I have had good experiences at Ears Nova in NYC.
Done quite a bit of business with JS Audio in Bethesda. Joe is a little quirky for sure.
Done quite a bit of business with JS Audio in Bethesda. Joe is a little quirky for sure.
Who is the WORST Audio Shop?
There seems to have been quite a bit written over the past several years regarding the myriad of reasons one can attribute to the demise of the brick and mortar audio shop. Rarely have I read however one of the most obvious reasons, which based on my experience, has got to be the simple fact that for the most part, they just didn't offer a high end listening experience. That, along with an elitist and careless attitude towards customer service, buried them as much as anything else. So here's my question. Who is the WORST audio shop/dealer you've ever encountered?
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John Routan is a class act. I was there last year or so. We were listening to some stuff and I realized my meter was running out. I was going to go out to throw another coin in the meter. John told me not to go- he said I probably won't get a ticket and if he did he would pay it. Didn't get a ticket. |
I am a lifelawng and proud of it New Yawkah so the generalized aspersions cast upon NYC residents genuinely offend me and contradict my personal experiences, and life. In that I find most of the remaining hifi bricks and mortar operations to be somewhat off-putting as a whole, suffice it to say that I've been treated well enough by all when I've been frank with the salespeople regarding my budget and/or if I am just kicking tires. Audio Den on Long Island, Breakthrough in Manhasset, and Stereo Exchange in NYC have earned my money all because I was treated like a customer even those times when I spent zip. I'm an effen New Yorker and I ain't rude. What I find rude is manufacturers price-fixing in this business. Shop McIntosh and see how their dealers cling to MSRP. |
Audio Advisor banned me because I sent a couple items back for a refund. One of the items was actually defective. So much for there money back guarantee.Just like CPT and Teo? See the pattern? |
Agree on Lyrics. However, the best experience and most friendly high end is Sound Environment in Omaha. Todd let me listen to their highest end system with Rockport speakers, VTL and d'agostino electronics and Air Force One table for hours, knowing I could not afford. Met the owner and he was equally friendly. |
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Here is one in Winnipeg Manitoba Canada. Creative Audio. Naim / Martin Logan / Regga dealer. Walked into the store dressed in Jeans and a cap and a Norton Motorcycle t shirt..I was pretty well barricaded at the front door till I explained what I was looking for. I told him that I was interested in hearing what high end Naim sounded like compared to my current set up. He said your best to make an appointment. There was not one person in his shop. I explained I had $15k burring a hole in my pocket. He mumbled something like ya right. I told him never judge a book by its cover and left. He watched me drive away in my brand new F 250 Super Duty. I headed over to Advance Electronics and picked up a Mac C2300 and MA2102 Tube set up. Some sales peoples arrogance astounds me. |
tom_hankins I've had a few bad experiences in shops through the years, never went back to any of them.I think that's the best course of action, regardless of the type of shop. |
Back in 70's I was selling Audio for a big dealer. Scruffy looking old guy walked in, walked like he was drunk . Nobody seemed to want to wait on him, I did and in 10 minutes I made a 5K sale(like 25K today) to the owner of a truck line who filled in for a sick guy and had just driven 800 miles non-stop and was 50 miles from home . |
Cleeds... Not returning to a rude retailer is indeed the best course of action but letting them know your experience is necessary. While unrelated to audio, I had an experience with a "premium" car dealer that was so over-the-top miserable that when I bought another make later that afternoon I returned to the former with a copy of my bill of sale, leaving it on the GM's desk. |
For Andy Singer to be in business requires to be large size S-hole and this is what holds him in business, because the larger of an S-hole you are or the deeper you 'stick it in...', the larger respect you get and the clientele with larger wallet. That's typical NYC kultura "Hey get outa here -- your wallet size is too small for this establishment!!" |
buconero117 "Worst for what? Attitude? If so, two New York City shops excel at that, Lyric and Singer. I encourage all to visit those shops and check them out. Oh, you must bring your bank statements showing at least $1.5 million as a balance, otherwise they will not be able to sell you anything. It does help if you are also an investment banker or hedge fund director." Buconero117, you must know someone there or be on the "approved list of highly valued customers" They made me show $2.0 million on my bank statement! I understand both sides of the game here. I don't go to audition anything unless I am going to pay the dealer prices. I know a few retailers in Mew Jersey and I also repair equipment for them. I won't even take home a demo or used component as I know I won't typically buy something from them. Too many people go there to hear a particular product knowing that they want to use the audition to help them make up their mind about a few speakers they are interested in and then go to the used market online to get the speakers they decide upon. I is a huge disappointment to the dealer and a big waste of time. Yes, a business should show more interest in help people for future sales, etc., but how many here have gone to a dealer to audition and never purchased anything from them. Living in the NYC area where there a several audio clubs, I can hear so much equipment without going to a dealer so I am a lucky SOB without bothering the local dealers. Happy Listening. |
