If I Had a High End Store of My Own, I Would Sell ...
default -- Fri, 09/05/2008 - 10:43
PRE-AMPLIFIERS, POWER AMPLIFIERS, & INTEGRATED AMPLIFIERS:
Accuphase, Art Audio, Atma-Sphere, Audio Research, Ayon, Ayre, Balanced Audio Technology, Bel Canto, Bryston, Burmester, Chord, Conrad Johnson, Jadis, Joule-Electra, Krell (Evolution Series), MacIntosh, Mark Levinson, MBL, Musical Fidelity, Naim, Parasound (Halo), Pass Laboratories, Pathos Acoustics, PS Audio, Simaudio, Spectral, Unison Research, Viva Audio, VTL
CD PLAYERS, CD TRANSPORTS, & DAC’S:
Accuphase, Audio Research, Ayon, Ayre, Bel Canto, Benchmark, Bryston, Burmester, Chord, DCS, Esoteric, Jadis, Krell (Evolution Series), MacIntosh, Mark Levinson, MBL, Meridian, Musical Fidelity, Naim, PS Audio, Simaudio, Spectral
TURNTABLES, TONE ARMS, & CARTRIDGES:
Avid, Basis, Benz Micro, Clear Audio, Dynavector, Grado, Graham, Koetsu, Lyra, Pro-Ject, Transrotor, VPI, Walker Audio
TUNERS & ANTENNA:
Accuphase, Burmester, MacIntosh, Magnum Dynalab, MBL, Musical Fidelity, Naim, Parasound Halo, Terk
MINI SYSTEMS:
Meridian, Musical Fidelity
SPEAKERS & SUBWOOFERS:
Avantgarde, Burmester, Dynaudio, Focal/JM Lab, Hansen Audio, JL Audio, Kharma, Krell, MacIntosh, Magico, Magnepan, MBL, Meridian, Nola, Quad, REL, Sonus Faber, Sound Lab, Triangle, Usher Audio (Dancer / Be series), Vandersteen,
Wilson Audio
HEADPHONES, HEADPHONE AMPLIFIERS, & ACCESSORIES:
Cardas Audio, Grado, Musical Fidelity, Naim, Pro-Ject, PS Audio, Sennheiser, Stax
INTERCONNECTS & SPEAKER CABLES:
Kimber Kable, Nordost, PS Audio, Shunyata Research, Tara Labs, Transparent Cable
POWER REGENERATORS, CONDITIONERS, CORDS, ETC:
Ayre, Burmester, Equi-tech, HiFi Tuning, Naim, Nordost, PS Audio, Shunyata Research
CABINETS, RACKS, STANDS, & ISOLATION:
BDI, Black Diamond Racing, Cable Elevators, Lovan, Plateau, Salamander, Sanus Systems, Shunyata Research, Standesign, Vibrapod, VTI
ACOUSTICAL ROOM TREATMENTS:
ASC, Echo Busters
VACUUM TUBES: (New, NOS, & Vintage)
Amperex, Electro Harmonix, JAN, JJ Electronics / Tesla, Mullard, Philips, RCA, Ruby, Siemens, Sovtek, Svetlana,
Tele-Funken, Tung-Sol, Western Electric
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Too many lines = consumer confusion.
I agree. I probably should have better qualified my statement in that the following brands are those that I would be proud to represent. Keeping in mind that the likelihood of getting all of them would be slim for many reasons including territorial zones and competing / existing dealers.
If the high-end had stores across the country such as the one you envision, the industry would be ten times bigger.
Nice choices of gear.
Thank you for the compliments. I have wanted (deeply longed) to own and operate my own high end store since I was in the army in 1993 and even designed the floor plans and so on at that time and for a few versions since.
It would be an opportunity to educate, enlighten, and share the gift of listening to beautiful music via world class systems that give us that ever elusive and almost no longer a priority emotional connection with the musicians as they pour their hearts into their work with such obvious passion. That is why I want to do it, mostly at least.
With proper and in depth knowledge of what lines and models within a line offer in terms of performance, sound quality, features, expandability, etc. and proper customer qualifying (needs, wants, tastes, budget, etc.), then many lines would not be confusing but would be competently presented to the benefit of the customer for his / her unique application.
Helping to make someone's life and time at home more pleasant and to revive the God given blessing of music is what I want to do. Maybe this is one way to achieve that.
That's a wonderful goal. I hope you can realize it someday.
robert_harley6 wrote:If the high-end had stores across the country such as the one you envision, the industry would be ten times bigger.
Nice choices of gear.
As long as there is no snobbery.
PRE-AMPLIFIERS, POWER AMPLIFIERS, & INTEGRATED AMPLIFIERS:
DaVinciAudio Labs, Lamm, Kondo, Spectral, VAC, VITUS Audio
CD PLAYERS, CD TRANSPORTS, & DAC’S:
Kondo, Metronome Technologie, Spectral
TURNTABLES, TONE ARMS, & CARTRIDGES:
DaVinciAudio Labs, Kondo
TUNERS & ANTENNA:
Magnum Dynalab
SPEAKERS & SUBWOOFERS:
DaVinciAudio Labs, Hansen Audio, Magico, Magnepan, Marten, Verity audio
HEADPHONES, HEADPHONE AMPLIFIERS, & ACCESSORIES:
Stax
INTERCONNECTS & SPEAKER CABLES:
Kubala-Sosna, Jormadesign
POWER REGENERATORS, CONDITIONERS, CORDS, ETC:
Richard Green
CABINETS, RACKS, STANDS, & ISOLATION:
SRA
ACOUSTICAL ROOM TREATMENTS:
ASC, Echo Busters
VACUUM TUBES: (New, NOS, & Vintage)
Amperex, Electro Harmonix, Mullard, Philips, RCA, Ruby, Siemens, Sovtek,
Telefunken, , Western Electric
DO You have millions to invest?
