What's your experience with snooty HiFi salesmen?

Soundings in Denver is one of the good ones. No pressure and very knowledgeable. Ask for Jess. 

Yes, and you don’t need to go to a store anymore because now they’re on-line in forums like this and on the phone! When that happens I won’t buy anything from them, and in some instances even the product they are selling from anyone. That’s why I will never buy a particular streamer, that I won’t mention here because I don’t want to offend the good audiophiles that enjoy that product. I also make it a point to continue to tell everyone I am in contact with and discuss audio about my experience and why I don’t recommend buying from this person. This is the only way you can make a difference in the attitude of some of these individuals. Your wallet! On the flip side, if they treat me right I treat them right in every way I can. I’m their their best advocate, product and person 😀

Sorry if this rant is a repeat!

In the metro Denver area, you will be hard pressed to find a quality Audio store. Yes there are stores that sell quality audio equipment, but their sales staff leaves a lot to be desired. From one store that only has an Xbox of a disk transport and the system that holds great promises& public admiration, can’t play a single note below 100 hz.. Yes something is wrong with that. then you turn to the oldest store (approx 45 yrs in the business) in the community where the sales person asks you that you currently use in hopes of providing something near equivalent to start with and then hooks you up to the most obnoxious pieces of flotsam and on top of that didn’t have ANY kind of disk transports and couldn't fine any sample music you bring in on ANY of his streaming sources. If you end up buying something ’IN SPITE OF’ your salesman’s attention to you, you should be rethinking you choice of stores. From now on I think I might have to travel at least as far as Ft Collins or possibly Albuquerque, as these idiots here don’t deserve to be in business and that totally takes away from the purpose of buying locally.

I will say there is one store (in the tech center) that I haven’t visited as when I was last searching for equipment, they were in the process of moving and didn’t have much of anything set up to show off.

Yes!  and I wouldn't go back either.  Same with snooty auto salespeople.  It is not that hard to spend your hard-earned money someplace else.

@hilde45 "But given (a) the scarcity of audio stores and (b) the importance of hearing a system in person, many people don’t have the luxury of moving on, right? "

I think you've drilled down to the crux of the matter.  Whether one values the assets on hand at a dealer, or not.  If not, it's a mute point. But, even if you don't like dealers in general, they do put a lot good gear in people's homes, generate revenue, keep some quality manufactuers in business, and often launch new products/technologies.  If you value the dealer, it can be an ackward, sometimes frustrating, experience.  

Not to sound snobby here, but I'm going to present the premise that most of you contributors here have reached a level of success in life a bit higher than the "average" sales guy they you're going to encounter at an audio store.  Instead of looking down on them, we have skiills and talent (and, motivation) to try to navigate our way through to a good outcome.  

I can't tell you how many times I've had to "coach" salepeoplle how to sell to ME.  Cars, homes, commercial properties, tires, motorhomes, etc.  Give them the opportunity to "humanize" the relationship by asking them personal questions, etc. And, yes, you will often know more about THEIR product, than they do.

That being said, as an old, retired dealer, the dealers have to reinvent themselves.  But, they also have to make "the numbers" work.  Reinventing also means reinvesting.  Your business matters to them.  Whether those representing the company make it apparent.  Or, not.