A Questionable Leap of Faith

Wind Chaser · « **on:** 9 Mar 2007, 04:55 pm »

If you are like most people, you will not purchase an automobile merely on the strength of a good review. You want to see it with your own eyes and take it for a test drive. However when it comes to audio, new or used many people take an expensive leap of faith without first hearing it in their home – in the context of their room and system. Why are you so bold when it comes to audio?

miklorsmith · « **Reply #1 on:** 9 Mar 2007, 04:56 pm »

No choice. I have some good dealers in Seattle but they represent maybe 1% of what's available and nothing from the small guys on the cutting edge that I prefer.

Wind Chaser · « **Reply #2 on:** 9 Mar 2007, 05:00 pm »

I should add I'm not including those purchases that allow you a trial period in your home, but just the ones where you are 100% totally committed as in no refund, no recourse.

ctviggen · « **Reply #3 on:** 9 Mar 2007, 05:01 pm »

Supposedly, some astounding amount of car purchases are made off-the-cuff. Someone sees a television commercial and goes and buys the car in the commercial. Sad to say, but I purchased my first vehicle (a Jeep Comanche) based solely on a review. I also purchased the car while overseas (in the Navy).

bpape · « **Reply #4 on:** 9 Mar 2007, 05:01 pm »

Because unlike most automobiles, much of the high end audio equipment is simply not available for audition even in a showroom - much less in your home. Sure, you can go to a show and hear it in a hotel room but that's about it. Or, you can take a 'listening vacation' to a major city and go listen to some of the more commercial high end things.

IMO it comes down to taking the word of people who have similar tastes. I know several people who follow specific reviewers because when they listen to the same equipment, they get the same impressions - both good and bad.

Then there is following a specific designer. People like Danny at GR, Rick at Selah, Gary at Dodd, Wayne at Boulder, etc. have followings of people who have liked pretty much everything they've heard from these people. They like the sound they're going for and are willing to take a chance given the track record.

Bryan

nodiak · « **Reply #5 on:** 9 Mar 2007, 05:58 pm »

The time and money to travel to hear something is greater than the loss in reselling if don't like it. As far as the faith in choosing a product from others opinions, you have to be willing to play the game, no guarantees, no blaming. No one is making anybody buy anything. It is adventurous and can go good or bad. You have to be responsible to your own finances and emotions. It can be an excercise for other life situations.
I gave myself an amount I was willing to lose in the game to find gear I liked. I have several things to sell and even at low ball prices should be under that figure. Audio enjoyment is similar to a vacation, stretched over a longer period of time, or X number of nights out. I rarely go out now, and can't travel often so I budgeted my audio searches like a short vacation.
Don

beachbum · « **Reply #6 on:** 9 Mar 2007, 06:41 pm »

with our hobby, can you name another that has as many choices in all categories, with that said the local dealer network is almost nonexistent, with Internet sales you have the whole world to chose from, and most have a return policy if the product does not work out for you, you may have to pay return shipping, not a bad price for seeing how a product will sound in your music room,

dwk · « **Reply #7 on:** 9 Mar 2007, 07:00 pm »

I think it's pretty tough to compare a vehicle purchase with an audio purchase. Except for a fairly small number of people, a vehicle is likely to be FAR larger than an entire audio system purchase, and the downside risk of having to 'flip' a vehicle is certainly far larger than doing the same to an audio component. Factor in the dealer/availability problems for audio gear, and the ability to synthesize/correlate opinions from forums and it's understandable that the 'leap of faith' is pretty common. Having said that, I suspect it's much rarer in the higher $$$ components than in the more entry level/midrange stuff. If you're looking at paying $15k for speakers, it's probably worth a few hundred $$$ for a trip to go hear them.

Plus, for many folks rolling gear through their systems is part of the fun. Particularly if you buy used, the 'transaction cost' is fairly low, and you get exposed to a much broader range of stuff and keep things interesting. (though I'm not in this group) (yet)

I was pretty radical on the 'leap of faith' even for audio - I bought speakers that not only had I not heard, as far as I can tell NOBODY had ever used in a home system before. However, when I realized that my 'cost' to flip them was probably less than what I'd spent in aborted DIY projects over the past year or two, it wasn't really that 'risky'.

rollo · « **Reply #8 on:** 9 Mar 2007, 07:11 pm »

Leap if you like but for me unless I can hear it in my system I'm not buying anything. Home demo is the ONLY way to know if the component in question has the synergy to fit in your system. The only time I will purchase privately is if I know the component first.
rollo

Wind Chaser · « **Reply #9 on:** 9 Mar 2007, 08:42 pm »

Quote from: rollo on 9 Mar 2007, 07:11 pm

...unless I can hear it in my system I'm not buying anything. Home demo is the ONLY way to know if the component in question has the synergy to fit in your system.

