Enough is Enough

My experience with dealers has been similar some stated above. Further my situation is much like the guy in Australia...no decent dealers locally or within an hour or two. Every place I have been in recent experience has been disappointing both for the lack of knowledge and tact of the salesperson or the willingness to show something more than a passing interest in meeting my need at the time. So consequently, I have sworn off dealers completely and will only buy direct after reading and trying to understand the differences in potential choices and choose what seems right for me. Not an easy task to be sure, but it beats the expense of running around to dealers hours away from home who don't give S**t whether you buy something appropriate for your needs/wants or not. Indifference to the customer is a huge turnoff. The inability of the salesperson to have at least an equivalent knowledge of audio and satisfy what I need with a suitable recommendation is frustrating and a complete waste of my time. I refuse to play that game anymore. I'm done with dealers.

Dealers are in business to make money. Each salesperson has their own tactics, and some are more pressured to make a sale. You are looking, and they are selling. More industry experienced shop owners and sales people might have handled this differently.  If they don't know how to start by helping you to optimize your existing system, there are plenty of other dealers who can help you with that. 

Of course dealers are in the business to make money. In sales your learn A,B,C(always be closing)...I taught Professional Selling Skills many years ago. I told my trainees to be honest with people,  always perpetuate, think longterm, and treat people like you want to be treated. People's financial situations often change over time. When you treated people right they usually become long term customers. When you mistreat customers, not only do you loose a sell, you loose future sells.

@ricred1 

I’ve just had a look at your system (I wasn’t aware this was possible on Audigon!)

What would you say your Chord Electronics Dave dac is lacking..?

im streaming from an Auralic Aries S1 > Chord Mscaler > Chord Hugo TT2

terenthia,

Listening to the DCS Rossini Apex made me realize that there are DACs that do things that I prefer over the Dave. Like I’ve stated, unfortunately the Rossini Apex was too bright in my system, but the soundstage, retrieval of details, and a more 3-dimensional soundstage could easily be heard between the Dave and Rossini Apex. I'm not talking night and day differences, but easily discernible differences. I don’t know what I don’t know, so I try to listen to different components in my system to understand what a particular component is doing vs something else. I have zero desire to change any other component in my system and honestly can live happily with the Dave.