How many of us have worked in audio stores?

Have worked and am still working in a dear friends highend shop from time to time. Don't get paid in $$$, but love helping out. My payoff comes by way of listening, in my own room, some of the finest gear in audio. Also much of the hotshot, ripoff cables. We will sit for hours doing AB comparisons. We will sit an listen to wires, that beat up some of the most highly praised wire. It always amazes me why some people buy what they do. Especially because of nothing to do with sound, but because someone wrote a great review. There are so many great products out there that do not get the recognition, that sound so much better than the highly reviewed pieces, yet the better sounding gear will many times be overlooked. I have even heard one man say that this is a much better sounding product, but will buy the more expensive product because of a review. I do not, or will I ever understand this. Can anyone explain this to me. I am sorry, but I am going to have to steal from another member. I hope he forgives me.
I remain totally cluless.

I worked and owned my own Hi-Fi store in Western Canada for 20 plus years, 72-90.

Brulee, i hear ya and completely agree. Some people are stuck on brand recognition and prestige. I'll let them buy the "flavor of the month" while i listen to my "low-fi" ANY day of the week.

My one question about your cable comparisons though is have you ever used a cable burner before evaluating these ? I am of the school that truly honestly believes that you haven't really heard what a cable is capable of until it has been "burned" on a "burner". Hundreds of hours of in system use still can't equal a few days on a burner. Sean
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Count me as part of the group that worked in audio retail on several occasions. It was an interesting experience, but not one I'd want to repeat.

I got sucked into this situation a couple or three times. First round was with Lafayette Electronics in the 70's, not at all high-end but we did sell audio & car stereo. It was part time low paying & didn't last very long.
Second round was with The Shoppe, again part time (you really need a day job too if you're in this business) but this was a lot more fun. I mostly did the repair bench work but did assist on the sales floor occasionally. I was paid "in equipment" and managed to assemble what turned out to be the most musical sounding rig that I've ever had. The foundation of that system was beautiful classic Luxman Ultimate Series componentry. We used to bring prospective customers over to my house & wow them there; they almost always bought after one of those demo's although the equipment they chose rarely even resembled what they had heard. Then I would go the the customers' houses & show them how to connect everything together; some became steady clients on the side. The store manager & I were (still are) good friends, but the owner took advantage of us too many times & lost us both.
Third round was again a brief stint, this time at Music In Motion, a southern Chicago area car audio shop that sold & installed some pretty decent equipment. I met the owner at CES & later arranged a job there for my manager friend. The place was also a lot of fun to be involved with but there was no money in it for us as underlings. I assisted the installers occasionally when they needed technical expertise; sort of like an in-house consultant. Compensation was again in equipment, so I built a mobile rig in my truck that took first place at the car wars. I really hurt my hearing with that setup; it measured out >130dB SPL before clipping. We both left the place when the owner's coke abuse became incorrigible, but it was a good time while it lasted.