recently i went to the local hi-end room--they have all the top majors because the shop was set up by a recording engineer. two owners later, most of the salesmen are selling names in sealed boxes for list price.
i had just came back from selling my speakers for cash--thousands of dollars in my pockets and the gold card and platnum cards raring to go. i was the preverbial sucker ready to be closed.
-i walked in the door to hear thiel 6's. if i could get demo's or negociate a discout, i wanted the thiels in my house that night.
- i made an appointment& came back an hour later. please set them up w/ levinson because it sounds closest to my big pass amps.
-i come back and there is the revel studios set up w/ proceed amps. OK--i'd love to hear them
-the studios are regularly discussed on AA--concerning there tweeter adjustments. i had previously heard them and read all the AA discussions about tow-in and the tweeters[2].
-the initial demo is w/ an audiophile cd which a number of prof'l reviewers use. the piano doesn't sound like a piano and the is upper mid/trebble: distortion/glare. the volumn is so high that it is uncomfortable to listen.
-i make the salesman turn down the volume and ask if we can adjust the speakers. why he asks????? the upper mid /lower trebble doesn't sound right. duke ellington's piano doesn't sound like a piano. THESE SPEAKERS ARE PERFECTLY NEUTRAL.
BUT COULD WE TRY TO ADJUST THE SOUND OR THE TOW-IN?? i've been to the revel factory and this sound is perfectly neutral!!!!!!!!. we chage cd's to a steve hoffman re-mix of bill evens. please don't keep the volumn so hi/
-now comes the lecture about how these speakers can only be used a concert levels. PLEASE CAN YOU SHOW ME HOW TO ADJUST THE FRONT AND REAR TWEETERS????? they are perfect.
-to make a long story short, the salesman insulted me. he had a demo special on the studios w/in my price range. after 30 minutes he kicked me out. i never heard the thiel 6's which i wanted to buy. i would have purchased the revel at the special price --lower than the thiels.
BESIDES BEING WITHOUT A CLUE OF HOW THE EQUIPMENT OPERATES, RUDE AND OFFENSIVE, this man finally convinced me the most bricks and mortor dealers deserve to fail in the market place. if the companies they rep ever realized the way their products are being handled, they might try direct marketing. it is such a shame. i don't mind paying higher prices for the dealer's time and service because it help's me make a better buying decision. i always try to use the local dealers because it is important that they survive so that we can actually hear new equipment and learn from them.
WHAT TO DO????????? manufactures need to spot check their dealers and not permit ignorant & rude sales people to rep their products. the manufacturers of high end eqipment must care about their end users & customers else they will be shooting themselves in the foot in the long run.
bob
