I went on a four state speaker tour when shopping for my last pair. I pretty much knew qualities what i was looking for when i left and once i heard the speakers that gave it the shopping was pretty much reduced to clarification of the obvious choice. While on this tour I had similar experiences with the shops to those Mac had. A few were very cooperative and actually knew their equipment, a couple didn't care what i wanted for sound qualities they just wanted to sell what they had and tried to convince me why they knew my needs better than I, and a couple should have stuck to bose. When i described the speaker characteristics i was looking for their eyes glazed and rolled around in their heads.
I kind of agree with you gotta try it at home thing but i really have to side with Ozfly about well treated audition room giving you a better sence of what the speaker will do so you can shoot for that target in your own space.
I auditioned the speakers i ultimately ended up with in a killer room at Audio Vidio lodgic in Desmoins Iowa. I ended up buying used but i still plug them because they are incredibly helpful, they listen to what you want and know how to get you there within the limitations of their selection. I haven't got my room to sound like theirs yet but i know my goal.
I recently listened to a pair of Wilson Max speakers in a very nicely treated room backed with about $150k of gear. I finally hear the sence of space around the instruments in a truely realistic manner...you could tell the room size the guy was playing in! That same system would never achieve that at my place. Best system i've ever heard but given my room limitations my system is a way better choice at about 10% of the cost.
I kind of agree with you gotta try it at home thing but i really have to side with Ozfly about well treated audition room giving you a better sence of what the speaker will do so you can shoot for that target in your own space.
I auditioned the speakers i ultimately ended up with in a killer room at Audio Vidio lodgic in Desmoins Iowa. I ended up buying used but i still plug them because they are incredibly helpful, they listen to what you want and know how to get you there within the limitations of their selection. I haven't got my room to sound like theirs yet but i know my goal.
I recently listened to a pair of Wilson Max speakers in a very nicely treated room backed with about $150k of gear. I finally hear the sence of space around the instruments in a truely realistic manner...you could tell the room size the guy was playing in! That same system would never achieve that at my place. Best system i've ever heard but given my room limitations my system is a way better choice at about 10% of the cost.