Miss the HIFI shops

polkrt3000p

I miss the days when I could go into a room and listen to the stuff that is way out of my price point. It was fun to look at the highend stuff. In Sioux Falls, SD they had one. But since closed around 5 years ago. It was nice to test them out and get a warranty. Now where to shop, BB never has anything real worthwhile. The only place to go now is Pawn Shops for me, I like buying vintage or highend stuff and once in awhile someone will trade one in. I picked up a few Adcom amps that way. It just not the same shopping online, or going to the bay, always worried if it will arrive and work well. Now the that economy is turning, why don't we see anymore of these shops. Have we lost people who make a lot of money and want to buy highend gear (no there are still people with cash) so why does it not work these days. Is the margins to low for brick and mortor stores to stay alive. Or do people just go on the net and shop. Just some thoughts. I have no interest in shopping for anything else. Guess I will keep looking online.

zingo

If you ever visit Seattle, give us PNW guys a shout. We have many HIFI shops in the area, and they're all great.

leftwinger57

It is true that the chain stores like Brick Church ,Newmark and Lewis,
6th ave Elect,and hundreds more are gone. In Jersey if you travel there are about 5 high end shops that I know of .Check out Audio
Classics they have an unbelievable reputation and that's how I got my Adcom gfa555 sight and sound unseen and came extremely
clean w/ shipping thrown in.

badchad

I think it's two factors:

1. The overhead of maintaining a brick and mortar store and pricing. Even the "big box" stores can't compete with online pricing. Shopping online can save 20-40% pretty easily. This gap will close though, once sales tax is enforced.

2. The "miniaturization" and mobilization of society. Things are getting smaller and increasingly mobile. I can carry thousands of songs and videos on my iphone and take it everywhere I need to go. This is the opposite of large, hi-fi stereos and home theater. You might even consider the housing market; the younger generation is constantly on the move, renting, and (generally) more mobile. They don't want to take the time to install it all, lest it require moving in the immediate future.

dromunds

We had several top end hi-fi shops and one let you take stuff home to try it on the honor system. It was great. They also had a very liberal trade-in policy if you purchased the gear from them initially. Encouraged lots of new purchases.

polkfarmboy

Fargo is not that far from Sioux falls? Its a 3 hour drive. There is a little place where I have gotten all the anthem gear and heard tons of pre pro's, avr's , amps and speakers. Its called site on sound and you can just walk in. There is another high end place that carries dbox stuff and all kinds of high end cables called artic audio. It usually by apointment for certain high ticket goods or there is a pacific audio franchised store where they have a 24K krell out on the floor. Another little place called team electronics with a super cool demo room for projectors and its just packed with all kinds of speakers.

My fav is site on sound with a rep named Guy, he has worked with joe kane to learn video calibration. Its a little mom and pop store so there is no credit at that place but there is for the other 3

F1nut

Now the that economy is turning

Let me assure you, the economy is still sliding downhill.

BlueFox

badchad wrote: »

1. The overhead of maintaining a brick and mortar store and pricing. Even the "big box" stores can't compete with online pricing. Shopping online can save 20-40% pretty easily. This gap will close though, once sales tax is enforced.

Not to many states are charging 20-40% sales tax.

My Amazon bill increased 8% last month as Amazon started collecting CA sales tax. It still beats driving to a store, and the other hassles of shopping.

tonyb

BlueFox wrote: »

It still beats driving to a store, and the other hassles of shopping.

Oh C'mon man, driving to a store.....shopping is a hassle ? What...are you a hermit ?

Actually going into a store enables you to view unadvertised specials, maybe something is on sale that you will need soon. You interact with people, get to know store managers, etc.

When I was in Cali last year, Napa to be more exact, found a great mom and pop Italian restraunt. Great menu,all fresh and organic ingredients, guy cooks like crazy, the wife runs the front and is as nice as can be. They weren't doing so hot so I asked why. She told me people out there don't drive more than 10 miles for anything let alone to eat. I couldn't grasp that, as I would drive 50 miles to eat at a place deemed worthy. If I had a HI-FI shop that I thought was stellar, I would drive 50 miles to go for a listen and see whats up with all the new gear. Nothing ventured nothing gained as they say. Maybe it's a cultural thing out there, I dunno, but to me you have to search for the treasures in life.

gce

BlueFox wrote: »

It still beats driving to a store, and the other hassles of shopping.

And if you do drive to the store they never have what you're looking for anymore. So you go home, google it and order it from Amazon! :razz:

Mike Kozak

Had a great shop called Tech Hifi in Dearborn Mich when I was ga teenager. Loved going in the soundproof room and listening to Loud Clear music!!

polkrt3000p

I don't get to Fargo often, used to more often when I was on the road. I had stopped in at those stores in Fargo. Picked up a a Sony 999es DVD player back in the day. Fargo has 3 stores Sioux Falls has none, you would think one would do fine. Ultimate Electronics was doing great in Sioux Falls according to a lot of the workers not sure why it was one the first to go. But then again most of them have now shut down. I would just hang out there just for fun, and talk to the workers and the store manager got some great deals on Adcom and Sunfire back then. But if I am ever in Fargo indeed I will stop in.

rpf65

I thijnk the reason is the internet also, but not because of cheaper prices. Lets face it people are lazy. Why go to all the trouble to demo a product when 10,000 people rave about something like the Bose wave radio. Let's face it, when "Chad, the convenience store guy, living in his parents basement says this thing rocks" why listen to it before you buy it. Once you've bought, who in their right mind would pay shipping to return it?

Devlon

A1 brother

polkrt3000p

Bose has everyone brain washed. Man they spend the money advertising.

leftwinger57

Another reason that's a little off .It's like Christmas every time your UPS or Fed-EX guy comes and delivers the goods ,hopefully intact....lol

polkrt3000p

True, I have ordered so much stuff by Fedex and UPS that I get excited everytime it drives by my street. Then I think what did I order, do I have something coming. Oh yeah, nope not today.

Fongolio

I'm really lucky that the only true hi-fi shop within 300 miles is in my little town (Vernon British Columbia pop. 30,000). I bought a Cambiridge Audio Azur Dacmagic Plus about 6 months ago there and it recently crapped out. Took it back to the store and they took care of all the warranty stuff and gave me a loaner in the meantime. You don't get that service at a big box store or on Amazon!! By the way the store is Hi-Fi Attic.