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Keeping Audiophilia And The Love Of Music Alive & Well!

This is a little something I just posted in Stereophile that I thought I should also post here for what I think are obvious reasons.

How many times have we read or heard how difficult it is for some folks to audition equipment they're interested in because there simply aren't enough or any quality audio shops within a reasonable distance? I would wager we've all noticed a steady decline in the number of audio shops just about everywhere, even in large cities and metropolitan areas.  As a lover of music and audiophile, I think this is kind of sad.  There once were, at least, 2 or 3 shops within a half hour drive from where I presently live.  Now, there are none.  They've all gone out of business.  With the exception of one shop with a reasonably good inventory about 45 minutes away, I have to trek 2 hours or more to shops with a good inventory and selection.  I avoid buying stuff from on-line sellers, as much as possible, to support my local shops, even if it means paying a little more. With this in mind, I offer this for what it's worth.

I know some audio shops occasionally host demonstrations of various products for groups of their patrons and/or interested audiophiles, in general. From the little I've seen & read about these conclaves, it looks like this is mostly done by large or relatively large shops. Obviously, they probably tend to have large enough sound or demonstration rooms to accommodate this sort of thing. I'm further assuming there is probably some sort of advertising involved to promote such events (e.g. mailing lists; newspaper ads; website notices; etc.) and admission, understandably, needs to be limited. What I don't know is if the larger shops who do this sort of thing charge some sort of cover-charge or admission fee or just write it off as a business expense in the hopes of generating increased sales. Free admission to open houses like this sounds like something much more easily accommodated by larger shops, versus smaller operations. Regardless, I wonder if it might not benefit smaller shops to consider doing this sort of thing and actually charging admission because it would, necessarily, involve a smaller crowd of patrons and/or interested audiophiles. For that matter, in order to circumvent the seating capacity issue, maybe an alternative acoustically appropriate venue could be considered?

A fellow audiophile friend and I often wax philosophical about components we wish we could responsibly afford but, unfortunately, will likely always remain in the unobtainium sphere for us unless we win the lottery or walk into an audio shop in an altered state of mind. Really! What audiophiles don't wax philosophical about stuff like this? In fifty years, I've never met one!

In addition to our willingness to pay a reasonable admission fee to hear top shelf gear, we would be even more interested in hearing fair A/B shoot-outs between or amongst, as the case may be, audio toys that captivate our interest.

I'm wondering what you audiophiles out there in the great ether think about this idea.

oldaudiophile
mijostyn's avatar
mijostyn
8,570 posts
 
oldaudiophile, this is what audio shows are for now. Even in the old days the speakers I like would rarely if ever be on display. After 50 years of doing this I know what I want in terms of speakers and electronics. The only risk taking is with cartridges which are inexpensive enough so that if I make a mistake it is not too painful. Speakers are the hard part where auditioning is important if you have not learned what you like and why. I now have Sound Labs speakers which I chose purely on the analysis of the design. I never heard them before I set up mine. But, I have been a diehard ESL person for decades. I got exactly what I was expecting and looking for.
Even if a store is not in your neighborhood you can still have an excellent relationship with it. I have two shops on opposite ends of the country I deal with on a first name basis and both take care of me when I order equipment. 
Another interesting point is that from a tonal perspective you can make a speaker sound any way you want with Digital Signal Processing. You might even be able to make them image. Some will never image by design. 
edcyn
1,876 posts
 
I truly enjoyed haunting audio stores when I lived in a large metropolitan area. And if I was truly impressed with what I heard and I had the lucre, I'd bring the stuff home, too, for at least an overnight. The same went (even more so) when it came to musical instruments. The thing is, high-end retailers have always been a rare breed. And I got to say it, the rise of mail order and the web have democratized the landscape and have made it so any itchy-fingered wannabe audiophile can enter the game. 
stuartk
2,875 posts
 
@edcyn: 

"...the rise of mail order and the web have democratized the landscape and have made it so any itchy-fingered wannabe audiophile can enter the game".

Just wondering... is this meant to be a joke or are you serious? 


jehab
10 posts
 
@stuartk Forgive me for speaking for edcyn, but I think he was serious, though meant it in a different tone than you perceived due to his word choice. Try substituting "eager and aspiring" for "itchy-fingered wannabe" to read it another way. I dare to comment thusly because I consider myself such an audiophile, having never set foot in a high-end retailer.
oldaudiophile OP
315 posts
 
Interesting points of view, all! Truly appreciate hearing or, rather, reading  how other folks approach this!

I completely understand how one can never really know what a major component will sound like under one's roof until you actually get it there. However, for major pieces like speakers and amps I still find it instructive, after all the reading & research has been done, to go out and audition the prime suspects, regardless of all the variables one cannot control for after communications with the shops involved (e.g. different sound rooms: source components used; etc.). I don't think I could ever feel comfortable spending a lot of cash on components like that, sight unseen, sound unheard. Plus, I find the auditioning and shopping fun! I'd like to think I've acquired enough audiophile smarts, over the years, to make some relatively good educated guesses as to how things are going to perform at my place, versus any given shop's sound room; especially after a good amount of serious seat-time with contenders. So far, anyway, I've never felt the slightest inkling to return a major purchase within a return policy period. I'm sure there very well might have been something, along the way, that might have performed a little better at home than what I ultimately chose via on-site auditions. However, I'm one of those folks who does not relish the prospect of re-packing, re-boxing and toting stuff, especially heavy stuff, to wherever for shipment back to on-line sellers in order to audition things at home. I guess I'm just lazy that way.  I'm comfortable purchasing things like cables, interconnects and stuff like that on-line. I even bought my present turntable on-line but only because I couldn't find a shop near enough to avoid booking a flight to the nearest dealer. I was tempted to do the same for a CD player I bought many years ago. However, I'm glad I did some auditioning because the two I had narrowed the choice down to sounded very different under relatively well controlled auditions.

I suppose if I ever hit a lottery big enough to join the 3% I could task the servants or hire folks to do all the tedious stuff I abhor related to auditioning a bunch of stuff at home. That would be fun! Unfortunately, I don't play the lottery and I don't have any rich old uncles or aunts who love me and have possibly included me in their last will and testaments. So, I guess I'll keep on auditioning.

Millercarbon, I checked out your system. Truly impressive! Was that a lava lamp I saw?
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