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What's your experience with snooty HiFi salesmen?

I began my Hifi journey in 1976 at a shop in Birmingham MI called Audio Dimensions. He was a Magnapan and ARC dealer who was kind to a 15 year old kid who bought a set of MG 1s with paper route money. The ARC amps he carried were about $4K back then- a LOT of money in 1976. In the beginning I drove my MG 1s with an old Fisher Studio Standard integrated amp. Since those lovely innocent days I have encountered some real buttholes. They act like they are doing me a favor as they quiz me about what gear I have and if I'm listening to "approved" recordings. Needless to say I don't buy from those guys. Several wives and businesses later I'm back into the hobby with a much vengeance as a 61 year old  can muster given only so many free hours in a day and only so much cash to apply due to my other vices: Classic cars and salt water fishing. 

Have you ever encountered a really good or really bad dealer (or employee) that changed your buying actions?

Darko posted a video on this topic which I found really enjoyable. Many of you have already seen it but for those (like me) who discovered it much later here's the link: 

https://darko.audio/2022/09/audiophiles-are-snobs-with-money-to-burn/

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Showing 3 responses by upshift

upshift
66 posts
 

@richopp 

I enjoyed the time period in South Florida you mentioned.  I moved down here in '82 and there were a number of good local shops.  

upshift
66 posts
 

@richopp 

Interesting, I moved to Boca in '82. At that time I had my "dream system" from when I graduated from college.  Worked a second job teaching at a community college and that went towards my first big system:

Infinity Monitor IIa speakers

Phase Linear 700B

Soundcraftsman Preamp/Equalizer

Rabco Tonearm mounted on a Technics Direct Drive Platter

Still in Boca now.

upshift
66 posts
 

@richopp 

Thanks, I did have the 700B worked on once but it and the Infinities are in semi-retirement now.  I rebuilt my system a little over a year ago.  I was familiar with the Audio Center.and bought some things there over the years. I was in contact with them when I was first in the market a year ago but he had to move out, after the covid shutdown the landlord jacked up the rent so he had to move out.  I know what you mean about the changes here, between the taxes and the insurance we're contemplating a change.

Back on the topic, I rebuilt my system over the last year ago.  I had my Carver Siler7t amps rebuilt as the base and worked with the folks at Crutchfield.  They have knowledgeable experts in many areas and will spend the time with you to get to the right components plus they have a 60 day return policy. To start off I bought a Rogue Audio Sphinx V3 off of Audiogon to go with the Carver amps.  Then from Crutchfield I filled out the rest of the system with a Pro-ject Turntable, BlueSound Node Streamer and a pair of Wharfdales.  Everything was good but I was not totally pleased with the vocals on the Whardales so I returned them and moved to a pair of Martin-Logan ESL X speakers.  They are fantastic!

I'm now in the market for a tube based preamp but Crutchfield does not handle any tube equipment so I'm still doing some research and looking around. 

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