The same question can be asked about many types of retail store. Bookstores, hardware stores, office supply stores, camera shops etc. I would say that the Internet is the primary reason.
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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#1 You need to go read your Bible ! God created Adam in his own image. Wo-man came later from one of man's ribs ! Woman was created to be subservient and to aid or assist man. Who are you worshipping? Ashtar ? Lilith ? #2 Go read Psalms 82:1 Obviously you've chosen the wrong god, with a little g ! #3 You need to go read your 1st Amendment Rights too, you got it all wrong ! #4 My censorship incident with this website will not be forgotten nor taken lightly when the time comes,,, |
I've not had great experiences going into high end shops in the past few years: - When I was upping my game I wanted to hear the upper line of Martin logan speakers, largely bc I've love them since I was a kid but also because those models 15a 13a 11a were designed to self correct in an asymmetrical room such as ours. And I wanted to hear a variety of top grade amps. The first place in nyc basically told me i was an idiot if i bought anything other than B&W driven by Mcintosh. Left without listening to them. They had the ML but didn't want to play them for me. - The other NYC place was pretty great, I'll give them (always liked d and respected them) that but didn't have the gear i thought we wanted. We did like the guys but didn't like the top B&Ws at all. Rockports sounded good but still wanted to hear those MLs. - Went to a place upstate on the way to our country place and at first one guy seemed pretty cool and I bought a piece of two but then they insulted me and my wife as we were leaving without realizing we could totally hear them behind the fake wall. I don't think they raise everyone can hear their snide/condescending comments, but they blew a pretty good sale since i liked some of their gear and it was in the running for the pricier gear we bought. - And lyric shut down before i could get back there, seriously, i nearly cried. Maybe i did. Loved them since i was a teenager. - started looking for other showrooms and gave up, just started picking up on good deals I found on gear I knew I Cid make my money back on:
Pass 350.8, vac sig II, holo may kte, aurendar n200, rel 812's, and my favorite: martin Logan CLX Art speakers. Ppl weep when they hear their favorite songs on them. But man, I do wish there was a great store that I could've bonded with someone over the cultivating of this remarkable system. |
1) Its a private audio forum. 2) The first ammendment only protects you from governmental censorship. A private enterprise, person or entity may tune you out and censor your words at will. 3) Just because someone doesn’t give a hoot what you think about religion on an audio forum doesn’t make them any less spiritual than you think you are. 4) You are coming off as a zealot. No one wants to listen to a zealot. 5) Stop whining. Discuss audio, share your audio thoughts or your thoughts about the topic of this thread. That would be cool. 6) I believe in God, I believe she is all knowing, she enjoys tube gear, she hates solid state gear and she also believes that cables make a significant contribution to sound quality…not that anyone on an audio forum should be subjected to my beliefs…or your beliefs. |
It would seem that the moderators and administration on this forum, have taken it upon themselves to censor our comments? No one has the authority or the power to infringe upon someone else's Freedom of Speech ! That is a direct infringement upon my 1st Amendment Rights ! You can delete all of my statements that you want, but that doesn't erase the evidence ! Once something is on the Internet, it's there forever and can be pulled up at a later date ! I didn't get foul. I didn't lie. I merely stated the TRUTH and the facts are out there to back them up ! I merely defended God and my religion. I was defending what is moral, what is just, and what is proper ! Apparently the moderators of the forum, don't agree with what is just and moral? Apparently they have no problem defending things that are immoral and rebellious to God and Christianity. That's a shame, because there is so much information to be gleaned here. It would appear, that I have actually learned a lot more than I was looking for...
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I believe the offensive (and subsequently removed) post was penned by @crlambert and NOT by @grislybutter
@grislybutter was responding to the post
To your original post, I believe alot of audio folks miss the almost clubhouse kindof feel so many great audio stores once evoked. The kind where you could hang out and not feel pressure to buy.
I do think people need to recognize that people consume and purchase music and audio gear differently today. I see the random posting, predicting the impending doom of high end audio. 2021 was the best year in the history of high end audio, eclipsed only by 2022. There are more high end companies today making better gear than ever before. Innovation is happening at warp speed which is why it may be hard to observe by those merely watching their own particular brick and mortar dealer. Businesses come and businesses go, nothing remains the same....thank goodness. |
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High end stereo shops are dinosaurs because: — Brick and mortar shops have other high end expenses, pardon the pun — young people don't care about audio nor music anymore, they want convenience and wallpaper |
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You seem like a sincere person but this isn't the place to discuss interpretations of religion. You seem like a decent guy, just trying to live your life...consider this: relieve some of the burdens you believe have been placed upon you because I don't believe its your calling to save the audiophile community from some imagined, threatening horde. |
I haven’t either but as I haven’t been involved in audio very long (+/- 15 years) I’ve attributed my lack of understanding in this regard to lack of experience/expertise. I find it encouraging to read your post even though it describes a frustrating scenario.
