Amir
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Joined: Nov 29 2005 - 4:06am
money for hifi
Anthony Tam
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IMO, any dealer that does not take a "big picture" view with some baseline level of care and understanding to the customer, be it component recommendations or room acoustic considerations is not a dealer I would give my hard earned money to.

Fortunately, the dealers I frequent do have a customer oriented big picture view, even when the dollar amounts I spend is considered entry-level (~ $1500 limit per component).

Snake oil exists in virtually every business to one degree or another. Hi-fi is no different. As the saying goes, "There's a sucker born every minute". There are definitely cases where we have individuals with more disposable income than knowledge. If a customer has the werewithal to buy a pair of Wilson Maxxs to go in a room that is acoustically "far from ideal"... does the dealer tell him to get a better room first before "allowing" the deal?

nrchy
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When all you have is a hammer everything looks like a nail. A person who sells audio gear is going to think that different audio gear is the answer, a person who sells room correction articles is going to think their product is the answer, a person who makes cable is going to think cable is the answer, a person who makes cartridges... you get the idea. It's disingenuous to criticize a person for selling what they sell.

The orthopedic surgeon is not going to recommend a chiropractor! Where's the mystery?

gkc
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Hi, Amir -- you said that Hifi is one of the most "unclear" businesses in the world. That's true. That is because each individual brings different expectations into the listening room. The first thing a dealer must do is make a profit, or he is no longer a dealer -- just another guy filling out bankruptcy papers. A smart dealer (or salesperson) knows that if he doesn't sell a potential customer a good system, and offer good service, the money will go into another dealer's pockets instead of his own. Now, you want to know the customer's needs, and his hot buttons, but in trying to analyze a customer's needs, you can go too far. If you try to probe every corner of a prospect's mind, you'll dim his enthusiasm or confuse him. Great dealers and salespersons know how to walk that tightrope -- know your customer, but don't try to know everything. That's how they stay in business. If the guy's got 200 grand, I'm gonna send him home with a Ferarri, not a Hyundai. What he chooses for living quarters is up to him. Cheers, Clifton

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