The Best Audio Dealer

BEST SALESPERSON LENNY FROM LYRIC HI-FI HANDS DOWN!!!!!LET'S CLONE LENNY.My vote goes to Lenny from Lyric Hi-FI in NYC. I stumbled into his shop with my skateboard at age 14 with a ripped t-shirt dirty jeans with some Doors records. He took me seriously as a customer even though I bought nothing from him the first day. Then later I was shopping for a tape deck and went in comparing a Dual c-830 from Borgers Audio on 2nd ave. vs Lyric's entry level Nakamichi. Lenny told me to get the Nak or a Tandberg he had used. I should have listened to him. The Dual was in the shop more than it was in my system. Then I bought a Mitsubish receiver and Infinity Speakers from Borgers. System blew up due to low impedance Infinity speakers the 2nd day. It was in and out of the shop for months blowing up after getting it back a few days later each time. I made Borgers take back the Mitsubishi and Bought a used Bryston 4B from Lenny for $1000. Lenny told me I wouldn't lose money on the Bryston.... he was right -many many years later I sold it for $1850. Lenny also sold me a used Apt Holman which I sold many years later for what I got it for. I never have been steered wrong by Lenny. He never sold me anything bad... his service was impeccable. He is a man of his word. The only thing I regret is hearing a set of speakers at his shop and later buying them used instead of from him. Still the speakers have served me well for 20 years... and that is a debt I feeel I owe Lenny. He makes sure his systems produce real magic. I have been to lots of other High end dealers who use the most expensive stuff out there in super fancy listening rooms that are actually courted by manufacturers who can not produce any magic with their systems. One other nice dealer is on Thayer st. In Providence. real magic- real cheap -good simple systems and service haven't bought anything from them but I think they are one of the better shops in New England. But in terms of a person taking you seriously, remembering your system after many years, and what you spoke about and what you listened to last Lenny is the Master Salesperson. My feeling is that all these negative posts on the web about audio wouldn't exist if we could clone Lenny from Lyric. LEnny is realistic about the audio business he knows he has to please your ears first before he can make a sale, and will not try and intimidate you or belittle you into a purchase like some others. Nor will he try to "guilt" you into making a purchase or whine about time spent with you. He also won't waste your time with small talk or try and sell you on the technology rather than the sound, or the "designer pedigree" of a product. He will please your ears, wallet and visual senses and treat all of his customers with respect.

In Philadelphia, and within this region, the best is John Adams, of Community Audio. He is the owner, and doesn't have more than 1 or 2 people with him. He carries brands that are not found in the other area stores. He is great with discounts, auditions, home trials. You can tell he is there for love, not money. He does not get rich from this, but does have MANY friends who really admire him. He's not only a great audio dealer, but a great guy.

I met John of Audio Connection several years back at a Stereophile show in Miami. He seemed very knowlegable, congenial and friendly. We spent some time together going to different exhibits. I got his card since I was in the market for (whatever it was at the time, its always something, right?). I subsequently gave him a call. I live in Florida but not close to a good Hi-end dealer. He never called back. Called again, he never called back. Forgot about John until this past March when I was looking for cables, Harmonic Technology Truthlink. Audio Connection was listed as a dealer. I called Audio Connection first and finally reached John. Explanined that I was interested in the HT cables. He asked me what type of speakers and gear I was using. When I explained to him my system he became quite rude (with specific reference to the speakers), that it really didn't make any difference what cables I used with those speakers it wasn't going to eliminate the peaks in the upper midrange and all the other intrinsic problems from tonal anomalities to build quality. Also that these speakers didn't compare with the Vandersteen 2ce's (a competitor in price) and if I really wanted to make an improvement etc. etc. etc. you get the picture. Now I don't have a personal ax to grind with John. The reason I called him in the 1st place was BECAUSE he seemed congenial, knowlegable and I liked him. Bottom line is he was either so honest with his unsolicited opinion concerning my speakers or he was just being rude. I took it to be the latter as at the end of our phone conversation he ended it rather abruptly. For that experience and the 2 unreturned phone calls (he isn't the only one on that count) I will never do business with John of Audio Connection, he lost out on a lot of potential business from me, not too smart. Audio dealers beware, if you are having a bad day don't take it out on a prospective customer, don't insult the system of a prospective customer, don't bad mouth a manufacturer or a competitor. Present you product for its merits, it is unnecessary to do negative comparisons. Let me make up my OWN mind, thank you. I will NEVER do business with anyone who does any of the above. Why should I, there are too many dealers that won't because it's smart business not to.

In the Toronto area,Alternative Audio Mike Oddie,High-End Audio Arthur Salvatore,Alternative for new,High-End for used gear.Two class acts that most so called high end dealers can take lessons from.

ABSOLUTELY HAS GOT TO BE QUINTESSENCE AUDIO IN MORTON GROVE ILLINOIS. The salesman's name is Mick and he's always thinking in terms of what is best for your system.