Reasonable not to be offered a trial on a cart?


Hi everyone. This query is in respect of a cart but applies to any audio component really.
In this day and age it's getting harder to maintain a relationship with a single dealer. I realise this means that approaching a distributor/dealer for the first time means they have no way of knowing whether I'm a timewaster. Often I'll pick up on the buzz of a favoured component, seek it out, and if poss secure a home demo. There's only been a handful of items I've not gone on to purchase.
I have my eye (ear?) on a particular high end cart (I won't reveal it's identity for the time being). However the UK dealer, while happy to audition it in his system, will not consider making it available for home demo, claiming this would be expensive and impractical (understandable considering he is 200 miles from me).
But this I find perplexing-he claims even if it is run in, it won't sound good ie components NEVER sound good listened for the first time in an installation.
Now, I do understand a one off listen of a new component in an alien system may be disorientating, and the cart could hardly be left with me, but surely in the Golden Age of audio, home demos were used as the last stage in clinching a deal to buy the component.
Or am I incorrect, maybe carts never were available for demo.
Any thoughts on the dealer's reticence, and his assertion that all components are likely not to sound of their best when first installed in a system.
spiritofmusic

Showing 8 responses by spiritofmusic

JMc2, not only that, but he takes a whole day to install at no extra cost. Aiming for early part of 2013. Will keep posted, this needs to be my last major component change before I work on system wide improvements (supports/cabling/balanced power/acoustic treatments).
Thanx for your input everyone. I totally understand that dealers lose out in terms of time/expense on home trials, esp. in this day and age of timewasters, and reduced margins.
But like spkrs I believe the cart is so open to getting the final choice wrong that I've had to move on from this dealer, luckily to another stocking the model I'm interested in, who is happy to extend the courtesy of home trial. Chances are he'll get my hard earned cash, but not the first guy. Btw I'm interested in the Soundsmith Straingauge.
JMc2, yes I have subsequently found a dealer for the Straingauge who's been courteous enough to offer a home trial. But reasonably I'm going to need to build a relationship with him by travelling the couple of hundred miles to his shop and demonstrate my seriousness as a potential purchaser.
I've sure become aware of the pitfalls involved in being a dealer in 2012 compared to the golden age of audio in the 80's where dealers would be queueing to provide home demos, even with carts.
David, sorry to be ambiguous. I'm not expecting a home trial on a brand new cart. What I'm aiming for is the dealer to bring his shop demonstration cart to my home to listen for a couple of hours.
I mean this would be the cart I'd be hearing in his shop and will be well bedded in.
First dealer point blank refused any possibility of home demo, using the reason that it had no chance of sounding any good, in any system, in such circumstances. This was additional to the expense/timewasting reasons.
Personally I don't find this logical or acceptable when we're talking about a $6500 outlay, and hence I'm going with the second guy who is happy to bring his shop demo unit with him.
He's the one likely to get my hard earned $s.
Br, totally agree. And if dealer had stated that he wasn't prepared to do it on cost/time grounds alone I would have totally understood.
But to say that the cart COULD NEVER sound good on a home trial left me perplexed to say the least. I just feel there is a subtext here that I can't quite see.
Br, Happy Xmas to you and all at A'gon. Quite agree with everyone's reasons for cart home demo reticence. But now I've found a dealer with the cart I'm interested in to accommodate home demo, I'm a very happy boy. Thanx for everyone's input.
How things go. I did get that home demo which led to a nice sale for the dealer. Subsequently I ended up buying his bespoke LPS for the cart, and his SET amps. All in all, everyone happy.
I could do that after demoing the cart at the dealer as well. Demo at home wouldn't add to temptation to source more cheaply.
The US dealer/distrib of one of the current hot new thing carts got into a real lather when he discovered a top audiophile hadn't bought thru him.
Me? I don't agree w that audiophile, although I get the temptation. If I saw the mark up was overly greedy (which it is on this line), I wouldn't look at the cart in the first place.
This was a simple case of paying for the dealer's time and effort to swing by, install a cart already on demo in the store, and try and get a sale.
Imho, really not asking too much.