what is it in audio that you dislike most?



Hello everyone,

The positives in the audio hobby are extensive. incredible preserntations. sound which reaches out and grabs you physically and emotionally. it can be both soothing and exciting simultaneously.

despite its innate attraction, from time to time there is something related to the audio past time that can be absolutely irritating, disparaging, or is just plain offputting.

Now and then there is soemthing in the presentation, or at a dealership/seller you simply can not abide.

maybe it is how you were/are treated in a dealership or showroom by the salesman. Maybe its just his or her attitude that hits you wrong.

could be the system being shown is setup incorrectly.

could be too that various components are not even plugged in properly and the supposed demo is just clumsy and unprofessional.

maybe even the speakers have not been appropriately configured to the space, or the amp to speaker matching is off, reversed, or out of phase.

worse still, various items are not run in well.

Perhaps all is great at the showroom or show but in the sonic depiction there is no bass, or not enough, or it is merely a one note affair.

could be its a bright shrill, top end.

as well, maybbe you hate to find the demonstration dry or without detail and without depth.

what is the thing in or about audio dealers, demos, or listening that you find unacceptable, irritating, or that you simply will not put up with for long, or at all?

Examples
1 A sterile or analytical presentations. highly detailed yet uninvolving.
2 A bright strident top end.
3 ill defined imaging
4 Poor lower range representation.
5 A dealers condescending attitude " if they don't sell it, it is not worth owning."
6 Dealers that say, Why in the world would you want tubes and all that distortion they bring to the table?
7 Dealers that say Yes, we are an authorized seller of XYZ but we don't inventory any of their products, but we can order them for you.
8 no dealerships near by.
9 snake oil
10 price
etc....

I'm sure you've run across something about the sound or the transaction experience which you have found
makes you walk away, or want to turn it off.

what is it IYO?

thanks
blindjim
16 years ago, I bought a turntable, arm, and cartridge rig from a well-known retailer and I paid the high end price.

A month or so later, the retailer called me and said he had to ask me for another $2000. There must have been some miscalculation.

I did pay him, but I didn’t like it.
Tech snobs
BS
Inadequate bass, and bass bloom
Extreme tweeters (mostly horns) assaulting my bony labyrinth

...but so far I have experienced only good and happy personal interchanges with buyers and sellers on Audiogon!
Tidal and Spotify search engines which do not
provide an option to search for Composers of classical music and the use of first names rather than surnames for search purposes. Who on earth would think to search for Chopin under F?
Thin sounding music with no thump. Very little impact that some folk call neutral. It can be crystal clear, but without some dynamics, I'm not a fan

mahgister
People who swear by measuring rod,

blindjim>
there is wisdom in that line.
specs have their place, but it is ears and heart that pays for it in the end.


rickallen
Snobbery.  ... when someone gets uppity or condescending or judgmental even, it really grinds my gears.

blindjim>
I've no clue where an arrogant attitude came on board in the Audio industry, but in numerous such venues, it sure did!

in not one sales tactics or salesmanship handbook have I read where a succesful way to close a deal is to belittle the buyer or come off demeaning competition or as you said, direct someone to buy this or that as it appears to suit them, without the buyer being ihn accordance with the item being offered.

I used to get really offended by those who thought they could read my mind or make it up for me.

now it makes me laugh and just ask for the owner, and let the owner know why they lost the sale. then see if the owner tries to salvage the deal.

locally I've gone into audio shops and left nearly as quickly as I walked in due to the shop's inherent lack of product knowledge and or a salesman's attitude that leans heavily on intimidation or arrogance and not properly qualifying desires and ability of the buyer properly.

in fact I'll never return there though they mnay have exactly what I want. life is too short.



jameswei
16 years ago, I bought a turntable, arm, and cartridge rig from a well-known retailer and I paid the high end price.

A month or so later, the retailer called me and said he had to ask me for another $2000. There must have been some miscalculation.

I did pay him, but I didn’t like it.

blindjim>
wow. you are one helluva guy.
that dealer would not have seen more $$$ from me on that deal.

well, not without a gun in his hands.

sorry. I have a long standing policy.
all deals once agreed to and paidin full, are final and the buyer is not allowed to make additional payments.

so far that policy has been flawless in its implementation and application and it seems to work for both parties.

I did run across a dealer that enjoyed naming one price in the showroom and at the register enjoyed it just as much to increase the price.

I said we need to go back into the demo room and pay for this thing. paying at the register costs too much!

yeah. really. and more than once

nice enough guy but i guess he deals with a lot of alzheimer paitients., or may be one himself.