I think it would be reasonable for the dealer to charge a fee for the audition, which would count toward the purchase price if you decide to buy. 20 years ago I would have thought that to have been absurd, but times have changed
Auditioning Used Equipment - Am I crazy ?
I reached out to a well respected dealer to see if I could audition an amp they had advertised on one of the used gear websites. This amp sells for over $20k and they were asking around $10k. This mfgr only has 12 dealers nationwide. I've heard their extreme high end equipment at shows but not this particular line. To my surprise, the dealer responded No. The unit was already boxed up to ship (hasn't been sold yet) and they wouldn't set it up for me. So my questions are:
Am I crazy asking to audition a component priced at $10k ?
For any dealers or dealer salespeople, is there a dollar amount where u turn auditions down at ? What is it ?
For consumers, is there a dollar amount that you would buy a component and roll the dice without auditioning it ?
Thanks !
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- 58 posts total
@mahler123 I actually wouldn't have a problem doing that depending on the fee. The only reason I purchased a pair of speakers from them a year ago was because the salesperson spent some time (30 min) with me evaluating amps for a different rig. |
@testpilot hit the nail on the head. Some people complain that the hobby is losing interest. Maybe they are driving customers to Magnolia and on-line? One of their competitive advantages is brick and mortar. |
Maybe you could have started your conversation with the dealer with something like this, "I bought a pair of XYZ speakers from you a while back and am now looking for and amp that would pair well with them. I see you have a used ABC amp listed on line in my price range and am wondering how that would work for me and if there's a possibility I could listen to the pairing?" Now you've presented yourself as an interested customer and not just a tire-kicker. If the dealer does not respond in kind, move on. |
- 58 posts total