Your dealer has worse gear than you...

[John7]

What do you do, when you have finally arranged a demo of that expensive piece of equipment at your favoured dealer, when what he partners it with is worse than you have at home? And he thinks it's wonderful!

Change your dealer, I hear you all say...

But he at least gave you that chance.

This is prompted by a local dealer who was so, so happy to have a turntable playing through the amp I have, to demo a phono pre-amp he was hoping to sell lots of. The TT was about a tenth of the cost of mine. And sounded it...

Comments?

Yo Obama!

[Rare Bird]

See you have the old Monitor Audio 'MA1'! :thumbsup:

[The Grand Wazoo]

Well, I'd say it was time to negotiate for him to pay you a visit at home with the item you're interested in.

[RobbieGong]

What do you do, when you have finally arranged a demo of that expensive piece of equipment at your favoured dealer, when what he partners it with is worse than you have at home? And he thinks it's wonderful!

Change your dealer, I hear you all say...

But he at least gave you that chance.

This is prompted by a local dealer who was so, so happy to have a turntable playing through the amp I have, to demo a phono pre-amp he was hoping to sell lots of. The TT was about a tenth of the cost of mine. And sounded it...

Comments?
Yo Obama!

I dont know what to say John ..... I cant stop looking at your Avatar !!! :stalks: :lol:

[Ali Tait]

Yeah, I've let John borrow her for the weekend.

[Dingdong]

Explain the situation politely with the dealer and see if he'll do a home demo. If he believes you are a serious buyer hopefully he'll agree.

[SCIDB]

HI,

Get a home dem. If you are buying expensive gear, you need to do it.

[nat8808]

Isn't it like conkers? The winner takes on his customers and his job..

Sounds like this dealer has reached his limits of a good, aspirational impression with you.. If you like him, I'd see him now more of an audiophile friend who you might occasionally buy something off.

[Firebottle]

I dont know what to say John ..... I cant stop looking at your Avatar !!! :stalks: :lol:

My vinyl collection needs cleaning, can I send them round :lol:

:cool: Alan

[John]

Think best either home demo or sale and return. Once your system at a certain level its the only way

[prestonchipfryer]

I dont know what to say John ..... I cant stop looking at your Avatar !!! :stalks: :lol:


Yeah but her tongue is in the wrong place!

[walpurgis]

Have you noticed that a lot of dealers have a resident system they keep rigged up largely for their own entertainment and usually it doesn't sound great because they keep 'box swapping' and never get the whole thing quite right.

I'm convinced many seemingly enthusiastic Hi-Fi retail staff really don't have a clue. (I'm probably going to cop some flack from the trade side here)

[Reffc]

I stopped auditioning at my local dealership when they began to tell me how kit sounded or how good it was ("good" usually meaning expensive). They once got rather snotty when I told them I didn't like what I was listening to. I didn't go back.

The best dealership in the area (now sadly gone) used to leave you to it and was very obliging with cups of coffee and music and would also not waste anyone's time once he got to know them with kit that he thought unsuited to their systems or tastes (but at least you got the option).

More often than not, I was rarely left thinking that I was short changed by what I had at home, but occasionally, just occasionally, a gem of a system would be partnered at the dealership what would make my jaw drop. It first happened when I listened to a system based around a MFA1000 amp driving Sonus Faber Extrema stand mounters with a Wadia CDP I think as the source. I remember chuckling at the diminutive little speakers but soon shut up when the music started. Utterly captivating if compromised in outright scale. Only have had a few of those moments since then, usually listening to kit that I can't afford!

[John7]

See you have the old Monitor Audio 'MA1'! :thumbsup:

Yes, 1975 from KJ WestOne as they were at the time. I had the run of the demo room and had the MA1s versus Spendor BC3. I was able to play my favourite LPs and switch between the speakers.

After 4 or 5 hours, I decided on the MA1s.

They have had two tweeter replacements, one by Monitor Audio themselves to bring them up to Mk2 spec with improved crossover. One KEF B139 was replaced when it suddenly ceased to function and I have upgraded the capacitors and internal wiring. I may possibly replace the wire again, but I think that would be that. Probably time to get something else. Would like to get something similar, Spendor SP100R2, Harbeth 40.1 anything else to consider?

[John7]

I dont know what to say John ..... I cant stop looking at your Avatar !!! :stalks: :lol:

You should have been in the room... :drool::drool::drool:

[RobbieGong]

Yeah but her tongue is in the wrong place!

It's the deck that's in the wrong place! :eyebrows: lol: