This is something I’ve noticed lately. A lot of hifi shops and hifi manufacturers have helpful staff, but just as many are extremely rude and arrogant.
I’ve had people speak condescendingly about my amp when I’m demoing speakers. Same thing for my speakers. I’ve even had someone, and I kid you not, tell me my streamer has shit sound quality.
It seems like hifi shops are either extremely helpful or just downright awful. The same with manufacturers, they either recognise that there exists alternatives or everything sucks ass compared to their product.
I don’t call myself an Audiophile because of this. People assume I’m an asshole, which is true, but I don’t need to tell them. They find out eventually.
Been that way forever. The only time I’ve ever been in a shop in the last 40 years that weren’t that way was when I was in high school and bought my first set of speakers. Walked in, told them I had a $500 budget and the guy spent the better part of three hours helping me audition speakers. He made a sale. Any store I’ve been in where they’ve been uppity I’ve just walked out on, reminding them I was looking for something special, but I’ll just go elsewhere or order it online with a return policy. There’s other reasons there are a shortage of these types of shops besides online retail - jerks who work there.
My big takeaway from this is the “go somewhere else” part. It sucks that some places are like this but I think its important to find a good local shop for things like hifi (or most hobbies really). Online shopping is a good backup when local is not an option but I love having a no-pressure spot to test things out and talk about gear and music.
It seems like all hobby stores (woodworking, models, audio, bicycles, guitars in my experience) are often like this. Unfortunately I don’t have any of those within a 3hr drive of me anymore.
I just posted my own similar experience before I had seen yours. So true! Thank you for summarizing.
All: please read the above post for your answer
It’s not unique to audio of course; every hobby, profession etc has similar attitudes. Audio with it’s combo of objective & subjective elements promotes a special breed. Let’s not forget that audiophiles themselves are pretty bad if not worse so maybe there’s a feedback loop.
Majority of times I research anything then goto see it I know more than the staff. Used to be worse as people in guitar stores, hifi shops made a career out of it and were knowledgeable. Now it’s young people under pressure to sell stuff in an underpaid job that rarely give a fuck
Any high-end boutique item/shop is like this. Go into a Gucci store and they’ll crap on anything that’s not Gucci.
I have run into this kind of person from time to time. Not very often anymore.
I always say “Are you intentionally trying to piss me off and lose my business, or are you just socially clueless?”
This always results in shoe gazing and averted looks and back pedaling. Very rarely an apology.
“ Because I deal only with people who have my best interests in mind, and I like what I’ve already purchased. “
I should do this. Until now I’ve tried to just laugh it off. Not that I go to hifi shops that much anymore, now I pretty much just purchase stuff with a return policy.
Oh lord, yes. A local shop referred to my speakers as «fish crates». However, they have some of the best equipment, so some arrogance is to be expected.
I will never understand the bad mouthing of competition, either. It just leaves me with a sour taste in my mouth.
It just leaves me with a sour taste in my mouth.
It’s probably from all that fish you ate.
A great shop in NL I can recommend is Multifoon hifi https://multifoon.nl in Rotterdam. They carry the highest end stuff (Wilson) but also deal in second hand equipment for the lower budgets so it’s not a problem if you are not rich. Also I got all the time in the world to demo all combinations with my speakers.
I’ve honestly not had that experience with my main shop in downtown Manhattan.
simple, you’re talking to a salesman. they might be arrogant in your perspective but thats how a salesman is to be expected. and weather you like it or not it just works.
Are you me? Literally had this same frustrating experience at a local shop recently. Seems like a terrible way to build a customer base. I get that much of the hobby is nuanced (maybe to its detriment), but I just refuse to spend money with a salesperson/business with such a douchey demeanor.
I agree, I’m willing to pay extra as to not receive “advice” they are just assholes.
Lots of them don’t care to explain because 1) then they can’t charge to do it for you, 2) they have no idea why things sound good and can’t give you true critiques and upgrade paths especially not knowing the internals and pitfalls of types of hardware etc., and 3) they aren’t in it for the love of audio, they want to sell rich people expensive things and get payed for it l and they may not even believe that audio is a worthy hobby (heard this personally from the owner of a shop that sells Wilson, Gryphon, Sonus Faber, Rockports etc.
Prolly don’t like wasting time on people whose first word is iPhone.
I finally got out of this hobby or whatever when I realized I’d be like the older guys I was buying from lol