Would you pay to audition speakers

Agree with Tvad. Wait for the "going out of business, everything must go" sale, and then strut in there with your best sh*t-eating grin.

"most people on this site USE dealers to demo equipment, then come here to buy it used or from someone selling new at used prices to save some cash when they had zero intentions on buying new"

Arbuckle, How do you know this? What statistically reliable methodology did you use, in order to feel confident enough to insult the majority of audiogon's members?

On the whole, dealers are their own worst enemies. How many times has it been said on this forum, that putting together a system with all of its components contributing to their full potential, requires a lot more effort than just opening ones wallet. I've had enough dealings with audio retailers to think quite little of most of them. Come on guys, I'll bet we all heard some of the pretty crappy systems that resulted from people putting their faith and bank accounts in the hands of dealers who turned out to be little more than fast talking order takers. I'll bet there are many more music lovers than there are audio hobbyists, and if retailers would get their heads straight and were willing to do the kind of work necessary to establish trust and long term good will, they'd find that Audiogon and the used/discount market would have negligible impact on their business.

In retrospect, I can think of one instance in which it might be fair to charge for an audition: If one is asking a dealer to either order something from a line that he doesn't ordinarily carry or bring in an expensive reference piece from a line he does carry but will have to front the money himself, then I can understand his being concerned that if the sale doesn't go through, he might have to offer the item at a heavy discount in order to move it.