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Should high-end shops be "OBLIGATED" to advise about component matching for best sound?

Being involved in high end audio for at least 35 years, I always wondered why audio shops don't go out of their way to advise about system matching.  I am sure a few go the extra mile, especially if the customer is looking for an entire system and willing to spend $10,000 to 50,000 ( and that would be lower side of premier systems).

Some of us "may or may" not be in this category, or even the medium of this scale of  $20,000-$25,000  Many of us "philes" may be close to the $10,000-$12,000 mark in expenditure.

I get the impression that too often high end dealers would like to sell you far above what you want to spend. There is nothing wrong with good and reasonable salesmanship to extend a customer's budget.  Often audio stores recommend entire systems in an ala carte fashion.

In addition, what happened to  the "stepped system" displays (with some variation). That may sound  like a mid-fi audio store selling approach, but high end stores could do the same thing displaying systems from $2000, $4000, $6000, $8000, $10,000, $12,000 etc   Each step would  have  speaker cables and ICs best suited for each system.   In my opinion, this "MIGHT" REDUCE the trail and error merry-go-round trial of buying and selling.

Lastly, I realize that a large percentage of customer may be looking for one or two components( separates in this case counting  as ONE COMPONENT).   There is no set way to build a quality audio system, but dealers need to get more involved with customers in making buying choices.  If not, then many shops will disappear over the next decade......  

I know the brickbats will fly over this thread because I sound lie an old fogey ( Well, I am an old fogey! ) However, should make for a spirited discussion!!      Thanks, SJ     

 

sunnyjim
akg_ca's avatar
akg_ca
2,159 posts
 
As already highlighted, a  suggestion for any "obligation" inference as to "best sound" is a stark impossibility for 3 main reasons

(1) Dealers can only carry certain brands, and the arena of choice in high-end is far too wide to even consider presenting anything more than a restricted sample available. That kills it right there ...full stop.

(2) "Best sound" is purely a highly deeply biased and purely anecdotal value judgement that is bespoke unique to an individuals whims and bias with no benchmark for comparison or assessment. That kills it again....full stop.

(3) An "obligation" is a course of action that someone is required to take, whether legal or moral. Without drowning in the impossible swamp of generally debating the former, even the latter is governed by the afore highlighted caveat emptor guideline. The latter does not seqway into the former with the possible exception of an unlikely legal protection statute transgression for being misleading or fraudulent, that is not the context of this thread nor even remotely existent in high-end audio where the debatable and conflicting differences in sonic signature are just a flavour of the month.

Time to kill off and mercifully bury this thread and let's move on.

williewonka
3,068 posts
 
Whoa there AKG - not dead yet :-)

in days gone by you could actually rely on audio stores for good sound advice. (pun intended)

But I guess with the abundance of choice comes ignorance and it's all about the mighty dollar, so shift that product!

(1) Dealers can only carry certain brands, and the arena of choice in high-end is far too wide to even consider presenting anything more than a restricted sample available. That kills it right there ...full stop.
Granted, but I have had dealers recommend products outside of their current line - they are few, but good dealers often offer "advice" on other products they found of value - and they know I'll come back.

  • (3) An "obligation" is a course of action that someone is required to take 
So, I should not expect that my car mechanic actually know's one end of a wrench from the other? Well they are licensed, so there is an inferred obligation there I guess - perhaps we should license high end stores?

The OP states High-end shops - not TV stores. High-end implies some kind of extended expertise or knowledge - at least to me.

It's no different from high-end clothing stores or food stores - they "generally" know much more about their market in general and certainly more details about their products.

Are they obligated? - not legally, but people "expect" a higher level of understanding of "their craft" from the "High-End"  stores.

It's becoming more apparent to me that as time goes by that the level of "professionalism" across the board is diminishing - not only in audio circles but across all walks of life.

Do I expect value when I walk into a store - not really, but I'm sometimes surprised

But the stores that DO step up - get my repeat business.

Just sayin :-)

jamnesta
155 posts
 
Much overthinking going on here, system matching is to be expected and central to what any serious audio store has to offer.
68pete
992 posts
 
I would think a good store would. The better the sound the better they look.Good stores have support, thats how they keep you.
honeybee2012
112 posts
 
Yes.  That is why we have high end.  I pay for service and advice. If I don't get it then they are not high end and i won't be back
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