I suspect anyone with a history of visiting brick-and-mortar shops would’ve seen a fair span of the spectrum in seller tactics.
The account of
@MattHooper (IIRC?) of the dealer who gave the in-home audition while sitting between the speakers looking at the listener / prospective buyer, I’ll not forget the mental image that conjured. “
Yes that was me. And in fact I had an even worse audition experience with that same dealer! Dunno if I mentioned it too, but he had some flagship speakers by the same speaker designer that he said I "had to hear." But the only time I could hear them was in his bachelor pad attached to the store, late at night! And it happened to be a blistering summer heat wave. He was powering these big speakers, TRI-AMPED each one with big tube amps. So...6 tube amps operating...which had been on a long time "to make sure they were warmed up" in an extremely slovenly apartment, and he refused to turn on any air conditioning or open a door lest I miss the blackness of the noise floor. I literally at one point was soaked in sweat and felt about to pass out from heat stroke. I had to eventually abandon. That was in the late 90's or so.
But in the same speaker foraging project a few years ago that involved that Harbeth dealer, I had perhaps an even worse experience. I was auditioning some Audio Note speakers at one of the more snooty audio places. (Though some who work there are nice). I was left with a young salesman (might have been the owner's son IIRC), in a fairly small room, and he Just Would Not Shut Up as the speakers were playing. I mean, a lot worse than the guy I described earlier.
He just couldn't stop the sales patter "yes these sound like this, listen for this and that, we also have them in this, we are using only these cables because..."
Impossible to listen through. So I politely...and I mean as politely as I could possibly put it...asked
"Is it possible I could have a bit of time alone listening to the speakers? I find I can usually concentrate better if that's ok."
Well, that dude immediately took the request as an insult apparently. He sort of snorted, got up, and left me in the room closing the door. I hear a conversation outside the door, he's clearly talking to the shop owner. Moments later the shop owner barges in, talking loudly, with a clearly aggrieved tone and expression, and pulls up a chair right near me, to monitor what I'm doing and spout off whenever he wanted to. Basically, he was doing a "
So you want to listen alone huh? You don't tell my salesman to leave you alone. F*ck you buddy, I'm gonna sit right here and make it as uncomfortable as possible."
I was pretty much in disbelief. And...no... I didn't guy that guy's speakers.
By far the best high end salesmen I've met are the ones who can read a customer. Is this someone who isn't very knowledgeable or experienced and can use some sales help? Or is this someone who knows what he/she is looking for, has experience, and just needs to have some time alone listening to the product.
It is the salesmen who left me alone so I could sink in to the sound, who I would go back to and I was loyal with my business.
I also believe it was the smart salesmen who had no trouble letting someone like me listen to other gear in the store, even stuff more expensive than I said I could afford. That can plant the seed. In fact, I was actually successfully "upsold" at one place. I came in wanting a particular pair of monitors, auditioned them, liked them very much, but the salesman also set up the floor standing version. I said I couldn't afford those ones, he said no problem just enjoy. Well...I was smitten with them, and now I had to have THOSE speakers. And indeed, I saved up for quite a while and eventually purchase them. Smooth move by this fellow.
(Sorry MKR. The thread is 97 pages long...I figured it was ok to throw in another spicy dealer story or two...)
www.canuckaudiomart.com
The Manta was intentionally built to be over the top, and a statement product. Early prototypes didn't have cardioid loading of the 12" at all, and there was insignificant differences in distortion with/without cardioid.
