Gone are the days of the great audition.


Only a short while back we could go to multiple audio rooms in a town just around the corner and listen to all the styles and brands of speakers you wanted. Now of course, only the bargain speakers are available for audition at that yellow sign store and unless you are very lucky the exact model you are looking for isn't reachable for an hour or two drive, if that. I'm certain from the desperation in some the posts in this very forum, that people have purchased things solely on word of mouth or even just specs and looks. Dark ages of getting what you want and yet so much more available. There is so much reviewing and so little listening going on. I live in the DC metro and wanted to look for some towers in the 2k range. The two places I went only had a couple of towers in that range and I'm just not doing the yellow sign place. What do you do?
jmacinnis
I was just over at Deja Vu Audio in Mclean Va just outside DC and they had a number of Proac towers setup and playing. Great sound and really great people to deal with. Lots of super cool gear to ogle too!
Those who auditioned at retailers and bought on the internet probably got what they deserved. It's the other folks I feel sorry for. On the other and they probably don't even know what they're missing.
Hmmmm, the only place I can think of that matches Elizabeth's description is Milwaukee.
Thanks for all the responses. If you have any more specific speakers ideas, I would love to hear them and find a place to audition. I will check out Deja Vu and the PROACs, JOND, thanks for that tip. I'm running a Prima Luna Prologue 5 tube amp with a Van Alstine pre with sources ranging from an Apogee Ensemble DAC/mac to vinyl/sacd etc. You don't want to know the brand of my current speakers...

In terms of the yellow sign store. It reminds me of when Tower Records was the last record store and now, gone. I'm hoping there will be a resurgence of mom n' pop hifi shops. There is a growing number of Vinyl only record shops again now in most cities, so who knows.
Nostaliga and inability to flex with changing conditions blinds people to opportunities which exist today. :(