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High end stores closing do you really care

In the last 5 years alot of high-end audio shops have closed or made there emphasis home theater. At first I was really concerned by this but now I could care less. In the past month I have been shopping for interconnects and record cleaner. I have talked to my local stores and they either don't carry what I'm looking for or don't really care. It's easier for me to call the Cable company in Pa (I'm in Ca) And have them send me some cables to Audition. Or to call Music Direct or Acoustic sounds for record fluid. There is only 1 or 2 descent places to get an audition of equipment in general and there brands are limited or they never have anything in stock. One dealer admitted to me that if he didn't have capital from other sources he would of closed down years ago. As much as I love high-end audio the reality
is once guys my age get ready for retirement there will be very few buyers and not enough to keep a brick and mortal store open. The only way the high-end will survive is by mail order and internet sales and I still think it will be a very small market. Like my father always used to tell me " Nothing is forever"
taters
aball
2,016 posts
 
I think there is no substitute for a good brick and mortar dealer. It is too bad they are disappearing in the USA. At least they are becoming more popular in Europe! Everytime I travel in Europe, I get to discover tons of gear that I would never get to experience here - short of buying them all on Audiogon...

Arthur
justlisten's avatar
justlisten
489 posts
 
I happen to live near a lot of high end stores.
To me, it is sort of a chore to go there. I can best compare it as going into a Ferarri dealer. At Ferarri dealers, they have more customers than cars, so sales people don't do much and have no incentive to reach out to all of their customers. They make their bread and butter with just a few customers, and of course, the cars are ultra-expensive.

At my local dealer, I walk in, get the once over, and there is always that assesment when the salesperson makes his assumpution that I am not loaded. I feel like an unwelcome visitor at this point. Plus, even if they sell used pieces they are being sold at prices which are ultra-expensive, comapared to what you can get it here at Agon for.

So, I agree with Taters, I can get what I need with a few clicks of my keyboard and the item shows up on my doorstep.
samujohn's avatar
samujohn
291 posts
 
High end audio is a creature of technology and fashion. Computers have made the "straight wire with gain" and the "what the engineer intended" schools obsolete. Phonograph records, for example, can be scanned,digitized,equalized, the missing data "restored" and the noise removed. For those with an eye on historical parallels I suggest looking at the Ammeter Radio hobby. A few old nostalgic guys are all that remain.
jbello
115 posts
 
High End is not dead, it just smells funny
islandear
208 posts
 
What I'd like to discover is some high-end dealer who is independently wealthy - someone who isn't worried about making his mortgage and has the financial resources to carry a few of the esoteric marques (yeah, maybe even Esoteric, too) as well as some of the better known brands. A person who would LOOK FORWARD to spending time with visitors simply because they share the same passion for music and music-toys, and not because they are potential customers.

Yeah, I'm whistlin' in the wind, aren't I? Maybe a forum like RMAF will come to serve that purpose, though most exhibitors there still want to pitch as many folks as they can. I still know a couple of dealers who will take the time to demo equipment for me, but even after having spent thousands in their shop they watch the clock while I'm in their place of business.
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