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.
Every small company I’ve gone too has been awesome. In northern Colorado there’s a bookstore that sells second hand refurbished audio products, and they’ve always helped me go through as many options as I want and test them out in order to see what I like most. If you go in and say you have 300$ they’ll give you every option and you get to decide
Short story- buy from small businesses. Besides, a lot of them are electrical engineers (like me self) and they’ll tell you which companies are bullshit and a waste of money