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What’s really hurting the audio hobby?

Maybe it’s the audio dealer experience? Where else can newbies go to get started in this hobby. Isn't that where most of you got hooked?  Let me describe my latest visit to an audio store nearby. I won’t use the store name here, as that’s not the point.  Where I live there is really only one audio store left. That’s strange because I live in a very wealthy community. The Friday after Independence day, me and a friend went to this local audio store.  First time back there in years. We are both looking to upgrade. They have 3 audio rooms and two home theater rooms. The hi-end audio room (the store’s term) was an impressive room with extensive acoustic treatments. Mostly McIntosh gear. Sitting in the listening chair, you are looking at 600 watt Mac monoblocks running some nice tower speakers. A massive JL Audio Gotham subwoofer unit sat front and center facing the only listening chair. The McIntosh turntable was spun first. Sloooowww. It took my friend less than five seconds to point out the TT was running slow. The salesman had started to play Pink Floyd-Wish You Were Here, and it was noticeably slow. So the salesman flipped the switch to 45 rpm. Yes, that happened. He figured out it was too fast all on his own. Fiddle and poke at the TT for a bit and then the salesman said- "I’ll let them know it’s broke". Then he said he would just stream some music from a server. Bass! All you could hear was bass, and NOT good bass. He turned the subs down a little when asked, but all you could hear was tubby, muddy bass. The big tower speakers were overpowered by the sub.  I really wanted to hear what the main speakers alone sounded like, but could not get the salesman to shut off the subs.  On to the mid-fi room (the store’s term). The salesman tried to play us two different turntables. Neither turntable worked. One would not power up, and one was not hooked up to a system at all. Let me point out we didn’t care what source they used. I did say we both run analog and digital sources. Nothing interesting in the mid-fi room the first time through. Next room (no name) was a wall of bookshelf and small towers run by a wide selection of integrated amps. Not bad sound from some. Again, we were told this is “streaming quality audio”. This was the third time he mentioned we were listening to streaming quality audio. I took a guess at what that meant and asked if we could hear higher quality audio. So he took us back to the mid-fi room. He popped in a CD.I could not tell what CD equipment was being used. I think a Rotel integrated was selected. Everything in the cabinet was black faced behind dark glass. Not sure what CD it was either, but since he only had one, I let it go.

Big change! The Paradigm towers were now making good sounds. A big difference from his “streaming quality” demo. Next we switched to a pair of GE Triton 1s. I seriously might get a pair! They make nice sounds. By far the best thing we heard. There was more that happened that contributed to a poor experience, but I will move on.

Here is my point- What would anyone new to the hobby think of that experience? It took two seasoned audio guys pushing the salesman for over an hour before he played anything worth listening to. Would you buy anything from this place. Would you send a newbie in there? Let me know if I'm off base in thinking these audio stores are killing themselves off by the way they do business. Or is it just my misfortune that I have not been in a good dealer showroom in years?

vinylfan62

Showing 8 responses by vinylfan62

vinylfan62 OP
119 posts
 
Elizabeth, I sort of see your point. But I hadn’t been back to the audio dealer I wrote about in years because of the previous experiences I had there. There were other dealers in the area that received my business. Those other dealers are closed now. I guess my group of audiophile friends didn’t spend enough to keep them afloat. I will take my business to a shop across the river. They don’t carry much high end equipment. But they are new and are trying hard to serve customers. Nice people to work with too. I bet they can order some items even if they are not a dealer of that brand. No other stores within 50 miles. 
vinylfan62 OP
119 posts
 
Would people be interested in a new thread to talk about the good dealers? I have heard of some mentioned in this post like Echo and Gig Harbor. That’s impressive since they are halfway across the country from here. There are many more I’m sure.  
vinylfan62 OP
119 posts
 

I agree with the comments here about the interest in better sound being driven by the love of music. I think it has to be. For me, it started when I was a musician in a band. I noticed when we piped music through the PA system between sets, it sounded better than my home system. Not just louder, but better in many ways. I'm a drummer and the PA system made instruments and vocals sound more real than my receiver and speakers from Pacific Stereo. So instead of heading back to Pacific (or the CMC Stereo that was across the street from it) I went into a real audio shop. The salesman there took the time to explain some audio basics and demonstrate the differences. Knowing I was a drummer he played a few tracks on different systems. He said, “notice how the cymbals don’t sound like sandpaper blocks rubbing together”. That was the lightbulb moment! That salesman was my first audio mentor and I spent a lot of time and money in that shop. I don’t think my experience is unique. How many of you got started in a similar way? My post was kind of a lament that new people trying to get into this hobby are less likely to have this kind of an experience.

