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buying a HT or hifi gear to many ppl is an investment in time, effort and $ (irrespective of its relative value), and is not akin to buying a toaster or electric kettle where one can just pick it off the shelf and off u go. consumers are left on their own accord to rely on sometimes unsavoury and often inept front line staff of dealerships who know little about their products, let alone the technical skill sets needed to ply their trade. these guys are driven by self-interest (namely commission or other forms of remuneration) rather than have the best interest of the customers at heart. it is made worst because MY does not practice a "return policy" for such products (or for almost all items for that matter!).

buying a HT or hifi gear requires auditioning. serious auditioning, not plug it in and the ON light comes on and everything is honky dory auditioning. serious auditioning requires the right listening/viewing conditions in an appropriately treated room and supporting ensemble of equipment in the signal chain. serious auditioning requires time to try out various settings, tweakings, equipment changes, and not having to put up with sour-faced puss who grumble when u ask them to change equipment for A vs B vs C shoot-outs. serious auditioning means testing and playing to your heart's content without any obligation to buy.

if the product is good enough, consumers will buy. nothing to worry about. consumers will be most appreciative of your support and will support you back in return. don't be a freaking wealth-assessing-the-moment-u-step-in, con-job, money-grabbing and then f-u snooty retailer. the HT/hifi game is no longer the privy of only the deep pockets. it is moving into mainstream. everyone starts somewhere, even the lowest-end of systems. but it is from here that the seed grows. a supporting and nurturing dealer will be reciprocated.

a good seller is one that is passionate about the product they represent, and even more passionate about sharing this with everyone. he is also passionate about HT/hifi in general (meaning he would also be an enthusiast just like us) and spends time updating his techie-geeky side and knowing what's in the market and not just confine his myopic views to only the products he represents. How often have you had any store assistant or even the proprietor, assuming u r not a regular customer, take the time to understand your current setup, room dimensions, usage pattern, etc. before jumping into his sales pitch or recommend improvements to your system? a good seller will go beyond the call of duty, and heck may even suggest equipment for you that he doesn't even sell. what is that i hear? did someone just faint in disbelief? lol .... hopefully we will get there some day.

i am happy to see guys like htkaki and junwei (and i'm sure many others sellers in here that i may not be aware of) that are moving in the right direction and happy to "invest" their time and effort to share their knowledge and passion and build relationships within the community (which i'm sure they hope will eventually crystallise into business, but that aside). its a step in the right direction ... slowly but surely.

sorry, i just felt like ranting today. it's friday evening after all. have a good weekend.

@ gilbert - hope you will eventually find a good sub to your liking.

with speaker grill on


Grill off


Lights Off


Where I have my pop corn --- it can recline too 


The heart of the room


Action with a smile 


Equipments list:

AVR : Onkyo TX-NR808
Power Amp : Emotiva XPA-3
BD Player : Dune BD Prime 1.0
Speakers : Axiom M60v2, VP150v2, Mordount Short Avant 900 Series Surround speakers
Sub woofer : SVS PC12 Plus
Projector : Sharp ZXV9000E 720p digital projector
HDD NAS: IcyDock, Probox, Buffalo External, Twin Dockers