Are Dealer Recommendations Useful or Useless?

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

I am the buying direct type of person. I hate middlemen and dealers.

In my experience dealers have been no use to me at all. Dealers have always been quick to judge what components are "right" for me and more than ready to malign any component that I have interest in that they do not carry or stuff that I already own. I swear I have a this written on my forehead "I will buy up all your slowest moving stock to help you make room for new inventory, and I will do so with the upmost gratefulness."

I guess, in my opinion, selling is an art of subtle problem-solving information dissementation that may lead to a desired action/response. I think dealers think "What does information have to do with selling? Just do as I tell you and one of us will be very happy." Once I asked what DAC was in the Krell CD player that the sales person led me to auditioning, a piece I have no interest in but kept an open mind about, he replied, "Tissue paper! Who cares what is in the CD player as long as it sounds good."

I've had much better experiences dealing with and buying from small business owners who make their own products. These people tend to offer more intrinsic value to their products as they exude enthusiasm for their product and passion for audio. I would suppose the reason for this is smaller companies depend on consumers' word of mouth as their main form of advertising thus better products and service ought to be expected from them. Works for me!

Well, I bet you never knew that "consult" comes from "confuse" & "insult"