Marba: Interesting list of your own and nice brands as well. It is neat to learn of what someone else likes ... let alone why as that lets me get to know the person and not just his or her tastes.
Elliott: No, I sadly do not have the needed money to make this happen. Trust me, I have taken numerous classes from SCORE and spoken to many banks in PA, VA, and NC for starting a business of this type or designing and building loudspeakers of my own as I also long to do. Several banks, credit unions, business investors, mentors in SCORE, etc. have told me, "It sounds like it would be a very profitable and lucrative business once it got up and running." I said thank you and then replied that I need your money to get it going / start it from scratch so that it could be profitable and lucrative. So much for that, though, at least for now.
Sunday Niagra: I agree with you again that there must be NO snobby demeanor, conduct, or attitudes at all, ever, and no matter what. I have experienced a fair share of it and it was never acceptable, nor will it be.
One way to make the point known is to buy your system from a different authorized dealer of the same brand(s) and then go back to the one who was arrogant and show him your sales receipt as you explain to him why he lost your business (and referrals) regardless if you paid more or not. Maybe, then, that adult male will actually learn how to be humble (or at least enough) to earn business by respectful treatment (as is proper and deserved) instead of continuing in self imposed delusions of grandeur.
My dream / desire is to serve and help people, and that cannot be done when one assumes a mindset of superiority (as a person) over another human being, let alone your potential and hopeful customer (whose purchases help pay your bills and keep you in business). It is downright wrong to think that you (as a person) are better or more important than another person just because you carry high end brands of audio components that you hope to sell to the very same person whom you assess as inferior to you and condescend to from that point on. That person deserves to go out of business, at a minimum.
On a personal note regarding my own arrogance (that I am actively working on) ...
I, for one, do not identify myself by what I do for a living as it is simply what I do (which can change oh - so - easily ... especially nowadays) but it is not who I am at all. If anything, I do my job and pursue my dreams to the extent that I can based on who I am. The truth of who I am is determined by the Word of God in The Bible and what He says about me as His child and creation ... along with His Son, Jesus Christ, as my personal Lord and savior and whom I have placed my faith in as a born again Christian ... in team work with the indwelling and day to day guidance from The Holy Spirit. This, for me, helps to tame and even diminish what arrogance I admittedly do have and am not proud of, but admit to. Hopefully, I would treat people as He commands me to ... whether I ever become a dealer of high end audio components or not.
I understand and realize that what I just said may have offended you and / or even terminate my use of this site. However, I said what I was led to say. I hope that it speaks to you.
if there we stores like that across the country Robert this would not be a grossly undercapitalized industry.
I doubt that the manufacturers would ever go for it since there is so much politics invloved in carrying some competing lines but it is a nice thought.
Just to shed a little light on this subject from personal experience.
I started in the HE in the early 70's and had my own little shop which I sold to my partner on Long Island and then went to work at Lyric Hi Fi in NYC. WHen I worked there it truely was the center of the HE world for a few reasons:
1) Lyric had money to buy products
2) NYC is a huge business center
3) there was almost no distributionof HE outside the U.S.
4) there were many less quality lines
5) there are a lot of customers there
6) there was no home theater etc and this was the 70's the golden age of rock and music
We at one time carried the foloowing lines together
ARC
CJ
Krell
Mark Levinson
Goldmund
Bryston
FM acoustics
Meridian
Dahlquist
Infinity
Magenpan
Quad
VTL
and others that I don't remember.
We made very few of them happy because they all wanted to be the best and number 1. NO store can do this, it is impossible.
THis is the reason the auto industry has broken up most multiple dealerships as well. They all want what they want and that is to be represented in the way they want. This is how it is and not a value judgement it is reality.
THe other major reason it can't happen is $$$$$
to do what you write about would cost well over 10 million to start and display, if you don't believe me figure it out and then figure out the space to show it in effectively.
Its a pipe dream!!! a wonderful pipe dream!
Pour another glass of Cab and sit back and dream :)
Elliot Goldman wrote:DO You have millions to invest?
Just Thousands :D
You know, If I was...
I know the feeling. This business is full of thousandaires!!!!!
Most High End companies are the same as well.
Elliot Goldman wrote:I know the feeling. This business is full of thousandaires!!!!!
Most High End companies are the same as well.
Yeah there are many daires in this business who likes to discount a lot. With healthy 1st enterprise, HE audio is like hobby :)
Hi folks,
Again, thank you for your comments and questions on this idea of mine.
While I already knew, a long time ago, that it is a pipe dream, and a very good one at that, I knew then as I know now that it is an idea and desire that is obviously of interest to not just me as I see.
If I had millions of dollars to invest, it would actually not be in a store as such, or at all for that matter, but building (and hopefully selling) my own speakers that have already been designed and are ready for production. That is actually what I would much rather do for a dream income source / business of my own. If it would flop; so be it. At least I would have the opportunity to try it. That in itself is a dream come true even if it stops there.
I would also be honored to be able to write some reviews for TAS or other credible magazines. That would be a great additional venture.
Elliott ... I sincerely wish you and your business the best of success. Your knowledge and experience are well given admonishments and nuggets of interest and benefit as well. Thank you.
Something else that I thought of regarding certain manufacturers not allowing others to be in the same store ...
those manufacturers that have that policy ... perhaps ... need to make products that are that much better and / or more appealing products to more people in some way.
After all, competition and domination of the marketplace is a large part of what business is about. If you are afraid of the other companies and losing business in a direct, head to head comparison to them, then you just may not believe in your products enough or you need to make your products that much better and / or that much more appealing to more people in some way.
After all, no one ever said to someone selling apples that they are not allowed to also sell oranges at the same cart in the market place.