This is something I’ve noticed lately. A lot of hifi shops and hifi manufacturers have helpful staff, but just as many are extremely rude and arrogant.

I’ve had people speak condescendingly about my amp when I’m demoing speakers. Same thing for my speakers. I’ve even had someone, and I kid you not, tell me my streamer has shit sound quality.

It seems like hifi shops are either extremely helpful or just downright awful. The same with manufacturers, they either recognise that there exists alternatives or everything sucks ass compared to their product.

  • bloozestringer@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    10 months ago

    Been that way forever. The only time I’ve ever been in a shop in the last 40 years that weren’t that way was when I was in high school and bought my first set of speakers. Walked in, told them I had a $500 budget and the guy spent the better part of three hours helping me audition speakers. He made a sale. Any store I’ve been in where they’ve been uppity I’ve just walked out on, reminding them I was looking for something special, but I’ll just go elsewhere or order it online with a return policy. There’s other reasons there are a shortage of these types of shops besides online retail - jerks who work there.

    • TenaciousDHo@alien.topBEnglish
      1·
      10 months ago

      My big takeaway from this is the “go somewhere else” part. It sucks that some places are like this but I think its important to find a good local shop for things like hifi (or most hobbies really). Online shopping is a good backup when local is not an option but I love having a no-pressure spot to test things out and talk about gear and music.

      • bloozestringer@alien.topBEnglish
        1·
        10 months ago

        It seems like all hobby stores (woodworking, models, audio, bicycles, guitars in my experience) are often like this. Unfortunately I don’t have any of those within a 3hr drive of me anymore.