mortar store with a chill environment and plenty of audio systems to view and check out. 

Daniel Hertz, HiFi Rose, Accuphase, Audio Research, Tannoy, VPI, REL as well as many others! 

 Give us a call or stop on by....Tue-Sat!

We are music lovers and have a passion for audio.....come on down...up...or over....and hang out with our Lone Crow crew! 

You do realize ads are not permitted in the forum section.

In my experience since 2000 there has been a growing serge of home based audio dealers. They are typically somewhat well off retirees that have turned their audio passion into a small business. 

As you might imagine some of these guys are single and love to spend time online. Others are married and probably only last a few weeks in the business. The former can be very savvy, and if they are risk takers, they sell product all over the world (as discretely as possible) making lots of money but sometimes getting caught and losing contracts, but sometimes not because in the words of Big Daddy Kane, "I get the job done."

I live near near Boston and grew in in NYC so there were always lots of dealers but the true way to learn is to buy and trade if that's fun to you.