[marvda1]

do you find that there is equipment that you like better than what you make or carry and if so, do you own any of it and would you tell?

[PhilNYC]

I only sell gear that I want to own for myself.  For my main listening rig, I sell everything in that system.  

That said, with all the hundreds/thousands of products out there, I would be lying if I said there wasn't stuff out there that I liked.  There is no absolute "best gear" or "best system" in this world, and I have certainly heard some systems with other gear that I think are awesome.  But I'd go insane if I had to change my product lineup every time I heard a great system...I feel that my gear is competitive in their price categories and I love the way the system sounds.

But in terms of my dealership, it's kind of irrelevant whether I like what I sell or not...at the end of the day, it's got to be the customer that likes what I sell.  That I own it and know it and love it helps me answer questions about component matching et al, but I don't try to push anything on anybody...they audition, and if they like it, they buy it...if they don't, they sometimes ask for recommendations, and I'll do the best that I can to understand what they are looking for and steer them in a direction more to their liking.

[CIAudio]

I agree with Phil...
Most manufacturers and dealers are in this business because they love music...manufacturers make what they think is best, and dealers sell what they think is best. My personal system is comprised only of products we make or sell. I do own some vintage gear that goes in and out of the rig from time to time (primarily an old Accuphase tuner), and i do swap other manufacturers gear in & out for comparison.

There are many good product manufacturers with different goals, approaches, and results...there are also many tastes to satisfy out there. I've recommended many products that we don't make or sell if I think it's what the customer wants or needs.

[Mike B.]

No. I have tried all the competition and mine are the best by far.
www.acmeaudiolabs.com

[PhilNYC]

No. I have tried all the competition and mine are the best by far.
www.acmeaudiolabs.com

   

(btw - I do use your outlets and like them very much even though I don't sell them...   )

[DVV]

do you find that there is equipment that you like better than what you make or carry and if so, do you own any of it and would you tell?

If the question is good for DIY audio as well, I'll chip in.

I do use other people's products for two reasons.

One is that in testing, I have to use what everybody can go out and buy, i.e. my entire system has to be repeatable. If not, then any conclusion I come to is highly questionable and not very realistic, even if my own take on the subject is, in my view, better than that it is being compared with.

The other is sheer comparison. If I am to be able to decide whether my own product is good or not, I have to compare it to known values, products known and publically appreciated as good. How will I know what is good or bad if I have nothing to compare it with?

There's a third reason, albeit a highly subjective one. As anyone involved in technology, it gives me great pleasure to see and own products made the right way, with no cost-cutting, no cut corners, the way I think such products should be made. It makes no difference to my enjoyment whose it is, so long as it givem me good sound and is made well.

Cheers,
DVV

[Bill Baker]

Sorry to quote you on this one Phil but I could not have put it better myself and I feel the exact same way. Very nice job! I think it is worth repeating!

Phil wrote:

I only sell gear that I want to own for myself. For my main listening rig, I sell everything in that system.

That said, with all the hundreds/thousands of products out there, I would be lying if I said there wasn't stuff out there that I liked. There is no absolute "best gear" or "best system" in this world, and I have certainly heard some systems with other gear that I think are awesome. But I'd go insane if I had to change my product lineup every time I heard a great system...I feel that my gear is competitive in their price categories and I love the way the system sounds.

But in terms of my dealership, it's kind of irrelevant whether I like what I sell or not...at the end of the day, it's got to be the customer that likes what I sell. That I own it and know it and love it helps me answer questions about component matching et al, but I don't try to push anything on anybody...they audition, and if they like it, they buy it...if they don't, they sometimes ask for recommendations, and I'll do the best that I can to understand what they are looking for and steer them in a direction more to their liking.

[Sedona Sky Sound]

There is lots of equipment I "like" but don't have at my store. Why? Actually, there are a couple of reasons:

1) It is too expensive to pick up the line. Some manufacturers require a minimum $100k initial order which is just too much for a small business like mine.

2) There was another dealer here first. In one instance, there was a specific product I wanted but there was a local dealer that already carried that line. As such, I had to keep looking until I found a product from another manufacturer that also met my price/performance requirements.

3) In some cases, a manufacturer might have one great product but the rest are real dogs. This situation is a little harder to deal with. Some manufacturers will allow you to just sell one product but most want you to represent their entire line. In this case, sometimes you just have to keep looking.    

To me, any dealer that does not believe in his/her products will not last very long in this business. Passion, knowledge, service, and the willingness to go above and beyond is what is required in the high-end niche market. If you do not love what you are doing, you will burn out quickly.  

I absolutely believe in the products I sell. In my case, I had actually selected all my primary components for my personal system a year before I actually started by audio business. I am more than happy to compare my reference system to any system at any price, and I am sure that most of the good high-end dealers feel the same way about their systems.

My wife says that I am a great audio architect but a crappy salesman. I am more than happy to point out the good and bad points about the products I sell as well as those I don't sell (which has gotten me in trouble with my manufactures on more than one occasion   ). My goal is that when a customer walks into my demo room, the sound coming from the system sells itself.    

Julian
www.sedonaskysound.com