And Wisconsin, mirrors Minnesota in "nice" (but is superior to]! In the old days the dealers were just great here...just great. However, sadly, audio dealers have damn near disappeared here, and those left are very brand diversity lacking making testing comparisons very very difficult. Sometimes BB Magnolia is your only choice for a brand. And since I hate going to Chicago, that's not an option. Mail order dominates, including audiogon, obviously |
Chicago, NOT Mini-Soda, or even Wisc. and BTW, what others perceive as rudeness or "being pushy", obnoxious, etc. is just normal behavior for NYers that is why they reject the label you can find similar behavior all over the world in large cities - ever heard the denizens of Bordeaux or Burgundy talk about Parisians? |
A lot of truth in that randy, many in the Twin Cities were born in northern MN, hard upon the Manitoba and Ontario borders . Also, Twin Cities are the bright lights, big city for many Canadians . Smarter kids from here tend to attend college in Canada because the price is right , but remain there because Canada is right for them . |
I’ve don’t think I’ve missed any big American City , I’m from Upstate NY and have no reason to live here other than its the most civilized of all big American Cities . And has the best Medical care in USA , esp. for the young and the old. VA Hospital here is best in the system because docs want to live here and Mayo clinic is just down the road if you need world class brain cutter etc . State has agreement with Mayo that Medicare payment is all any MN resident ever pays . |
randy-11, I never forget that rough winter with over a meter of snow when I woke up, started my vehicle and went to business meeting without any shoveling and without getting stuck anywhere on my way in Minneapolis. A night prior when storm was just starting to land, I saw an army of snow removal vehicles surfing the interstate and city streets sweeping away anything in excess of half-inch continuously non-stop! I also saw in private sector owners of pickups with plow removing snow from neighbor's driveways! after winter, for some reason the road is still smooth and flat with no New York or New Jersey type of pot holes that can destroy your bushings in a matter of few hits. What's wrong with black flies -- they're absolutely harmless! There are cities and states that spray them, but spray is far more dangerous than black flies. It indeed worth to see Twins prior making blunt assumptions |
I love Northern Minn, just like Wis, but southern is like Kansas, flat. And the twin cities, i admit are better than big city Wis-think Milwaukee, especially for things like audio. Madison, while much smaller, has the U, like the twins and much better audio stores, and little if any pr**ks, as some of you are describing. Amazingly for a city 1/10 the size the Madison Worst Buy Magnolia (yeah I know) is 10 times more packed with audio equipment. |
I’d make an exception to that. I was a grad student in Madison for 3 years. Mad-town is so dominated by UW and state government , most of whose workers are ex-Badgers who couldn’t bring themselves to leave, that it’s a great town for kids and a very bad place for adults .Even the "adults"are mostly kids ! Though St. Paul is the capitol and the U of MN is bigger than UW, the Twin Cities are big enough to be good for all ages and all kinds . BIG difference . |
I split my time between DC and NYC. My favorites in NYC are Rhapsody Audio and In Living Stereo. My favorite in DC is Deja Vu (actually, in Virginia, but not far from downtown). Among the three, Deja Vu wins hands-down for the equipment (some of it is amazing), friendliness, etc.; they also do a good job repairing equipment that they do not manufacture or sell. My least favorite, as many have indicated, is Sound by Singer. In addition, I sometimes try to visit manufacturers when I travel. Especially when dealing with a small company, it pays to be on friendly terms with someone who designs/makes the equipment. |
Walked into Fidelis A/V in Nashua NH for the first time a year ago, asking about Pass Labs and speakers. Talked a bit about my going preamp-less experience (DAC into amp) with the sales guy. He went off the rails and proceeded to put me down for this idea and when I asked him to give me good technical reasons he couldn’t, instead acted as if I had no idea about what I was talking about. I walked out. I vividly remember his alligator shoes, which made me think of the old white-belted salesman stereotype from years past. Doubtful I’ll ever go back. |
In defense of Singer (and NYC), I did business with them a few times when they were on 16th St(?) next to Union Square in the 2000s. No "huge" purchases. Was never treated badly. Once they knew who I was on subsequent visits, the woman at the front counter near the door always remembered me and found my salesperson. Haven’t visited since they moved to the new location. |
John Rutan, the Mayor of Verona, NJ. I purchased vandersteen 5 speakers from John. The 5 speaker was new at the time and before they were ready, we moved to Knoxville, Tn. John drove to Knoxville and set the speakers up!!! no charge john is the best retail stereo shop! Audio Connection . He is the last man standing in high end audio! |
