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    Best Buy

    I have a friend that works there and he says BB will start selling high end audio by the middle of this year,he is a floor manager and showed me a store order for some real exceptional gear,looks like they are making a stab at competing with Ultimate Electronics if that tells you anything. I used to love BB back in the mid 90's and then after awhile they just started selling crap,hope they can turn things around as far as HT and two way goes.
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    I go to BB occasionally like I recently needed some cheap computer speakers and microwave for my daughter's apartment. Over the last couple years they have improved vastly, at least in my area, as far as the sales people helping you in the store. It used to be basically a self service warehouse.

    Ultimate lost many of their upper end lines that they had when entering our market. I haven't been out there in awhile but the last time I did they didn't carry anything more than American or Circuit City does. I'll have to check, they may still have Adcom and Sunfire which would be unique from the others. Sunfire is lucky to get anyone to carry them.

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    The Best Buy stores in my neck of the woods are typical of the order-taking, know-nothing salespeople the chain has been known for. I recently needed to purchase a replacement sub for my so-so surround system in my home. I'm moving soon, and am leaving the system, as it was built in to an entertainment center that was part of the package when I purchased the house in the first place.

    I went to BB looking for subs, and found several scattered around on a series of shelves, but none were connected. I asked a salesman if this was the entire selection, and he looked at me as if I were asking him to recite the Declaration of Independece. He looked around and found a few subs, but all were part of a system, and not available separately.

    I found a Yamaha 10" sub for $125, that was an "open-box" deal, for which I received a 10% discount on my next purchase. It seemed to be good enough for my purposes. Then, on a whim, I went to Ultimate Electronics, and entered an entirely different world. The salespeople were helpful and knowledgeable, and I even found the same Yamaha sub, brand-new, for $99.95! So, I purchased it at Ultimate, and got my money back from BB. And, I have to say that the sub, while it certainly doesn't compare to the $1,000 Definitive Technology unit I have in my main system, does a fine job, and a much better one than the 8" Celestion unit it replaced.

    End of story.

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    It's that type of thing that keeps my doubts that any of them will ever carry anything much more than mass market brands. Ultimate, when they first hit town actually carried Martin Logan and the Krell home theater stuff, I was shocked. They have since lost both lines. Anyone know if that is just in my market or nationwide?

    I think also once a line enters into those stores they immediately loose credibility in the eyes of the audio world. I also wonder if the people who shop BB,CC,Ultimate etc would spend the type of money for better gear.

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    The Ultimate here carries Definitive,and Sunfire and they have started carrying Mirage and Niles, and they have Velodyne subs.I'm from california and I remember going to small audiophile stores where there was nothing but top of the line gear and listening to it in custom built theaters that were sound deadened and the sound was incredible.These stores will never go that route I know.
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    The thing that really sinks the BB stores in my area, at least as far as audio goes, is the incredible noise level. How can you give a serious listen to anything when EVERY noise making device or appliance in the place is cranked? They're going to have to come up with a separate, sound-proofed listening room if they hope to sell anything above the level of mass merchandise stuff, IMHO.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Century L100
    The thing that really sinks the BB stores in my area, at least as far as audio goes, is the incredible noise level. How can you give a serious listen to anything when EVERY noise making device or appliance in the place is cranked? They're going to have to come up with a separate, sound-proofed listening room if they hope to sell anything above the level of mass merchandise stuff, IMHO.
    Man! I know that's right. The noise is enough to make you turn around and walk right back out. And on top of everything that's on, they play advertisements and sound bytes from the ceiling speakers.

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    The Bestbuy stores in my area have a store within a store called Magnolia Home Theather stores. They do have separate sound rooms but nothing is hooked up right or even hooked up at all. They do sell Pioneer Elite and Denon Receivers,Definitive Tech and Boston speakers, perhaps another brand or two that I cannot recall.

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    Demoted to Low-Fi Carl Reid's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by kelsci
    The Bestbuy stores in my area have a store within a store called Magnolia Home Theather stores. They do have separate sound rooms but nothing is hooked up right or even hooked up at all. They do sell Pioneer Elite and Denon Receivers,Definitive Tech and Boston speakers, perhaps another brand or two that I cannot recall.