vinylfan62 OP
119 posts
 

The positive news is, I think there is a good chance that all the interest in vinyl from the younger crowd could entice some of them to want better sound. I recently went to a tent sale for used CDs and records. The place was packed. I saw people in their 20s and 30s buying huge stacks of records. The interest in music is certainly there. To me, that’s more important than the interest in high-end audio. However, one young lady in our group asked me where to go to get a better turntable and possibly better speakers. The disease is contagious! The bug to have better sound will bite some of these folks. How they learn about better sound, and the opportunity to experience it, is not as easy as it once was. I'm happy to help. Sharing my knowledge and my passion for music and sound helps me enjoy the hobby. I just wish there were more people interested these days. Does this describe many of you as well?

vinylfan62 OP
119 posts
 
Keegiam you are spot on. I didn’t realize music programs had been cut so severely in the US, until I read it here and did some research. That’s so unfortunate. If people never get exposed to a wider range of music, played by professional musicians, they have no idea it exists. How are young people exposed to anything other than the popular music of their generation?  I think a lot of that happened in our educational programs of the past. Now that this is no longer available in this country it makes sense there is a decline in interest. I bet this is not the case in other countries. 
vinylfan62 OP
119 posts
 
In the original post I talked about a bad dealer experience and how that might keep people from learning about better sound. I find so few people who have ever experienced really good hi-fi. Because of that, most scoff at the idea. They don’t think it exists, or place no value in it. Davekacy, you are like me in that music is an emotional experience. The better the sound the deeper my response to it. I joke that music is my therapy (along with some top shelf bourbon). But I’m not really kidding. And let’s face it, more people in this world could use some method to decompress. People everywhere seem angrier these days.
New acquaintances find it strange when I say I watch very little TV and instead listen to music most nights. If I tell them I also spend time crate digging or surfing streaming sites to find new music, like poke77 does, their eyes roll back. But when I get them to come listen to my rig things often change. Not always, but often. I play people music that they are familiar with and their reaction is often a treat. It’s fun when people look at you and say “I’ve heard this song a thousand times but never really heard it”.  Some have been bitten by the audio bug this way. 
My point is that exposure to real quality sound has to happen first. Where are people getting that taste these days.  
vinylfan62 OP
119 posts
 
Yyzsantabarbara, thanks for posting the link. This article is encouraging. I guess my perception that the the love of music and quality sound is dying was thankfully not true. And the article points out as you do, that younger people are more interested than I knew. I need to try harder to seek out these people. That’s where you learn about new music (new to me, anyway) and great gear that I haven’t heard.  
vinylfan62 OP
119 posts
 
I seem to have hit a nerve with some of you. Toolfan69, you are right that this post would not endear a newcomer to this hobby. I wasn’t trying to be negative about the hobby. I did not anticipate how far ranging the responses would be. I do think it has been a valuable discussion and I appreciate all the opinions and information that has been offered here. That should have positive value to anyone- new or veteran. 
 In my original post I wanted to point out that it’s just plain hard to hear quality audio these days.  And hard to find an audio dealer that offers a good experience. Maybe that’s just in my area.  But to me that’s typically what gets people interested- good sounding audio and someone knowledgeable to help guide you. Yes, I did stick around that dealer trying to learn what they carry and hear new equipment. I’m not new to the hobby and I knew the gear in that store was quality stuff, even if not demo’d to its full advantage. But if I WAS new, I felt the experience would have been negative and that concerned me. Thus the post. I didn’t name the dealer. I’m not mad at them or trying to hurt their business. 
Jimclarkstereo, when I do buy, I support any dealer I’ve worked with. I’m still interested in those Golden Ear Triton Ones I heard there. If I buy them it will be from that dealer. I will try to seek out the owner if I go back there.
As I mentioned, I did find a great dealer about an hour from here. It’s far, but he carries PMC, and those sound great as well. Buying from him is very likely. Getting the lowest price won’t be the driver in my decision but I appreciate and respect your points on the subject. I want to be able to shop at quality audio dealers and experience new gear. I don’t want B&M stores to disappear. 
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