Would you pay to audition speakers

I might " rent to own" a pair of speakers for $300 a month to see if they work out long term (and with different electronics). Just a thought.

What is the primary income for the site we are now on. Secondary sales of course of used equipment and some special low price ads for demos or close outs. Honestly I came back to audio as a hobby 7 or so years ago and was I was stunned at the price of components. When I left the hobby most stuff was priced for mere mortals and even I could afford much of it new at full msrp. Discounts and sales were in newspapers and there were plenty of come ons. Now it is completely different. When I awoke I asked friends where I could by a new amp. The answer was- what is an amp? and then those things aren't sold anymore.
Now you really have to ask why would you risk a piece being a lemon or damaged in transit if it were a matter of a couple of hundred bucks at most. Now your lucky to get a good (fill in blajnk for cheap thing) for a couple of hundred. I don't blame retailers but they are destined to fail. If I can save 4 thousand on a piece that would run 8K at full msrp I will do it. The most expensive piece I have bought is an amp for about $3700 I think? It was well used but still available new if you can pay list great for you but it lists for over $12K. I tried to buy it from a distributor and retailer but even his precertified stuff didn't approach affordable. I blame the manufacturers on up for stupid high prices.
It can be done right here in the good old US of A. My miracle of a preamp for instance listed for $500 brand new -the Cary sub brand AE. If the industry wasn't in part an appeal to demonstrate how much you can spend -things would never have gotten to this point. I predict whatever remains of this barely making it business, (NHT quit trying for cripes sake) will be an internet point of sale by the builders themselves. No other system can accomodate such silly extremely obscenely expensive stuff. I was reading about another 5K speaker cable and I just got disgusted. I don't care if you make the best cable that will ever be. I don't know many with that much cash to throw around. You need more than half a dozen customers a year to survive and I'm a convert already and really do think cables are important but Please Stop The Insanity.
I go to a reseller at least once a day on the internet but haven't set foot in a Brick and Mortor for over a year. Lending librarys are inevitable for a fee that is quite objectionable. But even though I read review after review if you don't know someone who has what you are considering you will be flying blind and just praying the buzz the press etc have your taste.

Tell him you are going to buy the speakers used on audiogon, and if you don't like them you will resell them and that won't cost anywhere near $500 if you are paying attention at all.

This is why brick and mortar and many businesses are in trouble they forget about the basic fundamentals of selling. Its called "value". If you offer customers a good value by combining customer service, professionalism and convience you will build a sucessful business. Some customers are tire kickers, some will buy online. But many if they have the financial resources will prefer to purchase from someone who provides time saving service.

If you walk into a store and you know more about audio that the person in the store, then maybe they have not earned the right to be your dealer. On the other hand if you walk into a store and they are able to show you better ways to do things then they may be worth the extra money.

$ 500.00 black mail does not seem like a good way for a dealer to earn your business. I would look elseware. Or buy speakers here and resell if they dont sound good in your system. It will probably still be cheaper.

Would you buy a car without a test drive?

Over the last 8 years I've bought 4 new cars. Each of these cars I took for a test drive and never was I asked to put down some money.

I tried some cars and didn't like them, others were great. The BMW dealer I stick to let me test the drive cars, even some I couldn't afford. He knew I was gonna buy one of the cars. I bought them there because the service offered was good.

A fee of $500 is ridiculous in my opinion. If it was $20 I might do it, but $500 seems outrageous.