What other conclusion can be drawn except that there must be enough people who are sufficiently wealthy to support such a business model? I'd be interested in knowing.
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I am not a bigot. I am not prejudiced against the poor. I am the poor. I am disabled and retired. I am a veteran. I have to live on a fixed income. I am only stating what is right and what is wrong ! I'm only stating what is God's law ! And yet some on here are defending that disparaged group! That group is rebellious against God! And yes, I am concerned about it ! I fear no one. I fear for our youth whom are misled and groomed for this culture. Yes perhaps it has nothing to do with Hi-Fi. I'm just pointing out the obvious with our younger generation ! On a brighter note, unfortunately I had to sell a really awesome boxed set of Bill Evans Trio CDs awhile back. If I have offended someone, then maybe they need to step back and rethink their position? What's worse, is those here that agree with my position, will not speak up for fear of ridicule and retribution! That's what we call the silent MAJORITY! |
It often isn’t just the young who don’t have a stereo system prominently and proudly displayed in the living room any more. People in their 40s and beyond are content to have a tiny Bose radio or Bluetooth type speaker in a large room for their main listening. I know people in their 60s who have downsized from a decent stereo system to this. It’s like they have given up on having a good sounding system.
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@crlambert Can we call you a bigot? Are you prejudiced against the working class poor?This forum is no place for this disparagement! |
@crlambert While I'm not sure what led to your irrational outburst, what is it you fear from the group you disparaged above. It certainly isn't relevant to the discussion nor is it relevant to a society made up of different individuals with different views. With that said, I happen to love jazz...and I'm grateful for Billy Strayhorn or Bill Evans or the countless wonderful artists who have come along over the years and elevated my musical enjoyment. Regardless of who they happen to love. |
@crlambert you need help |
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"Young Americans," or "goal for the majority," are both funny to me. It's a fact that audio geeks are a tiny minority and have been for years. Sure, people used to own stereos therefore supporting retail shops, but people also used to huddle around little radios to listen to Dark Shadows...things change, hobbies are just that...the fact that this hobby is fun for some and ignored by most is a simple reality we live in and "that's the way it is." |
My future son in law is the only younger person that "gets" why I have tried to put a great sounding system together. I tried giving my son a beautiful pair of PSB M2 Platinum and an amp a few years back and he said " no thanks, my music is all in here" holding up his phone .... I almost cried .... I wanted a paternity test ! I love him, but is he really my kid? So Mark, and not my son will be getting my gear when I croak.
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Having a good "stereo setup" is no longer a goal for the majority. Few people these days I talk with, and none of the younger generation, have the goal of creating a high-end stereo system. Most don't even care about decent surround sound for movies. Most actually cannot even understand why I have spent so much money on speakers and components over the years. I get the impression that all that matters to the younger folks is how much it cost, and how loud it goes. The topic of accurate sound only comes up from the delusional fans of vinyl that just like to repeat fallacies about how great vinyl is, yet they then show you a turntable that is part of an all-in-one system with speakers and amp all built into a cheap cabinet and sold at WalMart. :-) They just don't get it that even if their source material was good, they have no capability to hear the detail. As long as the music is audible they just don't care. Stereo and audio shops have an almost impossible mission. Most I know of including my McIntosh dealer are specializing mostly in system install work for high end homes and business, and do not have much of a showroom presence, or gear in stock. It's a pretty dead retail niche unless you plan to have more for sale than high end stereo gear. Honestly Best Buy is one of the only retail stores in the area that has a selection of various audio gear and much of it has to still be special ordered as all that is in stock are the displays. It's not just about the internet and online sales, it's a change in perspective, a paradigm shift of sorts. We no longer need to go and listen as the goal for over 60 years has been for the top manufacturers to produce a neutral sound. There is no real need any longer to "match" specific components to get an acceptable sound across the system, even though we hear audio geeks argue about it. It might or might not be true but the people who care about the slight difference in sound are not the majority, rather a very tiny minority. The general public of the last few generations has a completely different view of what matters. A few decades ago every teenage boy wanted to have a stack of stereo components. That is now insane to most who play their MP3 files on a portable Bluetooth linked speaker and have no idea why that is not HiFi :-) They don't care, and never will. They are the future. |
