Hi-end audio is a big zero

There still are @chayro and that is how I have purchased the last 5 pieces of gear in the past 2 years. You just need to find them.  Last 2 pieces were in my system for 2 weeks before I made the decision and dealer never bothered me once while I was auditioning. 

 There used to be more amazing dealers who did single-speaker private demos and would even let you take something home to demo

With High End Audio(HEA) you need patience and knowledge. HEA is NOT a plug and play hobby. With experience you can eliminate 4/5 brands due to build quality, reliability and house sound. My advice is if your new to HEA take 2 years to research attend audio shows/dealer demos and as many unamplified concerts as possible before investing a large sum of money. Audio dealers are not there to babysit or provide entertainment, do you expect this from a car salesman? The way you present yourself will determine 99% how a HEA salesman will treat you. As a casual observer a guy was arguing about the slew rate of an amplifier or the DIY guy can build this or that for pennies on the dollar. Dealers/salesman have to put up with a fair share of a**clowns!

IDK what you are talking about. I bought a Parasound Zamp/Dac/Pre for my desktop system from an online etailer with a 30 day return. The sales people spent about 30 min on the phone answering questions. I wanted to use paypal not a CC. They weren’t setup for PP and still accommodated me. After I got the gear I had questions about setup, break in and speaker matching. I called parasound and got the OWNER on the phone, Richard Schram. The Z components are entry level products, not the flagship. He took all the time I wanted on the phone and genuinely wanted to help me "enjoy the ride". I asked for speaker advice and he shared how they pair that gear with Kef LS50’s and he owned a pair. He talked about how he used the Zpre with his TV in a 2 channel setup. When I called back in the future he remembered me and answered another question.

If you aren’t getting treatment like this find another dealer/manufacturer.

Thanks for the sensible responses. My experience with B&M dealers has overall been positive and it really is the most practical way to make a decision. They do the best they can working with what we've got. Trying to balance customer service with also making a profit

ebm Interesting you mention that. That what got me going on this subject. Had to get a new boombox for work as mine died after 24 years. Being pretty cheap, I've bought about 10 boomboxes and mini-systems so far. It's been an enlightening experience. Sure it's not hi-end but the same concepts apply. I've been accurate at least half the time on what to expect. Like, a bigger driver gives more bass. But even that doesn't really describe how it will sound.

kota1I agree about Parasound service. Another one, Soundapproach in VA is exemplary.

Maybe the best way to do this is narrow it down with budget and performance to 2-3 products and then try to audition those? Then as deadhead1000 said, just focus on the music

To the OP, Read all you want. Talk all you want. Listen at dealers all you want. But unless your listening room is acoustically treated, expecting a good sound from a decently put together system is all meaningless and waste of your money.