Would you buy speakers with out first listening ?

I live in a smaller city and had just brought home a pair of the new B&W 805S to demo. I had listened to them for 8 hours and was ready to buy the next day. I happened to look on Audiogon that same day and saw an incredible deal on Focus Audio FS688 that were not even broken in. I had not heard them (but had read and done much research) and bought them immediately. This may sound cheesy, but I really felt bad telling the dealer here what I had done. They're great people and I know a lot of retailers are being hurt by internet sales.. I just happened to be in the right place at the right time and it was to good a deal to pass up. I was lucky.. these speakers are the nicest monitors I have heard and far exceeded my expectations.

All the time. Probably a dozen or more pairs.
If you don't like them, move them on. That's why we love Audiogon.

I have now bought 4 pairs of speakers and a sub through mail order without listening to them first, and none have let me down compared to the speakers I auditioned in their respective price ranges through B&M stores.

I agree that if you *can* audition speakers before paying any money for them, then that is best... I am a calculated risk taker, however, and I think that in most cases, ordering speakers built to order direct over the net with a 21-30 day money back guarantee home trial (with the potential to get much better bang for the buck than buying through brick and morter stores) makes a lot of sense... especially when the return costs are minimal.

---Dave

I've bought my last three speakers without hearing them--and haven't been disappointed yet. I have a close relationship with my dealer, and we both have similar listening preferences, so that's a BIG plus. Always buy from a dealer you can trust--and who respects you not only as a customer but as a human being. I've dealt with a lot of shitty/shady audio dealers in my time, and, believe me, once you establish a relationship with one you trust, it's like a breath of fresh spring air.

Ironically enough, my most disappointing speaker-buying experiences have happened when I auditioned them in the store. To a speaker, not ONE sounded as good in my home as when I heard it in the showroom.

I started out years ago listening and buying at the dealers place. At that place and time I was not smart enough at to realize they had better stuff driving them.--So I was always disappointed.---Since then I have bought from reading the review.---Even tho I could have listened at the store where I was buying; I thought it a waste of time.So since about 1990 I have bought without hearing first. I have always been happy with what I bought; sight--unheard. If this were a poll,my answer to the question: YES.