Quote Originally Posted by Barry View Post
Hello Alistair,

Sorry to learn of your disappointing visit to an audio dealer near you. Whilst I respect your wish not 'to name names', a simple search suggests a likely name. Clicking on their name shows that they have very good customer reviews, but have also received a few very bad reviews. No-one expects any seller to have a 100% satisfaction record; there are always some who like to complain, but the treatment you were given is unjustified and will do little for their reputation.

Often high street outlets are reluctant to spend a lot of time in providing in-store demonstrations is that a likely customer will thank them for the demo, will go away and 'think about it', and then buy the components on-line for a lower outlay.

So what I suggest is for you to describe your intended listening room in detail, providing photographs if possible, showing the disposition of all doors and windows, and where you intend to place furnishings. We have Members here who might be able to advise, and perhaps sell you and deliver a suitable system.

Don't give up.
As a dealer it's difficult to pick the genuine from the tyre kickers when booking a demo. Demonstrations can go on for hours and occasionally days and end with "I have to think about it, have to sell the old one first, boiler/car need work, gone to get my c/card from the car, waiting for my inheritance to come through" and even had a customer ordering a very expensive system only to phone the next day to cancel because "his Wife had been diagnosed with MS and he had to buy a wheelchair and other aids". Found out he was lying when another dealer phoned to tell me the customer was phoning around for a bigger discount. How could he live with himself using his Wife's (false) illness as the excuse.

You need to take account that numerous dealers work on commission either for the staff or for the shop. In this way you are unlikely to get honest advice or an unbiased demonstration. They will sell the most lucrative products.

I work on my own and genuinely do my best to help a potential customer to get the best system for his/her money but it's not always appreciated. I've always done the utmost to assemble good value systems from decent companies because not all systems are equal and there is an awful lot of dross out there. People often ask "what system do you have ?" My answer is anything I take off the shelf and plug in because I believe in it all. I don't spend my hard earned on rubbish.

Magazines are another source of misinformation because they rely on advertising to survive. At one time the circulations were sufficient to pay the wages and the mags could easily pay for themselves but now with circulation figures so low, they need the advertising. The last thing they can do is to give any product an iffy review because that could kill the advertising revenue.

It's a dangerous world out there.