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Should high-end shops be "OBLIGATED" to advise about component matching for best sound?

Being involved in high end audio for at least 35 years, I always wondered why audio shops don't go out of their way to advise about system matching.  I am sure a few go the extra mile, especially if the customer is looking for an entire system and willing to spend $10,000 to 50,000 ( and that would be lower side of premier systems).

Some of us "may or may" not be in this category, or even the medium of this scale of  $20,000-$25,000  Many of us "philes" may be close to the $10,000-$12,000 mark in expenditure.

I get the impression that too often high end dealers would like to sell you far above what you want to spend. There is nothing wrong with good and reasonable salesmanship to extend a customer's budget.  Often audio stores recommend entire systems in an ala carte fashion.

In addition, what happened to  the "stepped system" displays (with some variation). That may sound  like a mid-fi audio store selling approach, but high end stores could do the same thing displaying systems from $2000, $4000, $6000, $8000, $10,000, $12,000 etc   Each step would  have  speaker cables and ICs best suited for each system.   In my opinion, this "MIGHT" REDUCE the trail and error merry-go-round trial of buying and selling.

Lastly, I realize that a large percentage of customer may be looking for one or two components( separates in this case counting  as ONE COMPONENT).   There is no set way to build a quality audio system, but dealers need to get more involved with customers in making buying choices.  If not, then many shops will disappear over the next decade......  

I know the brickbats will fly over this thread because I sound lie an old fogey ( Well, I am an old fogey! ) However, should make for a spirited discussion!!      Thanks, SJ     

 

sunnyjim
stringreen's avatar
stringreen
6,475 posts
 
The world is changing....brick and mortar is old school.  Sears is gone, Nordstrums, and Neimann is hanging on by their fingernails...giant malls are scratching to fill the empty spaces. 
ricred1
2,050 posts
 
My local dealer refuses to talk about what components work best together. As a matter of fact, when asked directly about the different characteristics of components, he is hesitant to discuss the differences. Consequently I wont purchase from him or talk to him about equipment anymore.
kijanki's avatar
kijanki
4,428 posts
 
sunnyjim, In order to advertise matching of whole system dealer would have to offer all system components, including a home and furniture, be your age, have the same hearing and sound preference, listen to the same music, etc.  In short - to be you.

ricred1,  Jeff Rowland posted on the website, that they don't offer any advise on cables, including power cables, but when I called them asking about matching of particular amplifier they offered advise and discussed it.  I've also sent email to Robert Lee of Acoustic Zen asking about matching and he responded.  Perhaps your dealer is either not friendly or simply doesn't know much.

I like to talk or read about gear, but advertising whole system matching would be too much for me.
williewonka
3,081 posts
 
Sunnyjim - Over the years I’ve experience exactly the type of thing you talk of and I’ve come to realize there seems to be two kinds of store...
- those that are just in it for the money.
- those that are in it for the pleasure

The latter is the type of store I now frequent and get the best service from.

I know of only four such stores in the Greater Toronto region (it’s a pretty big area with lots of stores) and each of them will recommend products suited to your system. They are not always 100% correct, but most of the time they provide great recommendations.

The kind of store I like to frequent has sales people that spend time discussing your system, music, likes and dislikes. They also know SOME of the little quirks in components that can cause issues and are willing to share them with you.

And before someone asks....
- American Sound of Canada (amazing high end systems)
- Hi Fi Fo Fum (products known for affordable quality music reproduction)
- Audio Eden (a huge variety of products and quality consignment gear)
- Toronto Home of the Audiophile (some of the more esoteric product lines)

All of these stores are willing to setup auditions that include your components, either from their existing stock or even your own gear( I have done that).

You can easily tell this type of store - the same salespeople are still there on a third or fourth visit :-)

I have a great rapport with the staff at these four stores and often just pop-in to chew the fat about the latest gear/albums/etc. - they are always willing to chat.

I hope you find a similar kind of store in your area.

One last comment - as I have delved deeper into the various aspects of this hobby - I have come to realize it is extremely complex.

A persons knowledge tends to be very specific - like turntables, arms, cartridges, amps, speakers, digital players, cables, etc. They seldom know it all

So - if you ever find a salesperson that has an accumulation of all of that knowledge - stick with them and post their name here.

We’d all like to chat to that person:-).

Personally - I find the accumulated knowledge of the Agon members quite amazing and I drawer on that knowledge when needed. OK - you do sometimes have to sort the wheat from the chaff :-)

I realize that it is very much a case of "Buyer Beware" - but the available information on the web today is vast, and can go a long way to eliminate a bad purchase.

Personally - I’ve never had it so good :-)

Regards - Steve

akg_ca's avatar
akg_ca
2,281 posts
 
As already highlighted, a  suggestion for any "obligation" inference as to "best sound" is a stark impossibility for 3 main reasons

(1) Dealers can only carry certain brands, and the arena of choice in high-end is far too wide to even consider presenting anything more than a restricted sample available. That kills it right there ...full stop.

(2) "Best sound" is purely a highly deeply biased and purely anecdotal value judgement that is bespoke unique to an individuals whims and bias with no benchmark for comparison or assessment. That kills it again....full stop.

(3) An "obligation" is a course of action that someone is required to take, whether legal or moral. Without drowning in the impossible swamp of generally debating the former, even the latter is governed by the afore highlighted caveat emptor guideline. The latter does not seqway into the former with the possible exception of an unlikely legal protection statute transgression for being misleading or fraudulent, that is not the context of this thread nor even remotely existent in high-end audio where the debatable and conflicting differences in sonic signature are just a flavour of the month.

Time to kill off and mercifully bury this thread and let's move on.

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