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.
Lots of them don’t care to explain because 1) then they can’t charge to do it for you, 2) they have no idea why things sound good and can’t give you true critiques and upgrade paths especially not knowing the internals and pitfalls of types of hardware etc., and 3) they aren’t in it for the love of audio, they want to sell rich people expensive things and get payed for it l and they may not even believe that audio is a worthy hobby (heard this personally from the owner of a shop that sells Wilson, Gryphon, Sonus Faber, Rockports etc.