Would you trust a local dealer to help you put

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

A good dealer is only as good as the salesman your dealing with.

Burt,
Your perspective is valuable. But, I'm not sure every dealer will go out of his/her way to accomodate a customer who wants a product the dealer doesn't carry. It basically means sending the customer to a competitor, no matter how friendly. (You may have those kinds of positive relationships). I was under the impression, at least for some product lines that are territorially exclusive, that you (and the providing dealer) could get into trouble by effectively retailing a brand, if it is exclusive, that you don't carry. My knowledge on this may be obsolete, I am certainly not looking for an argument either. I just figured a guy comes in, says I want 10 grand worth of stuff, and if you sell Rega and not Avid, you are going to sell him a Rega. (I have little experience with either brand, so I'm just using those as examples).
Best, and keep the faith. As I mentioned in an earlier post, using a top flight dealer is worth every penny in terms of service and support. There are few bargains in life, and hi-fi is rarely one of them in the long run.

Steveaudio...sorry just read your response (been away from Agon for a bit). That is very surprising. I started dealing with them 7 years ago, so it may be that the personnel have changed over and the proprietor, Alan Goodwin, has placed a priority on customer service. If you ever decide to give them another chance, ask for Paul Chambers (store manager) or Al Moulton, and if you wish you can mention my name, and I can guarantee you that their response will be very different. In any case, we are getting off topic for the OP. Hope all is well.

A lot of good points being made here. I am in line with Whart and Burt in terms of the value that I ascribe to a good "dealer." I think Burt's description of what a good dealer does for a customer is ideally true and as with all things, whether you receive this type of service/knowledge/expertise/support etc... depends on the actual dealer's experience and motivations. As with all things, there is a wide spectrum. Which is why I believe doing your due diligence as I outlined in my rather lengthy initial post will allow you to weed out the bad from the good dealers and to establish a relationship with those who have your interest at heart because as Burt suggests, a happy customer is a profitable customer and a sticky customer. No happy customers = no business.

You will learn a lot about what you are looking for, what aspects of audio reproduction are important to you that will lead you to emotionally connect with the music, and this will give you the knowledge to go down the audiophile path/journey with confidence and you will likely end up with a system that suits you just fine. And by the way, even after you purchase your $10K system, if you establish a good relationship with a local dealer, you will likely continue to audition new pieces of equipment and you may find that your tastes/priorities change over time. But you will only get that exposure once you establish a relationship with a dealer who will accomodate you to audition new equipment at their store or in your system and the journey will continue on.

Most importantly, just have fun and enjoy it all. That's what this hobby is all about after all. Once again, good luck and I hope once you get to the point where you have put together your first system, let us know how it all worked out :-)