For me, what I would bring depends on a lot of factors, including your relationship with that dealer. First of all, I would burn a CD with about 10 different songs, so I don't have to keep getting up to change a CD. If I wanted to buy a new CD player, I would bring my old one to compare, but I would ask in advance of course. Any good dealer should be glad to do an A/B for you. When I was purchasing an expensive amplifier, I brought my Harbeths in, as they were not a Harbeth dealer. But I was spending big bucks. But I would not walk into a dealer cold with a set of speakers without asking. it would be easier to answer your question if you told us exactly what you intended to buy, what you had and what your relationship with the dealer was.
What do you take when demoing new gear?
As a relative newbie and also someone who is planning on upgrading my setup soon, I was wondering what you bring with you when you are auditioning new gear.
I will definitely bring some familiar lp`s and cd `s, but do you recommend I also bring my own source components, like a streamer or turntable? Do you ever take your own amps or speakers? What about cables?
Do dealers even allow this?
Thanks for your input!
I will definitely bring some familiar lp`s and cd `s, but do you recommend I also bring my own source components, like a streamer or turntable? Do you ever take your own amps or speakers? What about cables?
Do dealers even allow this?
Thanks for your input!
18 responses Add your response
Been there, done that. One of the reasons I became so insufferably good at this, I put in the work early on. Took my then ten years old Magnavox CDB650 to compare with Proceed. Took my patch cords to compare with XLO interconnects. Even hauled my Dynaco ST400 into a shop one time! This was all while going through that awkward stage where you have a hard time hearing things, or you hear them but aren’t sure what you’re hearing, so your head is so full of doubt you don’t know one end from the other. Its real easy at this stage of the game to fall prey to things like dragging along your "reference" recordings. Looking back on it, I would probably still bring along something like a power cord or interconnect, something easy to carry around, plug in and compare. But that’s about it. What I would do instead, the one thing of more value than any other, is make the dealer change something. Ask to hear another power cord. Interconnect. Whatever. Anything. Just make him change it, so you hear the same system only with one thing- and only one thing- different. If they have cones or elevators or whatever ask to demo them. If you have your own cones or springs that’s a great thing to demo, especially if you can fit them in your pocket. Most important of all, bear in mind that whatever you do- and whatever they will allow you to do!- varies tremendously from place to place. Some places like here in the Seattle area they’re so spoiled with IT people utterly clueless yet flush with cash they don’t want to spend one minute of their precious time on anyone its not immediately apparent they can snow in to dropping 50 large on AT and D’Agostino in the next 90 seconds. Find the right place though, one with the time and the patience to indulge your ineptitude, you can learn a lot. So its worth the effort. If you are smart and buy something then he sees its worth his time and so much the better for the both of you. |
I gotta say this, don't get mad. We use to DEMO buildings.. LOL Destroy them.. words count.. I mean DEMO. Then build a new one!! There was a lot of sound involved for about 1 minute.. Yup.. Not even one song worth.. Demo! OP, I asked some stores to do some weird stuff, most will actually do it.. I drug in a speaker (center), a stool, I use for proper height, (it goes everywhere), GOOD camera, tape measure and my SPL mic is on my phone.. The stool doubles for a Mic stand I feel like Jerry Lewis in "The nutty professor". It gets me some serious looks, but it works.. I have a test CD, tones and music. The chair back at one meter is a constant for measurements and an 8 x 8 x 8 or 10 x 10 x 10 triangle.. for some testing.. and the chair back.. I found a LOT of the sensitivity data way over stated. No more than a tote bag and a tripod folding chair, with a back and pockets. Less the speaker, that was a one off.. OP it's your money, just ask...BIG grins help too Regards |
Source material, pshaw! First time I saw a turntable at Definitive was unexpected, asked if they had something to play? We dug through a small stack of utterly unrecognizable worn dirty second hand beat up crap until giving up I said this'll do. Whatever it was I do not recall. Not in the slightest. What I do recall is it made the little system crammed up against the wall sound twice as wide three times as deep and five times as good. It was the most engaging system I had heard at that point in time. Next the salesman put a CD of Janis Ian Breaking Silence on their top shelf Levinson/Wilson mega system. This was in the same room so nix that excuse. It was loud and powerful and nowhere near as good as the junk vinyl on the Linn. I made up my mind then and there that I needed a turntable. If you're seriously thinking of spending money on something so infinitesimally microscopically different you can only hear it in a 3 second snippet of one certain recording, its just not worth it. You definitely need to keep looking. For another component, at the very least. |
If you're seriously thinking of spending money on something so infinitesimally microscopically different you can only hear it in a 3 second snippet of one certain recording, its just not worth it. You definitely need to keep looking. For another component, at the very least.Agreed - no sense in hurting yourself to justify any changes. If it's not apparent, then there's your answer. |
Hello, A lot of these smaller Hifi stores are having a tough time competing with the internet. By me we had two different stores. Holm Audio-https://holmaudio.com/ and Audio Consultants. The later is out of business. With this pandemic we are all going to be staying indoors and buying everything online. No more demos! So please support your local Hifi store if you have one nearby. That being said, Holm Audio listed above lets you demo in your home. From what I’ve seen this is the best way to audition Hifi equipment. You can demo it Saturday to Tuesday. Plenty of time to see and hear if it goes with your system. Your spouse hates black boxes. How about a set of white gloss Revels or Dali speakers paired with a white BlueSound Powernode 2i. You can sneak in the Hegel amp later. I have heard so many people take equipment home to demo and their spouses were telling them they have to buy it. One even said his son and wife were listening with him for three hours straight. Another texted the owner thanking him profusely after auditioning and of course purchasing the complete setup. Hell my wife had tears in her eyes after listening to Solioquy 5.3s and Nordost Blue Heaven for the first time. Remember the first time you had sex. That’s what it’s like hearing your music on nice equipment. Where ever you live search out a store front. If you are near the Chicagoland area, check out Holm Audio. BTW, the gentleman above who bought the complete system lives in Washington state. Listening in your house is the best. |
Thanks to everyone for your advice. I live in Los Angeles and my local dealers are seeing customers by appointment only, seeing customers during reduced and limited hours, or not allowing any customers in the store at all. Plus LA county has just implemented stricter stay at home rules beginning tomorrow. I have spoken to a couple of dealers over the phone recently but that is the extent of my relationship with any of them. I would really like to support my local dealers if I can find one I with good service. It'd be awesome to find a dealer that would let me take gear home to demo! Here is my setup. I would like the dealer's advice on what upgrades would have the biggest impact. I'm thinking either replacing the KEF Q150's or adding a power amp as I want to move to separates eventually. My budget is $1500 to $2000, the less I can spend the better. Emotiva TA-100 KEF Q150 SVS SB2000 Bluesound Node 2i Fluance RT82 Bedroom: Laptop Schitt Modi Schitt Magni Hifiman Sundara |