    I just ran across the bestbuy website for Magnolia Home Theatre.... it had Klispch (reference), Martin Logan, Definitive Technology, Vienna Acoustics and Mirage speakers for some ridiculously low prices...

    That would be the only reason I'd be happy to see higher end gear at best buy.... if they're going to try and sell large quantities and offer substantial discount over smaller high end shops....

    That way, I can just go to a small shop to experience the speakers in a real listening room... then buy them at my local best buy for half price...

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    Quote Originally Posted by Carl Reid

    That way, I can just go to a small shop to experience the speakers in a real listening room... then buy them at my local best buy for half price...
    just what the small knowledgeable and helpful local shops need!

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    Demoted to Low-Fi Carl Reid's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by emorphien
    just what the small knowledgeable and helpful local shops need!
    Yes... it is messed up for local shops.... though frankly that's just business.... I don't mind paying a slightly higher premium for good service... but I'm not gonna pay a huge markup for some snotty local store salesguy to stay in business....

    Maybe you've had better experience with the small stores than I have, but I haven't found any of the salespeople to provide useful insights or tell me something I didn't know before I walked into the store....

    Half the time they tell me utter crap just to push a particular product they have on their shelves....

    What I am a fan of, is moving towards more direct internet style sales and in home trials.... since the only true way to test out an audio component is in your own home with your existing equipment.....

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    Where I live

    Quote Originally Posted by powerlord
    I have a friend that works there and he says BB will start selling high end audio by the middle of this year,he is a floor manager and showed me a store order for some real exceptional gear,looks like they are making a stab at competing with Ultimate Electronics if that tells you anything. I used to love BB back in the mid 90's and then after awhile they just started selling crap,hope they can turn things around as far as HT and two way goes.
    BestBuy has been here in Canada, for only a 2-3 of years. The affiliate BB now owns, Future Shop, has been around a lot longer. Between them, they have only ever carried mass market stuff: low-end lines of Denon, Pioneer, Sony, Yamaha, Bose, Infinity, JBL, and Klipsch at BB; at Future Shop you can get HK, Athena, and Polk, as well as some of same as at BB.

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    The best buys here in Minnesota where the company is based out of, all have magnolia with separate rooms with all the equipment hooked up properly but the sales people are not very knowlegeable.
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    Best Buy bought Magnolia High Fi a couple/few years ago. Magnolia was a fairly well respected westcoast semi-high end small audio video chain. A step or two above Tweeter I guess. I actually bought my Boston speakers from them a few years back before they merged with Best Best. I think they still have stand alone stores along with the areas within Best Buy. The Magnolia set ups here in Houston and set up well but the staff just seem to be standard Best Buy employess dressed in business casual attire. Thus devoid of any real audio video knowledge.

    JSE

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    Quote Originally Posted by Carl Reid
    Yes... it is messed up for local shops.... though frankly that's just business.... I don't mind paying a slightly higher premium for good service... but I'm not gonna pay a huge markup for some snotty local store salesguy to stay in business....

    Maybe you've had better experience with the small stores than I have, but I haven't found any of the salespeople to provide useful insights or tell me something I didn't know before I walked into the store....

    Half the time they tell me utter crap just to push a particular product they have on their shelves....

