It may be every man for himself when it comes to purchases but we're all in it together when it comes to the broader world of stereos. This forum is an extreme outlier when it comes to commitment, experience, and budgets. Folks here are comfortable spending thousands of dollars on equipment they've never seen or heard because they know how to research, know where to get trusted recommendations, and know they can resell anything after a few months of listening.
Out there in the real world, few people will take that route. What sane person who has little experience would spend $5,000+ on speakers without hearing them? The esoteric high end may not be too affected but, without stores, the mid- and upper- ranges will continue to shrink. It's not a pretty vision.
Out there in the real world, few people will take that route. What sane person who has little experience would spend $5,000+ on speakers without hearing them? The esoteric high end may not be too affected but, without stores, the mid- and upper- ranges will continue to shrink. It's not a pretty vision.