It is said over and over that hi end audio stores' margins are paper thin. I have found out today that this is complet and total bullshit.

I was at a high end store today and I sneaked a peak at their computer screen while they were doing a component lookup and their cost came up. It was just as I suspected: they get a 100% markup on components (this was an amp, not cables). In fact the markup for this particular component was 110%

So, we are getting raped when we buy new by dealers who are not even all that nice to us.

The CD upset him? Is this normal? http://www.campuslife.cornell.edu/campuslife/housing/undergraduate/upload/Fremer.pdf

My copy of Stereophile came late, so I just finished reading AD's Listening section. He wrote about SET components and a mono record that he newly rediscovered and enjoyed. Towards the end of the article, AD writes:

Quote:

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"The next time someone tells me that they know that the realistic reproduction of music in the home requires

without being able use it, titanized, frozen, and sell it after a couple months, finding the whole idea of using a turntable today utterly stupid?? Having to stand up to flip the disc or to change the track every 5 minutes.. telling yourself that MF is a fool, Stereophile finished..

I find it very suspicious. Gordon Hold departure of Stereophile coincidented with Mickey Fremer arrival. Gordon fought for the CD, contrary to The Absolute Sound. John himsel pushed SACD heavily. I am sure Gordon found the hiring of MF from TAS disingenous, a commercial hoax. In many regards I find MF representing just himself in Stereophile, Stereophile's clown to drumm up a specific class of customers. But then, like in a farce, Gordon left fot TAS.

- Grosse Fatigue