Well if you dislike the sound it will eliminate it from your list, if the dealer can not make the gear they sell sound good in their show room then it is safe to say that it either sounds poor or they are morons, either way you shouldn't buy what ever you are listening to there. If you do in fact like the sound, its time to talk about an in home demo. So you are right you can't make an accurate decision in the store, but you can make an eduacated in home demo decision. That being said I have never bought a piece with out some serious listening time in my room- its a lot cheaper that way- trust me.
What do in store listening tests prove?
Please don't take this as the next swipe at retail HT stores. No hidden agendas to boost my ego or salve my conscience. Just a question that I know you all must have more experience with.
When you demo a piece in a theater or studio at a store, what is it really telling you? My instincts suggest to me that all you are really able to validate is how you like the products' sound or performance relative to the the other components it is attached to and the acoustical qualities (or lack thereof) of that particular room setup.
Is there any way to make some educated interpolation of how a product will sound in your own personal listening environment based upon how it sounds in the showroom, short of taking it home and demoing it?
Thanks.
When you demo a piece in a theater or studio at a store, what is it really telling you? My instincts suggest to me that all you are really able to validate is how you like the products' sound or performance relative to the the other components it is attached to and the acoustical qualities (or lack thereof) of that particular room setup.
Is there any way to make some educated interpolation of how a product will sound in your own personal listening environment based upon how it sounds in the showroom, short of taking it home and demoing it?
Thanks.