Oh, the internet can be a whole lot better than "Buy and try." There is this thing called learning from others experience. Most only learn from their own experience. This is another level. It can take some time to get it down. Once you do though, wow.
I just got a Soundsmith Strain Gauge found used. This makes close to 20 years perfect record being really happy with gear bought without audition based entirely on reading, mostly studying other audiophiles impressions. To be honest, the stuff I am finding now doing it this way is much better than I was doing based entirely on auditions, and that was even with a seriously good dealer helping me.
Partly this is because I am a lot better at it now. But also a big part of it is I no longer have that crutch to rely on. Having a good dealer is a two-edged sword. They help you save time by knowing your taste and budget and matching you up. But they also limit. Because let's face it no dealer has everything. The internet however does.
So now I am free to choose from everything available everywhere in the world. Huge advantage.
The one guy here who gets it is ghdprentice. No surprise. He happens to be just the sort of more money than time stroke a check customer dealers want. Good for him. These dealers by the way are not "struggling" they are rolling in it. Just look- dropped off amp and DAC, $37k and the guy strokes a check. $17k of which was pure impulse purchase- $17k, 30 seconds!
They aren't turning us normal paycheck guys away because they are struggling. We are the ones struggling. With reality, I would say.
So it is that in this topsy turvy world we accept reality by going virtual. Heh.