I totally agree. If I am considering a product, new or used from a local dealer / private sale, I need to hear it in my home before I commit. A favorable impression heard outside the context of your room and system doesn't always transfer over.

There are a few exceptions though. If the price is right, and the item isn't too obscure, I might go for it knowing I might have to go through the hassle of reselling it, but at least I won't lose too much $$. Another exception is the more modest the purchase, the more I'm inclined to take a chance.

Wind Chaser · « **Reply #10 on:** 9 Mar 2007, 08:52 pm »

Quote from: dwk on 9 Mar 2007, 07:00 pm

a vehicle is likely to be FAR larger than an entire audio system purchase, and the downside risk of having to 'flip' a vehicle is certainly far larger than doing the same to an audio component.

I have owned a few systems worth far more than any car I've previously owned. I've also lost far more money on audio than cars.

hmen · « **Reply #11 on:** 9 Mar 2007, 10:53 pm »

My system is worth more than my car but it was purchased one component at a time. It's a lot different than putting all that money down at once.

konut · « **Reply #12 on:** 9 Mar 2007, 11:42 pm »

The more a component costs, the more likely I am to require an in person evaluation. Exceptions are 30 return policy vendors, and lower cost items where the down side is limited. Sure, its a gamble sometimes, but 'you can't win if you don't play'!

WEEZ · « **Reply #13 on:** 10 Mar 2007, 12:19 am »

wow, Wind Chaser...what do you drive?

WEEZ

zybar · « **Reply #14 on:** 10 Mar 2007, 12:45 am »

Quote from: Wind Chaser on 9 Mar 2007, 04:55 pm

If you are like most people, you will not purchase an automobile merely on the strength of a good review. You want to see it with your own eyes and take it for a test drive. However when it comes to audio, new or used many people take an expensive leap of faith without first hearing it in their home – in the context of their room and system. Why are you so bold when it comes to audio?

It's a lot tougher to buy a used car and sell it for what you paid for!

I will not buy gear (new or used) that I can't either audition first in my system or buy at a price that I can pretty much sell it at if it doesn't light my fire.

Sometimes this means I miss out on hearing some gear I am really interested in, but that type of discipline saves me money!!

George

Wind Chaser · « **Reply #15 on:** 10 Mar 2007, 01:00 am »

Quote from: WEEZ on 10 Mar 2007, 12:19 am

wow, Wind Chaser...what do you drive?

I've always had a habit of buying cheap used vehicles.
$4500 is the most I've ever paid for an automoble.
I've spent more than that on a phono cartridge...

beachbum · « **Reply #16 on:** 10 Mar 2007, 01:31 am »

wind chaser i like your style, hell yes. if you dont have money to burn. my system gets the cash flow. in the long run i spend more time with my system than in the car.

macrojack · « **Reply #17 on:** 10 Mar 2007, 06:10 pm »

Consider:
If you are an audiophile, you have concerns and apprehensions which are in extreme deviance from that which is considered normal. You believe you can hear things that others cannot. You insist that products meet a standard that does not exist. You worry unnecessarily about potential for disappointment in your purchases.
In short, you're crazy. The concern that an audio component, which delivers music, might deliver music inferior to your lofty criteria buggers the hell out of you. You are convinced that your taste is difficult, if not impossible, to meet because you are you and all products have inherent failings.

Resolution:
Maybe good enough is indeed good enough. Maybe what you already have would be very satisfactory if you applied corrections to yourself and your lust for evermore rather than to your already wonderful sound system.
Maybe....oh shit.......gotta go. A truck just pulled up and I'm expecting a new amp.

doorman · « **Reply #18 on:** 10 Mar 2007, 07:11 pm »

Very well put, Macrojack! (also subtitled: "How many angels can dance on the head of a pin")

Later, tubes to roll!
Don

hmen · « **Reply #19 on:** 10 Mar 2007, 07:49 pm »

I don't think I have better hearing than other people. I think I hear more than the average person because I'm paying more attention.