    What I am a fan of, is moving towards more direct internet style sales and in home trials.... since the only true way to test out an audio component is in your own home with your existing equipment.....
    I'm with you here,I go into small shops that are supposed to be high end and all I get is low end attitude,if I'm not willing to spend over 5k I really don't matter there,the yuppies at BB might not know anything but I very seldom run into an attitude.I hope they do what my friend said here,it would be a nice change.
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    I walked into a BB a few months ago to find a set of ML's hanging out. They were in a smallish HT room away from the rest of the store. I poked around for about 20 minutes hoping someone would come by but they seemed to be understaffed. Of all the times I have been in the one close to us, and had a half dozen Sales Reps up my butt, this time there was no one.
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    Thats the way it is here as well. If you go into the Magnolia rooms at BB there's no one to help you. Most of the sales people are busy selling TV's.
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    Quote Originally Posted by powerlord
    I'm with you here,I go into small shops that are supposed to be high end and all I get is low end attitude,if I'm not willing to spend over 5k I really don't matter there,the yuppies at BB might not know anything but I very seldom run into an attitude.I hope they do what my friend said here,it would be a nice change.
    I've seen both ends. A few places near NYC had Salesmen there who acted like I was wasting their time. They looked down their noses at me. But have been in a few where they were nice as h.ll. One place near Albany sticks out in my mind as the nicest I've been to. A place called Oasis a little north of the city. I saw two Maggy 3.6's on their sidewalk and had to go in. I told them right off that I wasn't going to buy anything. I live too far away and can't fit speakers in my car. But they still showed me anything I wanted to see/hear. They gave me coffee and I stayed about an hour. Not once did they try to sell me anything. They just showed me what they had, and answered all my questions. When I left they were still smiling. The guys their said that they had the best job in the world being around that equipment all day. If I ever do end up buying Maggies I will order them from these guys and have them ship'em.
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    I have found that shops selling high end audio are almost like car dealers. I'm a professional in a high income job but when I go into a car dealer or audio shop wearing jeans, tennis shoes and T shirt, I don't get good service or respect. But when I go into the same places wearing nice clothes and maybe even a sport coat and tie that the sales people swarm all over you. Its unfortunate but your appearance is equated with money and sales.
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    That sounds like nothing more than your local BB getting a Magnolia Home Theater mini-store. Pioneer Elite, Martin Logan, Vienna Acoustics, and Definitive Technology are some of the brands stocked in those Magnolia stores inside BB. As JSE mentioned, Magnolia has standalone stores on the west coast, and BB acquired the chain back in 2000. They operated Magnolia as a separate subsidiary until a couple of years ago when they started installing the Magnolia mini-stores inside of some California BB stores. Apparently, the concept worked, and BB expanded those mini-stores nationally.

    Contrary to what some are posting here, the guys that work inside the Magnolia mini-stores are hired separately from the other BB sales reps. They only venture outside the Magnolia section when the store is slow.

    But, keep in mind that that the standalone Magnolia stores carry a bigger selection of gear than the mini-stores inside of BB. The standalone Magnolia stores will also carry Krell, McIntosh, Primare, and other two-channel analog components.
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    I went in the Magnolia at the BB near my old home in NJ today. Didn't see any Krell or McIntosh (wasn't looking closely) but they had a nice selection of Martin Logan and Vienna.

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    Quote Originally Posted by blackraven
    I have found that shops selling high end audio are almost like car dealers. I'm a professional in a high income job but when I go into a car dealer or audio shop wearing jeans, tennis shoes and T shirt, I don't get good service or respect. But when I go into the same places wearing nice clothes and maybe even a sport coat and tie that the sales people swarm all over you. Its unfortunate but your appearance is equated with money and sales.
    Their loss. there's this thing about rich people willing to spend the most money -- they don't necessarily wear the nicest clothes. I effin' hate people who make that preconception, and I will go out of my way to give the other guys my money.

    Besides, the two stores I do like to go in already know me, and my willingness to spend money there.
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    test the blind blindly emorphien's Avatar
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    I've always been treated well at audio shops, except for one guy at one local shop (but I'm glad I've gone back, the other guys there are great). Perhaps it's because of my age (almost 24) but they always offer straightforward assistance when I walk in without being over the top. The shop I purchased my NAD gear at knows me now so when I go in they pretty much just say "hi" these days.

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    Quote Originally Posted by blackraven
    I have found that shops selling high end audio are almost like car dealers. I'm a professional in a high income job but when I go into a car dealer or audio shop wearing jeans, tennis shoes and T shirt, I don't get good service or respect. But when I go into the same places wearing nice clothes and maybe even a sport coat and tie that the sales people swarm all over you. Its unfortunate but your appearance is equated with money and sales.
    Hey I never thought of that,maybe because I have hair down past my shoulders,tats,and always seem to mention I play in a band I may be hurting my image,OH MY!
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    Forum Regular blackraven's Avatar
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    Hey power lord, where in OK do you live? I lived in Stillwater and Tulsa for 13 years. I miss Tulsa and have some good friends there. My wife's also from T-town.
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