Audiophile 'Attitude'


Okay, we love our hobby: we love the music, the equipment, the esoterica, and the deranged quest for perfection the likes of which would make even the greats of classical composition shake their heads. But you've got to admit that there exists a certain 'attitude' among some of our group that can be..... difficult. Often this is sexist, arrogant, elitist, impatience, and so on. I think this would be a fertile ground for interesting stories, some humorous and some just jaw dropping. Would anyone like to share? Remember, there are many stories about those other folks outside the hobby who don't get our brilliance and force us to painfully tolerate their ignorance, I'm talking 'bout the other side: WHEN
AUDIOPHILES GO BAD!

I will gladly start: when my wife and I decided to sell our entire Vandersteen home theater (this is different tale of audiophile arrogance, btw) we started looking for a new brand and a new sound to replace my
formerly beloved Vandys. My first 'target' was Martin Logan. It just so happened that there was a ML dealership less than a mile from where I lived at the time in Champaign, IL. Wonderful I thought! So my wife and I toddled over there.

Now it should be noted that my wife has become quite an audiophile herself. She wasn't this way when we met, but she has become fairly well educated in matters of audiophillia, she has an excellent ear, and she is a brilliant woman (she is a vice president for Bank of America after all). So we choose much of our equipment together.

So we go into this ML dealership with about four CDs In hand to get a brief audition and ask to hear some MLs. Instead of going straightaway to letting us listen the salesman decides he needs to try and 'sell' us on the MLs, the very speakers we'd come to hear in the first damn place! So after tolerating his drivel for a few minutes my wife's asks a question. Instead of answering her, he answers me.... then he turns to my wife and, while pointing to that screen with holes that MLs have on so many of their speakers, he says, "now this isn't here so you can hang clothes to dry."

It honestly took me a second to realize what he had just said and I think my wife wafinally looted. After a couples seconds I said, "well, I guess we won't want these speakers then." And we walked out. We also scratched Martin Logan off of our list. No one treats my wife that way.

Okay, your turn....
aewhistory
i have been to highly respected[?] sales training over the years and the technique of the "take away" was taught at several of them. if you have never heard of it the salesman tells the customer he would show something in the other room BUT it probably is more than you can afford, understand. the desired effect is to make the customer get all blustered up and say well I CAN. what a poor way of selling things. i have never sold anything using this psychological manipulation. there are some very poor audio salesmen out there...
The takeaway is taught in lots of sales jobs but won't work on the informed. What do you mean I can't afford it? I'll show you. Yeah, when I buy from someone else. Always go into a shop and make sure you out dress everyone there. Now you are the snob in control, and let them know you will not be lead to the place they want you to be. I've been asked to leave by lots of new car dealerships, but everyone of them eventually called me back because they had a new and better deal. Sorry, but I'd rather pay more to someone else, just to keep the money out of your hands. Maybe next year, if I'm not too busy. It works!
08-27-12: Rok2id
All of the responses reinforce my reasons for buying at Amazon, J&R, Audio Advisor, Music Direct, Crutchfield, Blue Jeans et al...... All are Snob-Free zones. But, Amazon recently decided to collect taxes for all the 'anti-tax' politicians here in Texas, so I might drop them.

Same for me, three times this past month I got to Amazon check out page and killed the purchase. The tax they charge is due to Amazon having an office in Dallas County. As you probably know, if a company has an office in Texas they must collect sales tax.

Still, they ignored the rule for several years and only recently after threatening to pull all operations out of Texas (and dismiss all their employees) came to some agreement where they owed nothing for past sins but must collect from now on.

Amazon is frequently good pricing but this past six months or so I've found better offers elsewhere, even before tax.
Since I’m here I may as well add to the story line. My story is the reverse of what most have posted, a story from the salesman point of view.

Long ago I was assistant manager of a (very) high end audio store. We had McIntosh, Marantz, Thorens, Ortofon, SME, JBL, Tandberg and good mid line gear like Kenwood, Dual and the wonderful bookshelf speakers from AR and KLH.

The manager was quite a bit older than I, he loved to sit in his high chair behind the counter and scope out the customers. He hated answering the phone and would often let people wander about without even asking if he could help.

I was the opposite, I thought as long as I was there I might as well find someone who liked music and we could listen together. I really was not concerned if they bought or not, it was more fun to pass the day and (in some cases) hear what they brought to audition. I discovered new music nearly every week that way.

One hot summer day it was very slow (yes, audio was slow in the summer then too). A young man came into the store with torn blue jeans, a plaid shirt and cowboy boots. He seemed nice and I looked over at Ed (the manager) as if to ask if he wanted this turn.

The gesture was an emphatic NO so I leaped to my feet and addressed the guy. He said he was going off to school and wanted a system. I showed him the entry level Kenwood receiver and least expensive KLH speaker and his choice of small Dual or AR turntable with "free" cartridge.

He listened for awhile and then ask if this was the best we had. I said no and showed him the upper end of the Kenwood line and some very good AR speakers.

Again, he listened and all the while Ed was grinning through the sound room window as if to say "fool, you're wasting your time."

When the LP ended the young man walked over to the top line Macintosh and ask if he could hear it with a really good speaker.

I accommodated him and even did a brief demo with our pro line Ampex AG440 studio machine and top line Thorens.

I ask what he thought and he said, "I like it, I'll take it." I ask which equipment he was referring to and he said, "The good ones you showed me last."

The young man went into the office where the owner of the store was and we wrote up his invoice. The amount was staggering, as much as an good car cost back then. I ask the owner quietly if this young man could quality for credit to buy and I was informed his family owned a company that manufactured aircraft and he would be paying mostly cash plus a small check.

For weeks afterward Ed actually got off his ass and waited on a few people. Then it was back to me again. I always enjoyed the people that came into our store and thought it crazy that I could make money listening to music with nice people.
WHAT IF no one ever took the time and trouble to demonstrate the "current state of the art" components to a serious and inquisitive customer? sure, there might not be a sale that day or even that year, but someday he/she gets settled in an apartment and wants some great sounding music. they've been working for awhile and saving up, and their dream is finally going to become reality. If the retail business can't recognize and nurture this type of customer then this is a real tragedy. SO if you're ("aloof salesperson") not too busy, recognize the enthusiasm coming from the future potential fanatic (me for example) and bring him into "the room",
sit him down in "the chair", and play toccata and fugue in D minor....