With demo speakers it makes sense to allow you to take 'em home...a place in NH does that if you put a card on them to insure you don't run off. I'll never buy speakers again without a serious audition as I've had to return a pair of ZUs, sell a pair of Sonists and a pair of Heresy IVs...you think I'd learn.
Convincing your local dealer to let you try speakers at home
So, I had a great experience listening to some Devore 0/96 speakers yesterday. The challenge for me is that the room I heard them in is wildly different than any other room I’d ever listen in. (I’ll share a photo, below.) I really have no idea if spending $13k plus on these speakers would work out. I’d need to try them at home.
For all I know, these dealers might be ok with me trying some speakers at home. I don’t know and am not yet ready to ask.
But I’m curious whether folks here have any stories to tell about the reactions they’ve gotten when they’ve asked to try speakers at their home. If you have a story, especially if it’s a more expensive speaker, I’d love to hear your story. How did you convince them? If they turned you down, what was the reason? Did you agree?
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I have long-standing relationships with two local dealers. I can audition any speaker and any piece of gear at home. If the speakers are too large to fit in my car, the dealers will deliver them to me and set them up. I, of course, would have auditioned the speakers at the dealer's store first prior to imposing on them. Bottom line - it's about having a good working relationship with your dealer. |
Good comments. I like these dealers a lot, so this is really not about them. We have not even discussed this topic. I think they're fantastic guys and so this post is really about the general practices around borrowing speakers. It says something about the industry and margins involved that this is so difficult. I mean, people take $60k cars for test drives all the time, buy enormous televisions and return them, etc. etc. FFS, you give them your credit card, they take a few pictures, you establish an understanding about damage, etc. and off you go. The notion that you can get speakers shipped to you via Upscale or TMR or Music Direct or Audio Advice and return them means that the dealer who is completely unwilling to allow try-to-buy is still on a different path. I'm not saying that doesn't have it's own logic to it -- after all, if you're selling an in-demand product, then you don't need to please the guy who needs to try. For *that* sale. But as many here have said, there's more at stake when there is a potential to build a relationship. One pair of speakers leads to another, leads to preamps and cables and more. @decooney "Buy" with a discussion around Return Policy may be a more acceptable approach. @knighttodd @bipod72 @duckworp
Haha! I hear you! Exactly where I'm at.
I'm not as comfortable as you are extrapolating regarding how things will sound with my gear in my room. Especially for $13k speakers. |
First, we ALWAYS brought the item to the customer's home and set it up for him/her. We MADE SURE it was working properly when we left, and yes, of course we took a check or credit card (things were slightly different in the "old days" of the 1970's-80's) Naturally, we both examined the item(s) and agreed on their condition and we had form that they signed agreeing. This was before smartphones, so pictures, other than poor-resolution Polaroids were difficult. In all my years of business with the highest-end gear, I NEVER had a problem with this policy. If I did not know the customer, by delivering the gear to their home, I got a good idea of what was going on. The credit card was insurance, so I never worried. I would say about 3/4 of the time they kept the hardware and close to 1/2 the time they kept the speakers. Going out and setting up whatever it was helped me make the sale. If your dealer does not do this, I would find another dealer if you can. Cheers! |
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