Dealer name would be helpful, otherwise we can't really help.
Preowned Wilson Audio Chicago Dealer
So, what's with the Chicago used gear dealer who constantly advertises tons of used Wilson, (the same models for over a year or more) yet anyone who calls him to buy a pair get's totally discouraged by him on Wilson?
Is this just the old bait and switch with him having none of them in stock? Right now he must have 12 ads of the 20 on Audiogon- yet when called about actually buying a pair he doesn't even attempt to subtly switch you to something else. He makes you feel like an idiot for considering buying Wilson and will "only sell you a pair of you insis"t and then tells you "but I know I"ll only be buying them back from you".
64 responses Add your response
I bought two items 2-3 yrs ago and the transactions were smooth, I've unsuccessfully tries to buy Wilson Sasha- out of the 9 pair he has listed all the time- he totally trashes them when trying to do a deal- like nothing I've ever run into. Bizarre so it makes me think these are non existent and for bait and switch purposes. Why have them all posted and then do his absolute best to NOT sell you a pair when you call??? On this alone I'll never buy from him again. |
This may be a prime opportunity for you. If you really want the Wilson’s then offer him 20% less for this poor product. Since these things are such dogs the price should be discounted depending on how far he talks them down. Thank him for being so honest and offer to do a kind favor for him by taking them off hiss hands. 😀 |
nope, same pattern when trying to buy a sub; denigrated the JL Audio F`113 and pitched the REL (he'd forgotten I'd bought an REL from him two years ago).
It is what it is, I'll leave it at that and there are enough people who responded to this thread indicating they has similar experiences w/him. It's just weird behavior frankly. |
Sounds like the dealer is having an issue with Wilson. Maybe they are asking him to take on too much product? There could be a multitude of reasons. I know if a dealer is bad mouthing a product they carry,there is a problem somewhere. If that’s the product you want,and the price is so good that you don’t care about service after the sale, go for it. If not,time to find a new dealer. |
Most of the threads you have started are complaining about others. This may be legit, but maybe your style of communication is challenging for some? Just a thought, but I also know that dealers are busy and needing to sort real buyers from tire kickers, etc. Good luck getting your speakers in any event. |
I had a different dealer try and talk me out of Harbeth 30.2's saying the 30.1 were just as good. Of course, he didn't have any 30.2's but happened to have two used pairs of 30.1s in stock. Interesting. Also, I used to work at a mid-fi audio store 30 years ago in the NYC area, and we always advertised product that we didn't actually want to sell at the advertised priced. Bait and switch is a long time practice. Very hard to prove, this guy may or may not be doing it, I've no interactions with him so no opinion on that, just talking about what I have experienced. |
I have bought and traded with uncle Albert before . he is honest and gives very fair dealers .i may buy from him again next year if I don’t but my MBL monitors ,r Martens ,Wilson Sabrina2 I was looking for used but in high demand , many great used Wilsons , myself I rebuild the Xover to very high quality standards having 20 years in Xover rebuilds it is a great way to get a great speaker and make it even better.
|
Cool @audioman58 - you're able to improve on Wilson's crossovers? Pretty impressive. |
Cowen217 these companies never use top Xover parts They bought Rel caps they are good but far from tops like#1 Duelund the others between 2-4 all are close at this level ,Milflex, Jupiter ,VH audio which Copper foil is the best ,Silver foil better detail stil most use metal particles sprayed on plastic poly caps , and Resistors Mundorf New, and worlds only Audiophile copper foil resistor best detail without question Magico now starting to use from A5 on up , psth audio is a close 2nd a bit warmer but not quite as detailed . inductors Jantzen are a great buy and excellent quality their copper foil waxed paper inductors much less then Duelunds inductors but very close , Jantzen copper open coil are great for Bass. Just go to Humble homemade Hifi capacitor rest this is a capacitor cook book very accurate Wilson’s caps are rated around a 9 duelund 14+ Jupiter,Milflex 13+ |
This guy has had a McIntosh C-53 integrated amp for sale for many, many months. When I used to own a McIntosh 6900 integrated amp, I was interested in his C-53. The Absolute Sound Paul Seydor raved about it just like he did a few years back about the very successful C-52. I wrote to the dealer asking why the owner had traded this newly released integrated so quickly. His comment was 'People buy McIntosh for the blue meters but performance is not that great". I wrote back remarking how strange it was that he was dissing the very product he was trying to sell. So he was either very foolish or fatally honest. I decided not to make an offer on the unit as I had a very bad feeling about this guy - classic smartaleck.. I decided I would never buy anything from this dealer. I eventually purchased an McIntosh MA-325 hybrid integrated amp from a reputable dealer in the Phoenix area and contrary to the Chicago dealer's remark, I think the McIntosh unit (my third) performs just great!. |
