We've got to keep our local shops in business
Yes...although one challenge is finding a local shop that actually is worth anything...
With audio equipment, I've had so many frustrations with local dealers. A couple of examples, naming no specific names, just that these are Seattle area stores:
1. Around 2001, I needed to buy a phono cartridge. Old cartridge's stylus was old, and no longer available. I talked with one dealer. One sales person was a young enthusiast who thought that instead of a cartridge, I should be considering a better tonearm for the turntable, which, of course, does nothing to fix an issue of a worn stylus. Another salesperson was spouting off about return policies that didn't exist. At another store, they only were interested in one cartridge line, which left me feeling cold. I finally cracked, and went mail order.
2. Around 2000, I wandered into a store near University of Washington. I was curious. The salesman was one of those "I don't have time for you unless you show me a wad of hundreds."
3. Queried about 78 RPM record replay, one dealer was quick to push some friend who does 78 to CD transfers. Yes, a reasonable idea, but, as one person with zero high end audio knowledge commented to me: perhaps one might be interested in playing the 78s as intended.
I could come up with more examples...
While I find this irritating for myself, I can, at least, survive. I know enough about audio equipment, and can do research. But what really disturbs me is that there are people who know little, and wander into one of these lion dens...
There are good dealers out there, of course. The challenge is finding them.
