Rip off British Hi-Fi Industry

[Filterlab]

Not a clue, possibly but I haven't looked into that, only the permissions for normal mods.

[Alan]

There seems to be a generalisation in this thread that internet retailers/manufacturers can or do offer almost no service at all, this being the main reason why this (not yet fully fledged) revolution in Hifi retail won't succeed. Not my experience at all:

I will get no thanks for bringing these examples up, but Stan's service from Homehifi was excellent, even recommending and sourcing a BNC/phono adaptor for my Cambridge CD6 last year (it should have had phono fitted). You may laugh, but I hadn't seen a BNC connection before - why should I have done? - But Stan didn't make me feel awkward about my ignorance at all. Nor did he charge me. I cannot give any endorsements of similar nature to a dealer near me, who seemed to disdain anyone without their knowledge(?) of this seasons gear. I am a happy Beresford 6/3 owner, and I heard about it in Forums.

I have to say that Richard with NVA also has gone far and beyond the bounds of mere 'service', even bailing me out of a serious mis-judgement on my part with a second hand purchase gone wrong. I cannot imagine recieving such attention at 90% of dealers (or anyone else) as it took time, hassle and left him out of pocket. It is along story, Which I will not recount as it may open floodgates for Richard, but it culminated in a very happy listener indeed. Yet the dealer I mentioned charged a fortune for some terminations a while back and left me feeling I had been taken for a ride.:

So as far as certain dealers 'add' value with good service, certain manufacturers do also, and without the extra cost.

I'm not saying one way is better than the other, I don't have the experience for that; but as a music lover (with an interest in hifi) on a budget, I welcome this new approach, and not just as an angry, overcharged punter or a professional who seeks to influence a change for the better, but as a newcomer.

It really does (and will) work.

[Marco]

Good post, Alan.

The thing is, as long as you're dealing with genuine people like Stan and Richard you won't go wrong. Whether they're running their businesses on-line or from a retail premises, their values remain the same.

However this also applies to many good dealers up and down the country who operate from a high street shop. Unfortunately you don't seem to have encountered them.

Marco.

[WikiBoy]

Good post, Alan.

The thing is, as long as you're dealing with genuine people like Stan and Richard you won't go wrong. Whether they're running their businesses on-line or from a retail premises, their values remain the same.

However this also applies to many good dealers up and down the country who operate from a high street shop. Unfortunately you don't seem to have encountered them.

Marco.

But then they charge twice as much for doing it - you cannot get over this fact Marco, no matter how you try.

[Marco]

You keep going on about price.

Price isn't the be-all-and-end-all of everything, Richard.

You're just on a 'crusade' and can't admit there are *some* knowledgeable and genuine dealers out there, but I'm not going to get into another argument with you about it

Marco.

[WikiBoy]

You keep going on about price.

Price isn't the be-all-and-end-all of everything, Richard.

You're just on a 'crucade' and can't admit there are *some* knowledgeable and genuine dealers out there, but I'm not going to get into another argument with you about it

Marco.

I might go on a "crucade" if I knew what it was, but I definitely wouldn't be on a crook-ade which it seems most hi-fi retailers are on

LOGIC - same service and no disadvantages, as Allan stresses, but twice the price - there is *no* saving argument from this fact.

[Marco]

Sorry, typo!

Whatever keeps you happy. As I said, I won't be arguing with you round and round in circles about it.

I think you need a new 'ranting' subject though, as this one has been done to death and most people are bored with it now. You might wish to bear this in mind

Marco.

[WikiBoy]

Sorry, typo!

Whatever keeps you happy. As I said, I won't be arguing with you round and round in circles about it.

I think you need a new 'ranting' subject though, as this one has been done to death and most people are bored with it now. You might wish to bear this in mind

Marco.

I shall never get over ranting about this one until like the dinosaurs they are consigned to bones in museums. Anyway you keep feeding me lines, so I have to respond.

Anyway basic misconception, I am not here to entertain others - but to entertain myself.

[Marco]

Here's another 'line' for you to chew on, Richard, and it's my last on this subject.

From this month's Hi-fi News magazine in the 'Hi-fi @ Home' article, where a reader's system is featured every month:

The reader, John, says about his dealer (Trevor Martin from Guildford Audio - someone I have also dealt with on a regular basis; and a member of this forum):

With hi-fi it's not so much what's good and bad, it's about what synergises. There's lots of good kit about, but it has to be properly matched. And that's where a really good dealer will help, by going to some lengths to get it right. Trevor is very good at that.

Hear, hear!

Well done, Trevor - and he's not alone

Marco.

[WikiBoy]

Here's another 'line' for you to chew on, Richard, and it's my last on this subject.

From this month's Hi-fi News magazine in the 'Hi-fi @ Home' article, where a reader's system is featured every month:

The reader, John, says about his dealer (Trevor Martin from Guildford Audio - someone I have also dealt with on a regular basis; and a member of this forum):



Hear, hear!

Well done, Trevor

Marco.

So one part of the mafia is telling you how brilliant another part of the mafia is. "Now where is my advertising" slurp slurp!

This is the major problem in the industry - people who set themselves up as experts with minimal knowledge, next to no technical savvy, but a good line in marketing bullshit. That is the motivation in becoming a retailer - to sell. Everything else about themselves and their abilities is *marketing*.

Anyone apart from a total newby has the basics of what is needed to match equipment and if they haven't then they have two strange things on the sides of their heads to help them. Why do you think punters should rely on proxy strange things on the sides of someone elses head who has a good line in bullshit and whos only motivation is to make money from you!!!!

For newbys, retailers used to be essential, and also they became cannon fodder for the NLP (they have been the food and fodder for the hi-fi mafia ever since). Now they have on-line help from experienced users - #1 loss of purpose for a retailer.

Experienced users - what the F' do they need a retailer for, apart from to buy a product that is controlled and only sold through retail. So I am trying to get people to see they don't need them and then more and more manufacturers will go direct. And now also there is *community* for the propogation of information not just the marketing NLP - #2 loss of purpose for a retailer.

There ain't a #3 so bye-bye! not so good knowing you, close the door and switch the lights off on the way out of the industry.