haha -- well no you didn’t call him out by name... check... don't want to start a flame war ... er... check? perhaps the worst insult of all is when you think everyone reading your op is stupid https://www.audiogon.com/listings/lis995dd-wilson-audio-sasha-in-titanium-silver-full-range https://www.audiogon.com/listings/lisa6jb7-wilson-audio-alexia-2-blue-color-speaker https://www.audiogon.com/listings/lis9c4c2-wilson-audio-sasha-in-titanium-silver-full-range https://www.audiogon.com/listings/lis9f0gj-wilson-audio-sasha-2-macadamia-complete-full-range https://www.audiogon.com/listings/lis9bj47-wilson-audio-sasha-2-dessert-silver-complete-full-range https://www.audiogon.com/listings/lis9ijai-wilson-audio-sophia-mkiii-titanium-full-range |
I have had very positive experiences with this Chicago dealer and have personally met with Albert at his store in Chicago. Earlier this year, I drove +3 hours one way and I spent about 4 hours with him demoing different equipment from brands like: Wilson, Magico, Martin Logan, Focal, Luxman, Boulder, Aurender, Lumin, McIntosh, to name some of the product I listened to as well as different cabling options. All in, I learned more that day than I have about product, etc. than in many years listening to different products all over the place. He explained to me in layman's terms why the pairing of certain components/equipment and manufacturer's worked well together (or not) then we would listen to it and he was "spot on" 100% of the time. Having said that, I felt no pressure, and the reason I did not buy the Wilson Alexia II's was that the blue color would not work well in my house considering color schemes in my listening area. He absolutely would have sold me the speakers that day and I came prepared to drive them back home with me had that color been more palatable to my room. I can't speak for other's experiences; however, Albert has been extremely kind and giving of his time to me. He even offered to drive, set-up and take my trades the 3+ hours one way. Based on my experience with Albert, I would try to connect with him on the phone, as he is an incredibly knowledgeable dealer. Albert legitimately knows the retail audio world including pricing, +/-'s of different brands and how they work together, as well as being "wired" to any brand you may be seeking at amazing prices. |
albert had a listing of a nice passlabs amp on the phone he told me its junk and that hes a luxman dealer and can offer me the 900u for $11k new. He was helpful on the phone but yes he tried too hard to redirect my purchase and thats what lost him the sale I live in the area and honestly thought about it but passed. There is a vivid/gryphon dealer nearby and i wanted a particular gryphon amp. A foreign guy who is a penny pincher.. he was irate that i wanted to use a credit card even though i offered to pay 1% of the 2% fee. No discount at all on amp or cables and he was a big baby. made fun of my demo music as well apparently hes a classic pianist and my selection of certain songs he made sure to show his displeasure Wasnt pleasant to deal honestly would rather have done business with albert but at least i got the amp i wanted |
I had a similar bait and switch interaction with Albert Portis. I was interested in either one of 2 AudioQuest Niagara 7000 Power Conditioners he had listed on Audiogon. Since he had 2 listed for weeks I did initially low-ball my offer and was turned down. Another week or so later I decided to meet his asking price (it was still well below retail). When I made the full price offer he told me 1) the double listing was Audiogon’s mistake, and 2) he had “just sold” the one 7000 he was listing. BUT he could offer me a like new (out of the box but never titled) PS Audio PowerPlant 15 with full warranty for about 1/2 list price. I had been debating between these 2 units and the deal was great so I went for it. In AP’s defense, the unit arrived with factory cellophane still on it and appeared brand new. The unit worked great and later when I had issues the unit was replaced by PS Audio so it wasn’t a knock off. Note: This was well before COVID so that is not a factor. So while I did end up a satisfied customer, I wasn’t comfortable with the process. It seems like this is a standard mode of operation for him. Agree with others that he is extremely knowledgeable. I will purchase elsewhere going forward. Matt |
Hi all, FWIW I too have dealt with Albert multiple times and there are shreds of truth in these posts from both sides. For reference I just scanned a small video I took when I was in there in the spring and there are multiple Wilson’s in the shot. So he does have them and I don’t believe there’s some mischievous bait and switch plot going on. I’ve also had him talk me out of Mac gear before. When he’s not a fan of something he’ll tell you as much. I’m in sales and I respect that vs. just telling the customer what they want to hear. Look it up it’s called the challenger sales model. You earn trust by being honest. I would agree it probably hurts his business overall, but can respect it . So is he difficult to deal with, sometimes hard to get ahold of….etc yes. Does his style suit everyone? No. Will he open his very prodigious showroom and let you demo for hours with little to no pressure? Absolutely. I’d have no problem working with him again. And as someone else mentioned his deals are very fair. |
i have spoken to albert several times over the years, always fun conversations, pointed sometimes but he is definitely a guy who feels out who he is dealing with in early interactions, as most sharp retailers in any business do certainly not vouching for him nor his business practices, but i would say, as we all get older, we often get somewhat crankier in our day to day disposition, and extensive knowledge in a subject often leads to one also being opinionated and even directive, as a matter of human nature ... so not surprised albert has gotten this way (or maybe he was always this way 😆) i just get pretty amused when folks like the op posts something like he did, but now -- he wasn’t naming names 🤣 ... thinks that lil ol qualifier coats him in teflon and kevlar from incoming... ...and he says he used to run a hif retail shop in new jersey... this would be the least street smart retailer in the state 😂 |
