Everything wrong about NYC Audio stores

Brooks was a great guy, I worked in Pasadena for 2 years and used to stop by to pick up audiophile pressing always was very nice and helpful. In all honesty NYC is the only place that I ever encountered the "attitude"

 

I live in NYC and I've patronized a couple audio stores and all I can say is that I get great customer service at Music Direct and Needle Doctor.

 

Today's shopping experience can possibly lead to another. Marketing 101.

How many of us would have left a VPI DD table not installed and ready to be auditioned? Most of us would have been up in the wee hours wanting to hear the first needle drop. I will admit that it would be a pretty good investment with that table and a fitting cart to have on display. That may be on VPI to have a "display price" to make that happen.

 

How well would that store's philosophy go over if they brought one of those DD turntables to the Axpona or Rocky Mountain Audio fests and they told people it wasn't set up or they didn't have any suitable LP's to demo?

Competition still exists in the Audio business and this store seems to have forgotten that quite clearly.

 

Yes, it is way too intense. Try taking the subway to work 5 days per week. I'm definetly burned out.

 

Sounds like Lyric Hi-Fi.

 

Solution for snobby salespersons and snooty high-end stores?

 

I suppose a store is only as good as the person in charge of the store. I must give a thumbs up to Goodwins High End here in Boston. Paul Chambers is the store manager and a great guy who is very passionate and knowledgeable about audio. I went in there to have my TT setup and Paul demoed a $200,ooo system for me. I didn't ask and he knows I could never afford anything like that.

 

I did from HS to the time I was 40 at that point I was given an opportunity to relocate I did and never looked back. If I didn't I probably wouldn't be here today.
My company was on the 91st floor of WTC 2 and a lot of my coworkers aren't here today. I was on the level above the PATH for the first bombing and the blind sheik's Mosque was on the block behind my house in Brooklyn. I came home the day they extricated him to have the Subway platform overlooking my house filled with FBI.
I love NYC and I'm satisfied visiting every couple of months, seeing a few shows and leaving.

 

My college roommate had lived in the city since graduation, and recently moved to the South, where he grew up. "I love New York, but I just couldn't take it anymore," he said. It's a shame, since I no longer have a place to crash when I visit.

I can relate, though - when I stay in the city, I'm always buzzed on the vibe for a few days, then begin to find it overwhelming, and long to return to a more relaxed way of doing things.

 

It's been lotsa years since I visited any of these places, but...

Right. The main store is in Marin. I found them to be cordial, and willing to demo stuff with no attitude.

Yes, but a pleasant place nonetheless. To their credit they did carry NHT speakers, which have been on my want-list ever since.

Yup. SF Stereo had the Snob Level turned all the way up to 11. I did buy some items there that I couldn't get elsewhere (Adcom, Rotel), but I put the blinders on, did my homework first, and made no eye contact. Mild price bargaining was possible. After the name switch, they surprisingly dropped the attitude: they must've gotten some well-deserved feedback (pre-Yelp mind you). But I was well out of the market by then. I think they left SF to focus on installs in Silicon Valley, where The Money was. Wonder if they'll re-appear in SF to chase the tech boom.

Coincidentally, I'll be visiting here to spend a whopping $200 on a DAC: http://www.audiovisionsf.com/ I coulda ordered it online for the same price, but I've always wanted to see this place. On the heels of this thread, it will be interesting to see how they receive the po' boy.

 

Wow. WTC aside, I bet relocating to Atlanta has added years to your life. I always thought that I would never leave New York, and I won't for the immediate future, but I would be open to leaving down the road.

 

An old friend of mine has been living in Brooklyn for the past ten years, and he recently expressed to me a desire to get away from the 'aggressiveness' of NYC.

Me, I'm making long-range plans to move closer to NYC, but my sights are on the much more laid-back Hudson Valley.

 

I don't think there is a House of Music in Marin as far as I know. Are you thinking of World of Sound?

 

Your experience would have really p**sed me off!

My HiFi dealer couldn't be more different. I have a modest set-up and recently had my turntable serviced following many years of non-use.
At the same time I asked them to look at my amp which I assumed was Kaput.
They serviced the TT, fitting a new cartridge etc. The amp just needed a couple of fuses which they did at no cost as I had other work done.
When I went to collect my gear they we're play testing it in their demo room and the site of 3 portly middle aged gents "Getting - down" to some Bob Marley will stay with me a long time!!

The store is owned by 2 former customers of the original owner and all are true enthusiasts. I travel quite a few miles to deal with them and will for as long as I can.

Hope you find someone similar who treats you as you deserve.

 

I stand corrected. Thanks!

Like I said, I haven't visited these places in year$.

 

New York sucks. I want to move to Iceland.

 

There is a whole industry now that provides "reputation management" - this involves attempting to bully anyone who negatively reviews your business, getting negative reviews removed from the internet, etc.

 

Do they have better stereo shops?

 

If you notice that why I didn't name the business. Also I've read too many reviews of business that are bad that I had nothing but good experiences with and the opposite.
It's unfortunate that I never really had a good experience with a NYC audio dealer.

 

I bought a turntable from Lyric once. I don't think I have ever purchased anything from any of the other dealers, but I have been in the shops - I do think that the smaller ones tend to be disorganized more than rude.

 

The funny thing is that I find NYC is far less aggressive than a decade ago.

 

Absolutely! New Yorkers have become a lot friendlier and more pleasant overall. It's a damn shame too!

 

I'd give up audio for Hot Springs!

 

Why not have your cake and eat it too? Japan has both hot springs (onsen) and great audio!