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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@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. |
You mentioned California...what county?
I am grateful to/for both. My parents and grandparents who survived WWII (they lived in London) taught me to read before I ever went to school - they were my first and best teachers - and for that I am truly grateful. Shameless plug - if you are in the USA as I am, consider a small monthly donation ($11 + CC fees = $15.75) to tunnels to towers (T2T dot org). |
back in the day i simply had not sufficient fundage to get anything. i was not alone. expanding working class and shrinking middle is what did them in IMHO. a lot of them also were snooty IMHO, looked at me in work clothes with visible disdain. would not answer my questions or even acknowledge my presence. wish it were not so. there was/is one in tacoma that i respect highly as he is good to his customers no matter their station. |
Form where I live in MA I have Natural Sound (great place for bird calls, dripping water recordings, wind...you get it) and Goodwin's High End which is neither high or the end...both nearby. Both seem to be doing great...Audio Video Therapy (!) is also maybe 45 minutes away (NH) and is a great place to go if depressed or worried that people dislike you. There are others... |
So true with all comments. Even if there are stores the amount of choices are limited - stock on hand is expensive for the store owner. So, you are caught buying what he has on hand. Sure, the items might quench your taste but if not then what. I live close to Upscale Scale Audio in Socal. and they get it - but they are rare in today's stereo world, |