@decooney I am fortunate to have an awesome high end dealer within an hour of me. I'm in NE Ohio, and he's in Western PA, very close to Pitt. Mark at Northern Audio. He has done something similar. On the ground floor of his building there is a top notch record store. Easily the best and biggest selection of vinyl around these parts. Within the record store are several set ups of entry level TT's and systems. All a curious customer needs to do is ask a few questions and they can be directed to the wonderland on the top floor. The place is a real gem. Mark is a great guy and I trust him totally. When I head that way it's like I am back in a warm sweatshirt, in my comfort zone, among my people. I feel the issue is that for the next two generations there is a great competition with other activities to engage in. Be it video games, sports worship, gambling etc.. (lets face it, it seems like according to ad's, all the next two generations want to do is drink, bet, play video games..) But I think Mark is on to something to attract folks who are looking for something more meaningful, more tactile and satisfying. When I worked at one of the two real HIFI shops in my town, The Speaker Shop, The winds of change were blowing us toward whole house systems, in wall speakers and surround sound A/V. We adapted and did very well. IMO the fads will come and go. We may not return to some of the "Golden Days" of HIF like the 50's and 60's, but I really do believe our lovely world is alive and well. IT may not be mainstream and super popular, but that's ok in my book. |
To help bridge the generation and sales gap some, my local audiophile level dealer set up a small used vinyl section and started selling small quality tube headphone amplifiers. Also started with a small selection of affordable turntables to get them in the door. It worked. Now they come in and see other stuff, and start asking questions. They sit and listen some, in wonder. They look at used trade-in gear on the side shelves too. Now some are ready to save for that next piece of gear like all of us did as scrappers growing up. I still think there is some hope, we’ll see. |
I used to live in Vancouver (I'm 67) and I remember Joe Weber very well! I bought several components from him including a pair of Mirage M3si speakers and a Tice power conditioner. He was sort of a curmudgeon but a great guy to deal with. During that period in Portland (late 90's, early ought's) there were several good stores in Portland and I got to know a few of them well enough so that they would call me when something interesting came in or when they had a great deal on a piece they wanted to move. I bought my Krell KSA 300S amplifier that way. Krell was coming out with a new model and the dealer wanted to get rid of their demo. The store called me up and offered me the amp at a great price and I said, "Sold!" The good old days..... |
I'm 71 and I live in the suburbs of Washington DC. We had Audio Associates and Myer Emco -- both now just a memory. We do have Deja Vu Audio in VA suburbs. https://dejavu-audio.com/index.html and in Baltimore suburbs we have Just Audio Nowadays the millennials are consuming their music with Apple AirPods. Portable and discrete. But I think money has a lot to do with it. Millennia's don't seem to have the disposable income that I we had years ago.
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I’m 61. I live in a smaller community in eastern Ky, population 25k maybe. Back in the mid 70’s Flatwoods had it’s one and only ever Hi-Fi Audio Store! It was called Sound Impulse. I was only around 15 when I first started going there. We walked, because we weren’t driving yet. We couldn’t wait to get there ! We oohed and awed and drooled over all the gear ! The staff and owner were extremely knowledgeable and friendly! They understood that we were financially challenged and sacked groceries at a local grocery store, but they still treated us with dignity. They had both new and trade-in gear. They’d let you layaway too. This younger crowd, they have no sense of worth, value, quality nor taste ! I ask you, what will they have to remember or cherish years down the road ? I believe that we were and still are much better off ! We lived the golden age of audio ! We were waiting for the next Led Zeppelin / Pink Floyd / Eagles albums to come out !!! Things are not the same, they never will be again. The best thing about the Internet to me, is the fact that I can hunt down the pieces I couldn’t afford back then. I can learn how to service and repair it and also find the parts I need ! We are much better off ! We had the best of both worlds !!! |
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Some of it may come down to the astronomical rent retailers have to pay compared to the twentieth century, which is the same reason you have to pay ten bucks for a thimble of beer these days. If you're a businessman, opening a retail audio store is not a good bet. Plus, as others have pointed out, the internet has made straight to consumer a more attractive business model. Such a shame. |
I think the younger generation is satisfied with mediocrity. "Meh...good enough" seems to be the way of the young Americans. Beats headphones connected wirelessly to your iPhone sound pretty good until you hear a good mid fi 2 channel rig. Ditto the wireless JBL portable waterproof powered speakers. My rig was down for repairs for 6 months and my audio was from a blue tooth JBL boom box. I got used to it the way you get used to an old chick- when my rig came home I put on some Allen Parsons and literally had a tear in my eye. I had forgotten how wonderful music can sound. This begs a question- of the next gen hears really good 2 channel will they dice in or will they even care? I think the latter as half assing things is what they seem to do best. |
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, |
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... |
