What happened to all the highend stereo shops


What happened to high end stereo shops I mean real high-end stereo shops. I am 78, my father bought me my first stereo when I was 12, I have been hooked ever since. I remember the days when you can go to a nice audio store and not just audition what they had in the store but if you saw a couple of tuners, preamps or some cables that you liked, you could give them a blank check and take the equipment home to audition on your system. Bring one or both back Pay for what you want to keep or get your check back. I don’t understand how someone can buy an expensive piece of audio equipment and not audition it in their system first. Many places today, you buy it and your stuck with it. OH yes you can sell it on Audiogon or eBay. Reviewers are nice and give good reviews but the problem I have is the equipment they are auditioning  is on their system in their treated music room which is going to be different than what you have. 
 

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Showing 2 responses by femoore12

This is why many of us have to rely on YouTube reviews and suggestions from forums like this one. I only have one friend/coworker that is also an audiophile. Most people I know have sound-bars or a home theater in a box.  

@audioguy85 I am very lucky that my wife enjoys listening to the music I play. She’s also okay with how everything looks. Other than her, no one besides my coworker, who lives states away, cares one bit about this hobby. I don’t even know anyone that buys/collects music like I do. 
 

I agree that it can be a lonely hobby. No one I currently work with has any idea I have this system or my music collection.