Is this rude?

Vinylphile, I don't like your comment. It's insensitive and inappropriate. Eddaytona's comment on the other hand is responsive to Omains thread.

Audiogon and the audio internet sites more generally, have made retailing in High End audio more competitive and difficult. I agree with many of the posts here that intentially wasting a dealer's time is inconsiderate and I would not encourage that sort of behavior. That said, dealers are not oblivious to the fact that people come in to audition equipmenet with the intention of buying elswhere, used or over the internet. The internet has made this an increasing risk. Dealers might address this risk by, for example, charging patrons a minimal refundable "set up/listening fee" as a disinsentive to freeloaders. My guess is that most dealers would rather take their chances than potentially alienate good customers.

So Omains, my longwinded answer is follow your feelings - treat others the way you expect to be treated.

Friends,

Thank you all again for your input. I want to rephrase my first question, because I think I misrepresented the issue by using the word "pretend". My fault.

1. I would absolutely never ask anyone to set up a system for me, let alone uncrate a sealed product. That's just ridiculous. Even if they offered (which some have), I would insist that they not go to the trouble.

2. I do not monopolize the dealer's time. The first thing I say when I walk in is, "I'm just hear to look around," or "I'm not buying anything today, but I'd love a chance to hear xxx if it's not too much trouble." The reason I'm asking this question is that I understand how frustrating it must be for a dealer to spend time helping a customer and be left with nothing in return. My morals are tested when I leave the dealer with an unsaid impression that I very well may be coming back to buy.

So my original question was asked assuming that one would follow the above two points. My conundrum is that I'm 20 years old, don't have a lot of experience, clout, or money, and I want to make the best investment possible given my restrictions. I don't believe I can make a good choice of speaker without hearing a good representation of what's out there. Moreover, I have no intention of wasting my life buying and selling every speaker on Audiogon until I find the right one. Such a course of action would be financially dangerous (I've been jerked around one too many times on eBay), and, more importantly, it would be a waste of time.

Because of my limited finances, I do not have the option of "rewarding" a dealer for his help by buying his speakers. It's not just "a little more expensive" as some have stated. We're talking price differences on the order of thousands of dollars between new and used. But I can reward them with my politeness, courtesy, gratefulness, and (most importantly) future business when I can afford to buy new. After some thought over the course of the day, I'm confident in what I've said here. If people still believe that this is rude, given the points made above, I would be hard pressed to continue my interest in the world of hi fi.

Bigjoe, Hmm lets see.

#1 No, but I also wouldnt go drive a new car to figure out whether I want to buy someone else's used car.

#2 If he figures out #1 he might as well.

#3 Well, if you have to pen me down, I say, it depends on whether he gets #2 right or wrong.

#4 No, but, you probably wont get much work if you dont give an estimate. So I dont see anyway around it. Although if I were a plumber and some Schmoe asked me to come to his house and solder some pipes and fittings together just so he could see how its done, I just might charge.

I say, time is our most valued commodity. I dont like mine wasted, so its natural to not want to waste other folks time.

I'm with you BigJoe.

BIG JOE, I AGREE 100%

You nailed it dead on the head buddy

They are Salesman, they are not jesus incarnate, they are not the next dali-llamma, they are salesman plain and simple. If they cannot hang with the market they better brush off thier shoulders and find a new career.

Ive seen threads in the past where people state that you have to "EARN" the right to become a customer.

It aint A'gon, Ebay, or other used markets that are killing off the Brick and Mortars, it is the attitude and snobbery.
Ive heared somone on here in the past say unless you are dropping 10k on a system that you shouldnt expect to get good treatment

well, not everyone has 10k to drop, and if a dealer thinks i must spend copious amounts of cash to get treated like a customer or even treated like a human, well, ill be sure to wave at him when i drive by the unemployment office and see him sittin in line.

Bigjoe was dead on with the car salesman comparison.

If a dealer wants to be adealer that is fine. i think it looks like a great job. If he thinks he is too good for potential customers by judging them on age, race, or appearance, he better understand the reason that he is hanging that "OUT OF BUSINESS" sign up is himself.

Gotta earn the right to become a CUSTOMER?

How about this, im the one with the cash. The Dealer has to EARN the right to be MY dealer, there are plenty of dealers out there willing to take a couple thousand dollars out of my wallet and let me walk out with a new set of speakers.

Ive got a few dealers that i go to, because they treated me with first class respect the moment i walked in.

That, my fellow Audiogoners, is CUSTOMER SERVICE, and THAT is what will get me in to buy those speakers. Not some pencil-necked condensending nitwit.
I will happily give my money to a dealer who shakes my hand, invites me in, and gives me attention and takes me seriously.