Would you trust a local dealer to help you put

Burt, prop. said:
"Moreover, I take issue with individual component reviews vs. system reviews. Brand X preamp may we highly touted and reference caliber but only when placed within certain systems. "

I couldn't agree more. Assembling a 'system' on the basis of 'best' of category is not a system.
As to Internet bloggers, just like professional reviewers, you need context- you need to know what their systems consist of (see your point above), what their obvious (and not so obvious) biases are (something that can be discerned if you read, at least in the case of professionals, their reviews over a period of time) and what they consider to be references.
The value of this site, and others, like audio chat groups, may not be so much the 'rave' user review or the occasional trend (everybody is using X) but broader ranging 'compatability' or 'synergy' issues, like your point above re system matching, as well as best practices for set-up, tweaking and the like across a variety of systems and user experiences.
Glad you are still passionate about hi-fi. It's not easy when it is your business and you have to deal with the constant demands made by customers, manufacturers, employees and the marketplace. As a hobbyist, it's comparatively easy.

"Moreover, I take issue with individual component reviews vs. system reviews. Brand X preamp may we highly touted and reference caliber but only when placed within certain systems. "

Yes, me too when the review does not address how the component under review performed as a result of being in that particular test system. Then people wrongly might expect similar results by buying that piece alone and will often end up disappointed. Reviewers that go on and on about the piece in question and ignore everything else that is part of their test scenarios loose credibility with me immediately.

What I want to know often is how test system A with test component A compares to reference system B. If it can compare then that at least tells you that test component A may not be a bottleneck if used properly.

i would take issue with seattle hi fi as to the propensity of consumers to configure a world class stereo system.

first what is considered worl;d class is based upon subjective criteria.

there are many standards for what is considered world class.

secondly, the stereo system which is most pleasing is probably the goal of most in this hobby.

i see no reason why a reasonably logical person could not
figure out how to create a stereo system which provides immense pleasure.

while i don't doubt the expertise of a dealer with experience and his ability to make intelligent suggestions, he is working within the constraint of the products he carries.

for example, i like planars. if a dealer does not carry panel speakers, it is a big disadvantage, as certain amps are more compatible with panels, while others are not.

a dealer who sells panel speakers knows this, but a dealer who has little experience may be unaware of problems such speakers present for amplifiers.

i think the best a dealer can do is point out a direction someone should go to achieve a goal, but it is upto the consumer to do the hard work.

i think the customer should make the decisions and the dealer hopefully can execute. unfortunately not all dealers carry the set of components that a customer wants to hear.

too often a customer has to visit multiple dealers to sample the components on a short list. in such a situation, the value of visiting four or more dealers and attaining something helpful is dubious.

I'm not adding to this thread to blow my own horn. Hardly - I keep a very low profile. But I was compelled to offer my insight as a dealer after reading about the poor dealership experiences by other audiogon members.

Margins have diminished over the years and trust me when I tell you that no dealer is getting rich in this economy.

As I see it, hifi dealers exist to serve the needs of their clients and the local music scene / music community.

I have no interest in getting into an argument - we can define "reference quality" however you would like (for example - truest to live event, ability to get up and walk around the band members in the re-created soundstage) but that goal, in my opinion, is difficult to do without the assistance of a professional with years of training and a library of experiences to call upon. Of this, you will not change my mind.

And, I believe there is great hifi at all price points. Big dollar items don't necessarily translate into better fidelity.

I disagree, wholeheartedly, that a dealer is limited to the product he carries or will only make recommendations based solely on the products that he or she sells. We routinely custom order products that may not be in high demand for the sake of meeting a particular customer's needs. With 20+ years in the business and friends at almost all manufacturing companies - a piece is usually just a phone call away.

Plus, in my own experience, I have spent, on average, probably no less than 1 full day a week (4 days per month) for the past 22+ years in actual "classroom" training - CEDIA, PARA, Meridian, Lucasfilms, Dolby Labs, ISF, Denon, Marantz, Rotel, B&W, Verity, Nagra, Harman, Audyssey, room acoustics, advanced theater design, and on and on.

Plus, as I've walked into customer homes, boats, and planes over that time, the customer's systems have been comprised of all different types of electronics and speakers and dealers learn fairly quickly what pairs best to create that sought after synergy.

I've had experience with products from companies that I have never sold but still understand how to achieve great results with those products. And, I have experience with products that are no longer available which I can recommend that a customer be on the lookout for should one show up on audiogon or ebay. Our goal never changes - it is always customer focused.

How many consumers have that type of training or knowledge base?

Finally, for the most part, our customers are not electronics hobbyists and are not prone to flipping - the hobbyist is different than someone who hires a professional to recommend or assemble a system based on the client's musical tastes (whatever flavor they choose) for the enjoyment of music. There is always a goal in mind with a finite ending. Sure, new technologies may warrant a future upgrade or component replacement but for the most part the system stays relatively intact - which, by the way, also allows clients to discern when a new component or cable is actually increasing or decreasing the fidelity.

We're music lovers first and foremost and that is why we spend the time and money on better electronics. We prefer that our clients stay focused on the music and not the equipment. The equipment is only a conduit to the music. Once the system is in place we direct them to spend their money on music and media.

How passionate are we about our customers? We operate by appt. only on a one-to-one basis 24/7 - 365.

Respectfully,
Burt
Seattle Hi-Fi