Walking Into A Brick & Mortar High End Audio Store

I haven't stepped inside a B&M dealer in more than 12 years because I'm not willing to pay their prices, and therefore won't use their time. Nonetheless, the best thing I've done to build my systems (I have three) has been to develop a strong relationship with a local dealer, one who works out of his house, sells quite a bit online, is willing to discount, and comes to my home with components. I've spent many, many $K with him. It's a different kind B&M sales strategy, more of a hybrid, and it's one that works.

From my end, the keys to making this approach effective is for me to do a lot of research on the pieces I'm considering, and then be willing to gamble on whether or not I'll achieve the synergy I want. It takes time and careful judgment, along with the willingness to take some losses, but in the end it works for me--with surprisingly few glaring mistakes. Just part of the hobby.

Besides, I've found that I can't really tell what anything sounds like until it's in my room and I've spent quite a while massaging the system around it. Very tiny changes in a high-rez systems will have big consequences for sound; very few--if any--of those myriad contingencies are controllable outside of one's own room. B&M auditioning is therefore pretty much a waste of time for me. I don't bother going to audio shows, either, for the same reasons.

After hearing about all the tire kicking audiophiles the last place I would want to work is at a high-end audio store.
The person that said the tire kickers should go to the audio shows is dead on. They don't care if you buy or not. They are paid to run the show and answer questions.

No one's going to lease audio. It's a huge depreciating asset. If there was a way to lease it they would of done it 30 years ago.

Taters, there are absolutely ways to lease audio gear. I have leased gear to corporations and movie production companies, and very occasionally to individuals. The problems are:
1- most dealers just don't know how to work with a leasing company, and
2- it's not economically feasible for a leasing company to write a "small" (under $50K) lease, and for less then 3-5 years, and
3- most buyers do not want and would not select a lease option

An installment purchase (different from a lease) is probably a better way to go. When I worked for a small audio chain in the late 70s it was very common for most retailers to offer contract credit purchases. These days, most buyers simply use a credit card for the same purpose.

One of the things I love about our wonderful hobby is a visit to a terrific audio shop for a few hours of just "hanging out." I've spent many a fun filled afternoon at such places as Sound By Singer, Lyric HiFi, Stereo Exchange, Altair Audio, Audio Connection, CSA Audio, Innovation Audio, Adirondack Audio-Video, and many other high end retailers over my thirty years as "a music loving audiophile." I have always been totally "up front and honest" with the sales staff ..... sometimes I was there to plan a purchase, and other times I was just there to enjoy music played on systems that I could only dream about actually owning. For me, this is an important part of our hobby and I don't recall ever misleading a salesperson or being treated rudely by one. And over the years, I have many times referred somebody to one of these fine shops and many major purchases have been made because of my recommendations.

If we are to allow our high end audio passions to develop and to allow the high end industry to continue to grow, we need to constantly try to bring new people under our wings and encourage them to listen to quality components and systems. The best way to do these, besides inviting "audio newcomers" into our homes, is to encourage them to visit high end stores to "hang out and listen." Perhaps more systems will be sold and more music loving audiophiles will be developed. For me, it all started in 1973 with a Panasonic all-in-one receiver/8-track player-recorder/turntable/speakers combination ....... After many, many hours in all those great stereo stores, I eventually worked my way up the equipment chain, having spent many thousands of dollars on a lot of different gear.

I am incredibly happy with my current system and I love listening to music. I owe it all to all those wonderful sales people at all the great stereo stores for the chance to "listen and hang out."