Phoenix area stores

I agree with CDC completely on his poor experience with AZ Hifi in Tempe and the owner in particular... I was there a couple weeks back to audition some speakers while on vacation in Pheonix, and I got the worst experience I have ever encountered from a dealership/owner before... Very snooty, snobish attitude, not letting me listen to two of the speakers I requested. On one, he said I could listen to the Gallo 3.1s "anywhere" (maybe, but I came to hear them at *his* store), and the other, the Wilson Benesch speakers because "they will make you not want to listen to your speakers again." My speakers for reference (that I told him when he enquired) are Tyler Acoustics Linbrook Signature System floorstanders... Also, the guy said he was busy "assembling phonographs..." *So* sorry I took so much of his valuable time away (10-15 minutes). Makes you wonder if he really *wants* a sale?

I did hear some great sounding GMA Callistos that he "graciously" let me hear for a song or two... but after the nasty experience I had at Arizona HiFi, I would make sure I bought from *anyone* but that location. Maybe he was just having a bad day or something, but I found the experience to be highly memorable for all the wrong reasons... My Dad and Mother who also were with me (it was a family reunion vacation) felt the experience was even worse for them, so I guess I was not reading too much into the situation. Just plain BAD!

---Dave

There actually is a great store in Tempe that I recommend everyone going to the Phoenix area check out... they are called L & M Custom Home Electronics. A couple years back when on a trip to visit family members there, my brother-in-law and I went there (appointment only), and we experienced some great sound. The owner's name was Mike, and I can't say enough good things about him or his store... We heard some McIntosh XRT-28s and 30s that day that were absolutely *amazing*, a new ML speaker that just got unboxed as we sat there, and three speakers from Dali (MS5, Helicon 800 and the Megaline -- the latter two were also quite impressive). No pressure at all to rush us out even though Mike knew I was from the east coast, and my brother-in-law could not afford anything in his store at the time... Needless to say, it was a fabulous experience that I will never forget, and those XRT-28s *will* be mine... someday... I don't care if they have to ship them across the country to me, but I will buy from L&M when I can, as Mike showed me what the value of a really good dealer who knows his stuff is. I definitely recommend all to try out that location if they want a life changing audio experience as I had that day two years back.

As an aside, they were working on a new room for the Legacy Helix when I went there... I figure it must be easily finished by now... just one other great speaker they carry to check out in future. So Jaybo, yes, there is at least one dealer that allowed me to have a "hifi revelation" in AZ... :-)

---Dave