Am I asking too much?

mdalton, Yes...tortured perhaps.  But I was making a 'ho' observation of your situation, however flawed it may be.  No intent of rubbing your fur backwards over it.

Frankly, I liked 'b&m' as it existed in the past.  Having lived the bulk of my life in large areas (SoCal, SF Bay area, Houston, in that order), time & tide have condensed the 'good outlets' to a pitiful few, the 'big box' outlets have become chains, the 'multimedia' b&m's apparently catering to those who have the $ to impress with the 'wide screen experience' overruling all else....

A cynical observation, Yes.*shrug*  I'll stand to be damned over it.

Hey, I admire your bringing a 401 into SOTA status; new arm, wonderful cart, all that...  No doubt you've the equipment that'll make the time and investment bring you pleasure for the trouble.

Me?  Yup, I eBay, Craigs', Amazon, troll the Habitats, the SalvArmy, etc.
In the past, I had the disposable $ to feed the habit, and it was fun.

It still is...fun, that is. But it doesn't mean my desires and expectations have totally gone to dregs.  It's just my focus is a bit different these daze. ;)

I wish I had a 'relationship' with a store mgr.
Unfortunately, I live now in a local where the 'stores' don't have the offerings that even begin to approach 1K$ carts....or mgrs' that would care to know me personally.

I go into these outlets fully aware that I know a lot more about their products then the bright-eyed sales staff does.  They're pretty easy to haul into the deep end of the pool...

And then there is the fact that I spend a certain amount of my 'audio time' DIY'ing an updated version of a Walsh omni speaker.
Most don't have any clue as to wtf I'm refering to or about...or Why.

Why?

Because I can....and, having some success at it.
On a shoestring...because I can.
And you don't.
Nor anyone else Here.

I'd LOVE to have the opportunity to have a pair of my 'little mutants' attached to your cables.
I'd even LOVE to have us blow the pair up...just to see what the 'upper limit' on them is.
I'd learn something from it, +5 years into the process.

As is said:
No Fear.

Anyway....good luck with the Koetsu.
I bear you no malice, only a stance.
What others think of what I do....is not a concern to me.
Nor, what they do...to each...

Regards, J

millercarbon...A suggestion: Go to your window, open it, and shout at the top of your lungs: "I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore!" You'll feel so much better after you get that built up anger (you say disgust) out of your system. All that just because a dealer wouldn't set up a turntable for a customer. I agree, he should, or at least pay for someone else to do it. Your reaction, and attack on the dealer, and other dealers, was a little over the top.

I work in a small B&M HiFi store founded 45 years ago.  Our business is ekeing out just enough to hang on.  Our customer base is ageing out...WE are ageing out!  We get more calls from widows wanting to unload their late husbands' systems than "new blood".  But we all are schooled in phono setup and never let a customer do it themselves (unless they insist).  We don't charge extra if they buy the cart from us.  That's a significant value we add compared to anyone else in our area.  Service is not dead!  

Hello,
I was going to buy a Rega P6 In Chicagoland area which is like 2K and the dealer-Holm Audio said they prefer To set up the TT at no charge. I’m with MC. Buy the cart online, buy the tool to set up the TT, and do it yourself. Also if you have the tool you will have it for future carts. Or maybe you want to experiment with different carts. I think that store is not professional. Like paying $640 for a service B on a Mercedes. Which is a glorified oil change. The dealership remove the rims and tires to check the brakes. Tire rotation is extra. How hard is it to put the tire back on a different position? Do the cart Setup yourself. 

personal service is a dying concept in many fields, audio is just one

covid debacle is wiping out many of the few smaller folks still trying to make it by providing good service and customer care

we should look outside our lil hifi bubbles and see the world that is around us, realize we are lucky to have nice homes, nice hifis to listen to in peace and comfort while most of the world struggles

put it all in perspective, complain less, be kind and forgiving and give others the benefit of the doubt and good will

we will be happier for sure, and maybe if enough of us do it, the world and our society will be better for it

ps - i miss jerry raskin :)