iondot
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PSB Alpha 1's vs. Monitor Audio BR1
Monty
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I don't know whether one is better than the other, but
that's not an uncommon tactic that dealers use when a
customer is considering items they do not carry.

Manufacturers often have exclusive dealership arrangements
where the dealer is assured that he won't have direct
competition from the same brand at another dealer within
a certain geographic region. So if dealer A snags PSB,
dealer B may have to choose some other brand to carry in
his store. Hopefully, he is able to choose gear that he
really likes, but even then, some manufacturers have more
dealer friendly distributorship arrangements than others.

I'm generally not fond of that style of salesmanship.

Jabberwock
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My one of the dealers tried to do that to me as well, exact same speakers as well, the Monitor audios over the PSB. I ended up buying the PSBs. I highly recommend you audition both, I bought the PSBs because I just liked how they sound. The BR1s sounded smaller, the sound stage did not seem to extend out to the sides as much compared to the PSBs. But no matter what if you have a choice of auditioning both, I highly recommend you do that.

Buddha
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Wow.

I agree that the answer lies in your own audition of both. (Dealers tend toward dissing the lines they don't carry. You don't know if it's a fiscal incentive or a true belief, so your ears break the tie.)

However! I am heartened to see that us audiophiles have evolved from a bunch of self deluded neurotics who can't tell the sonic difference between a specialty interconnect from a coat hanger into a group of humans who can chat with you about the differences between speakers.

In theory, you shouldn't be able to trust a word we type!

Cheers.

iondot
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Auditioning with my ears is turning out to be quite a task.

It turns out that most dealers in eastern Massachusetts don't really care one way or another about selling me a $300 pair of speakers. They have $10,000 customers to reel in. (Very short sighted of them.)

Fortunately, I do think I have found a dealer who is both helpful and courteous.

A full report will be forthcoming...

Jabberwock
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Its great when you find a nice dealer, especially when you are new to all of this, it helps a lot. I found one recently my self, and he is great, went and ordered a preamp for me even though they didn't stock that item, at this point I would follow him to the gates of hell.

hmm maybe he's too nice... He owns my wallet.

KBK
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Quote:
Auditioning with my ears is turning out to be quite a task.

It turns out that most dealers in eastern Massachusetts don't really care one way or another about selling me a $300 pair of speakers. They have $10,000 customers to reel in. (Very short sighted of them.)

Fortunately, I do think I have found a dealer who is both helpful and courteous.

A full report will be forthcoming...

Go into shops on Tuesday afternoons when there's no one there. If the shop is closed on Mondays..go in on Wednesday afternoon. 2pm'ish.

Your desires to hear different stuff will usually be looked after, at those times,as the shop will not be busy. Consider the times that a dealer might make money on other gear, and how well his time is spent.

Go to him when he's not otherwise potentially busy.

I also shop for cars at those times. I get to do test drives to my hearts content.

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