Are Dealer Recommendations Useful or Useless?

Also folks bare in mind that mark-up on Bose speakers is very close if yet not larger to the markap on kilobuck-per-meter interconnects or speakerwires.

I suppose the dealer use to be the backbone of high end audio. In this day of computers and internet sales it has become less so. It has been my 40 years of experience that a good dealer is the best resource for audio. That said, I just haven't found that many good dealers out there. Many are more concerned with a one time sale and then move on to the next guy. I always try to purchase locally but find myself using the net more and more, not only used but from online dealers. I recommend doing your homework, making your own choices and than going to a dealer to purchase the item. It only makes common sense that a dealer is going to recommend what he sales.

The same conflict of interest problems as a tip from your broker; the high end dealers just havn't ended up on the front page yet. And since they are so impotent at getting the word out about the hobby, they probably never will.

Viridian, are you serious about your last statement. Is just trying to sell a product an inherent conflict of interest?

The question used the word "recommend", not "sell", a subtle distinction perhaps. In my experience most dealers do sell products, few recommend them. The phrasing of your question alone indicates the degree to which you have been conditioned by the buying experience. How many dealers are "recommending" items from lines that they do not carry? Yes, I am quite serious.
Marty