The attitudes exposed here are to be expected these days in my experience. Mr. Sportis reminds me of other people I know who own high end stores in SF, Seattle and Phoenix. That said some of these are people I have learned the most from. Surprisingly enough the people in all three Minneapolis stores I visited this year were exceptionally pleasant and very knowledgeable. As a retailer these days too many customers lack the same people skills they complain the owners do not have. So be prepared to be exposed but at the same time discern what you can learn from these folks who live in the trenches. |
He rarely replies to an offer. I admit they are lower than asking but he sits on products for years on end. All dealers need to understand that I'm not lowballing you if your product hasn't sold in a year. You are highballing me. Anyway I usually give up on these guys. So much easier dealing with fellow audiophiles. |
For those of you (which I’m sure are his friends) are defending this guy, ask yourself a common sense question. He uses COVID as an excuse when business are open all the time. So has he been to your home? He doesn’t know if you have COVID or not. How does he truly know if the Wilson or any other speaker will perform in your room. It takes more than the 4 walls in you listening space to make that aggressive decision. To me it sounds like an old 1990’s sales technique they used at a car dealership. You come in wanting to buy a Camaro and he sells you a ZR1 Corvette. At the end of the day, it is your hard earned money. Spend it how you want. Don’t get scammed by a person or a company who doesn’t know you or your situation. Remember, utilize your common sense and don’t get suckered. |
I bought my Sasha 1's from Albert almost 4 years ago. I really liked him a bunch - very professional and knowledgeable. I was able to audition several speakers and he was very gracious in moving gear around. I left with the Sashas he helped pack into their crates for a nice price. He does have a boatload of gear in his shop which is many rooms deep. He also stated he just keeps his ads running non-stop and they may not always be fully updated. He expects you to interact with him and go from there. |
His friends? I don’t know Albert, just as I do not know you. I have purchased from him multiple times and NEVER experienced any problems at all. Your blanket statement means nothing, and just who are you to insinuate that everyone defending him are all his friends? Regarding your statement, I would rather talk to Albert than you, any day of the week. |
| Post removed |
It’s amazing some of you take things literally. Apparently some can’t read what the whole message stands for, lol. The truth hurts and based on some of the responses to what I said, it definitely struck a nerve. You’re right, you don’t know me and truly your opinion don’t matter one bit. It is beneath me to be honest. Only trash looks for anything negative to make themselves feel better. If you spent your time speaking with him and built a bond, good for you, lol. That’s called developing a relationship good or bad. It’s called Motor Learning Behavior skills, lol. (Friend, Aquantis, etc). You sure as hell are defending this individual based on my and others comments instead of talking about you honest experiences, good or bad. The individual who started the post was giving his honest opinion. You don’t have to like it but it is his reality. It’s always the same individuals with the same negative nonsense. My message was meant for the individuals who had issues not for a troll to pick a comment from the whole point of the message. We see enough Karen’s on Youtube, we don’t need them on this site. Go listen to some music, and maybe you will feel better. |
Yes, I have Mr. Thin skinned. I looked at his McIntosh MC275 for a second too. They have been there for well over a year. My uncle even went to Chicago to inquire about purchasing an amplifier for me and even with a well heads up timeline, he still couldn’t get in. I ordered my Mc2301 from Audio Excellence in Canada. But here is the fun part since you asked so candidly, lol. He doesn’t bother me or sway me one bit. I’m my own individual and can make up my own mind. Some folks are leaders and some are followers. The key is knowing who you really are and what you are capable. I’ve been to some of the best Hi End stores all over the world. I’m fortunate but not everyone has that ability. If a store or a person can’t get it done especially if it is a simple process, I don’t wine about it, I keep it moving. I don’t expect you to understand. One more thing. If you want to sound smart, try not to use other folks words, it makes you sound desperate. |
Yes, I have been to New Orleans many times and on our last visit, my wife and I went to Wilson Audio, The Store. I agree with you regarding Doug, he is a real jack***. I bought 3 items from Albert over a 3- or 4-year period and although I spent less than 4K total, he was quick to ship, and I had zero problems. He also bought my GE Triton 2's I was selling here, and he sat on them over a year before they sold. He was quick with the payment, and I was happy. This does not mean I am friends with him, I am just a satisfied customer. I got irritated over the insinuation that the satisfied customers are his friends. I really care less about the guy. Regardless, Blessings in the New Year to you and your family.
I am not a robot, I picked 3 tractors out of the lineup. |
