About users with hidden agendas

I agree with much of the above about be wary of the hype. Some of these guys that are making comparisons with gear costing thousands of dollars but they have one speaker in a corner and the other in a hallway with no reflection point (like mine). They will go on about how a cable swap changed their life and now their whole music collection is complete again, etc. How do we find the line between being enthusiastic and sharing experiences responsibly for people looking to sort through the information? Some of these guys are just enthusiastic, maybe their system is spiritual to them, or maybe they like attention... Some do provide information to others that see them as an authority, so not discounting them either. I do believe we have a number of trained salesman (not in audio) that are just having fun. Believe me, I'm about free speech and would rather have people post fantasies than not be able to post, but reader beware, you have to separate the wheat from the chaff. 

As far as dealers posting here goes, there is an internet marketing phrase known as "being an authority in your field".  Also 'being present in your market". Both of these methods build trust and are known to lead to sales. Isn't this what our experts and very interested dealer/owner participants are doing? These audio sites are the target market, or at least some fraction (I question if this is the actively employed portion when I look at post counts 🤣). Good for them for being creative about it and not just continually throwing their name and product as being better than the post above (trolling) but I'm sure all methods work.

The topic of this thread is

About users with hidden agendas

Disparaging comments about Audio Troy are off base. Audio Troy has never hidden that he is a dealer, professional salesperson, and has a wide range of products for sale he likes to aggressively push. There are not many bricks and mortar stores left, relatively speaking, enjoy them while you can. In summary, not all of us are sensitive to his schtick, as if it’s unusual for a salesman to put down a competitor’s product over his own.

Regarding MC, if I never read his name or initials again it will be too soon. Enough said.

What a lot people here now do not realize, is that twenty years ago a significant purpose of Audiogon was to build a community that felt comfortable buying and selling to each other, and to call out persons or establishments that were not reputable, by name. In fact, there was a complaint process right here where a buying or selling member would write his/her complaint online and the opposing party would answer the complaint, and then all Audiogon members could give their opinions online, until a settlement was met. And this was all approved and monitored by the Audiogon mods.

Audiogon history 101

Having perused all available documentation pertaining to this forum, it would appear that there are NO disclosure requirements incumbent upon contributing parties.

I sincerely hope to stand corrected.

I'm impressed, sound tribal almost, 60s. Togas anyone. No ONE will iron out a difference for me, period. That is between me and the nitwit I have a beef with.

As for MC, I miss him. He'll be back. 

I never met a person I didn't like, until AG. Then I had to consider I had only read the AG forums for 15 years, never participated. It's always what they do, not the person, that is what I was taught. No BAD people, just bad things.. BOY was I wrong. Live and learn!

I thought about the stuff that went on by the few at the time. It was the wild wild west. With people reporting because they were reported. Funny to watch the kids play. 3 pages of back and fourth by 6 or so people. 

I had to talk about the chickens and the rabbit and the dog and that damn goat they made more sense.

MC talked to me on a few occasion rather brash, I returned the favor. He was trying the waters with ME.. I'm a GOOD swimmer. That lasted for 30 days or so..

Then I almost died, I WAS CLOSE! Blood clot in my lung and in my heart and was have daily heart attacks for 10 weeks. 

I went from fixing a fence and bruising my thigh to three days later fighting for my life. I been shot 3 time, ALL felt better. Kidney stones felt better. That's sayin' something too.

I needed a procedure that could fix me, I was to sick for it,  I had lost 1/2 of a lung.
They gave me less than a week to live.. I say my Goodbyes and guess who PMs me. That's right.. MC. "Your gonna be all right" He asked about what I was having done. I told him what I knew. "Your gonna be all right". 

Ya know when your a mechanic all your life and you can't fix a STUPID broken heart, it sucks...:-)

I said goodbye to the wife, kissed the dog and rabbit fed the chickens a flipped off the goat as he ate the rest of my hat and drove myself to the hospital.

I made it.

@oldhvymec 

I get you have a personal connection with MC.  Somewhere along the line several persons stated he was narcissistic.  I would have to say that that would be an upgrade compared to how I look at his problems.  I wouldn't have given a sh*t except you couldn't sign onto A'gon without seeing his thousands of posts.

I am one of the persons that he said complained about him to the Washington State Radiologist Board or whatever he was talking about.  He is the only person who ever insulted Almarg.  He would have kept doing it if so many people hadn't called him out on it, just his low life way.  I am not a rat, never once have complained about him or anyone else in 20 years.

You have lived a colorful life, and a lot of us have also.  You like your country boy persona, but the truth is I do live in the country.  Hunting, and drinking with the boys during the season, he wouldn't be invited to our camp.