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Re: The problem with Hi-Fi dealers (long--me too)

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In Reply to: Re: The problem with Hi-Fi dealers (long--me too) posted by AndrewH on July 19, 2000 at 22:37:37:

Ummm... don't you mean Sound Perfection in Menlo Park? I wandered into SP once and had the feeling that they cater more to the interior decorator crowd. And why not: some folks will want to chose audio equipment based on size, shape, and available woodgrain finishes.
Unlike you, I did not get great vibes from the Audible Difference in Palo Alto. Some folks call that store the Audible Indifference, which pretty much sums up my experience there. My landlord bought a few $K of stuff from them and now they shop at Century Stereo in San Jose instead (another place that reminds me of Sound Perfection - the interior decorator mentality - but Century is much friendlier than Sound Perfection).
I do agree with your comments on Music Lovers in Berkeley. Great audio store. Go into their showrooms and they will have tape marks on the carpet to help place different speakers for the best possible reproduction. They are serious about audio. And within a few minutes of setup, I heard holographic sounds from properly positioned Concertos with a CJ Prem 11a...

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Re: The problem with Hi-Fi dealers (long--me too) AndrewH 03:34:01 07/20/00 (3)
Whoops, you're right. Sound Perfection was the place.
Yah, Audible In-difference is rather fitting =P The thing is with that store you simply have to *approach* the salespeople. They're the opposite of high-pressure Circuit City guys. They're almost like negative pressure.
But if you consider their credentials (I saw a plaque for best sales of Wilson speakers on the west coast, among others) I would assume their style befits the type of business they do. Do they really have to do a hard sell on several thousand dollar pieces of equipment when they're making whatever sorts of obscene margins on their hundred thousand dollar sales?
They mainly seem kind of bored. If you try to talk to them they're very polite and helpful. It would be nice if they just made a little more eye-contact (but not the type reminiscent of vultures, ahem).
Andrew
- How many eye contacts does it require to get some attention at Audible Indifference? FrankC 13:55:56 07/20/00 (2)
  I always feel like an invisible man at Audible Indifference because I am 30 and don't drive a fancy German Automobile. (Yes, even after I inquire for some service) I do wonder if Madrigal knows how bad a Levinson dealer this place is. I ended up purchasing my Levinson gears from across the country because I was impressed with their service.
  By the way, you are the first person I've encountered that praises this place.
  - Re: How many eye contacts does it require to get some attention at Audible Indifference? AndrewH 17:08:11 07/20/00 (0)
    Well, I wasn't exactly *praising* the place--I just said that I had a decent experience with them. It may have been the luck of the draw--some of their salespeople are really nice (and I mean, genuinely friendly), whereas some of them are kind of busy or preoccupied most of the time. I overheard one of the more stand-offish salespeople making a phone call presumeably to a customer, just to congratulate him on its one-year anniversary and to ask how things were going. They treat their existing customers well, maybe at the detriment of potential new customers.
    Places I would truly praise are Saint Cecilia's Sound Gallery (Hayward) and Music Lover's Audio (Berkeley). They treat you courteously even if they know perfectly well that you're just browsing. The guys at Future Sound are cool but they do give you some sales pressure.
    What I appreciated about the Audible Difference is that they let my friend and I hang out in their Vandersteen (low-end) room for as long as we wanted, without interrupting us AT ALL for any reason. We may have just gotten lucky that time, but it made a good impression on me.
    I don't like sales pressure because I practically sell myself equipment with all the research I do beforehand.
    Andrew
  - The Audible Difference and Bay Area Hi-Fi Mike H. 15:01:29 07/20/00 (0)
    I've generally had pretty good luck at most of the Bay Area hifi stores. Paradise Audio in Saratoga, Bay Area Audio, and The Analog Room all had respectful, patient workers. I'm 26 and most of the employees I talked with were about my age or younger, so that might have something to do with it... I'm ignored at Century Stereo though!
    I've heard horrible stories about the Audible Difference, but the one time I went there the employee was quite good. The speakers I wanted to audition weren't accessible, so he went into the back and opened up a new pair for me to listen to.
    On the other hand, I hated going to the high end shops in San Diego (The Sound Company, etc.). The employees were rude and impatient.

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