AudioFreaks are Nice Guys!

Oh, I wonder who that can be??

Well, he has lost my business to either Oxford Audio or MAX (dpends on how the ProAcs fare).

I'm glad I dont act like these people in my professional capacity.

 

I have experienced similar treatment from my local dealer in Peterborough in the past.

However, I have to say that they have totally changed their attitiude of recent. I recently wanted to buy a plasma, compared some and finally decided that it would be a choise between a Sony and a Pioneer. My local hifi dealer was the agent for Pioneer plasma and, to my surprise, offered me a home demo, a great deal of advice and, finally, when I made my decision had been made, offered to more or less match the best price from the net.

The dealer's good treatment and realistic attitude to pricing have ensured that they will be my first stop for all of my audio/AV needs in the future.

 

Ive been told about this thread, and its compelled me to register and make my comments.
Firstly Hi Mike how you doing?
Sorry to see that this has gone this far, also please understand that at no time have i given your address to AFs , and that the information that AFs recieved regarding your purchases we given when asked "what has he purchased from MAX" at no time was it mentioned that there has been a dispute,
I also am one of the few to realise that its a free world out there and you can buy from whoever you wish, no crime in that
And with the advent of the Super Highway and the amount of information at our fingertips makes it easier to find out more about prices and availability of goods world wide.
I have done demonstrations for people who have no intentions of buying the items from me, but just want to use my facility , so to make sure that what they are buying elsewhere is what they want, as you can imagine this goes down well, especially finding out after i have done the demo and wasted time doing it.
But hey im a big boy and my shoulders are wide and i can take it, but at no time am i rude to people thats a different matter of attitudes towards fellow human beings.
Firstly you must realise that Mr Bozic cant help the way he responds to people, its in his nature, Black is Black and White is White, almost a superior attitude towards his customers, this works with some but not with others.
So the only way you can combat this is not to buy the product from him or any of his resellers, you have the last word.
In all my years of dealing with AFs i can honestly say ive had more confrontations with Mr Bozic than any others supplier, but i still choose to do business with AFs because i believe the products they represent are very good indeed.
I rise above it all and just get on with my job, trying to sell the best products and give people the opportuntity to hear them without making expensive mistakes.
My industry is in the decline and there are few of us left, there will come a day where you will have to buy this stuff "VERTUALLY" without being able to listen before you buy, that will be sad day indeed.
Support the guys who support you and afterall its only Hi-Fi
Cheers
jr

 

Thank you for clarifying things John, I know Mike was mildly miffed at Mr B responce and his attitude in general, I feel his customer care policy needs a reconfiguration Wm

 

I apreciate your comments John and I am sure that you will have noted that there is nothing but praise for the way MAX operates from both myself and the other forum members.

Sadly, in my experience, you are the exception rather than the rule, and this must be having a negative impact on sales in the industry.

As for Audiofreaks, well I too believe strongly in many of their products, as I do with AS. What I don't believe in is their insistance on pocketing 30% of my hard earned cash simply for having exclusive distribution rights. They need to earn that money, and the kind of behavior exhibited by Mr Bozic really should earn him nothing more than a vat inspection!! This has two negative effects IMO, one of which is the realisation amongst many enthusiasts that they can get better value by importing themselves.

I would be more than happy to pay for the services of a good dealer, but simply cannot justify the additional costs of supporting an aging anachronism of an importer in his dotage!

Congratulations on the barn BTW. Any Forum members who have not visited MAX really ought to, the best selection of hifi in the country. And the EX Dem is great too!!!

 

Where is MAX? Any website with a list of products or something to glance over?

BTW, all this has really opened my eyes. I thought I had had some comments or strange behaviour from dealers, but this just takes the cookie!

 

http://www.midlandaudiox-change.co.uk/

 

I have a few points..

Merlin, first of all, the way I am reading your first post, it says to me, that he is not saying I won't sell to you, but I won't sell my stuff too cheaply.
That doesn't make him a dick, just like most dealers anyway.

however, saying, I know what you have been doing on audiogon, and what your interests in speakers are, is highly dubious and unethical, that is your business, I find it highly disturbing that someone is keeping tabs like that, its disgusting behaviour (and whilst busnesses may legitimately wish to find what buyers like, and cater to that, fair enough, a lot of their market research is far too nosy and prying and intrusive)

as to proacs, that does seem to be their sound, warm prominent bass, bright treble, and laid back, recessed mid.

what do shop ownes expect customers to do, not let peope in shops unless they can prove they are buying? bit of a cheek...part of the shopping culture is to browse, to dream, look, touch, honestly, dickheads everywhere.

pray tell as to what is toadying? nosing?

 

My 1SCs sound nothing like your description!

 

sure robbo...that's my impression after hearing 3 different pairs, it was relative to other speakers, so I'm not blasting them.

We all hear different things, I quite like the proac mid, its very tangible, a little too laid back for me.

 

Personally, I wish more dealers would read this thread!.

It should be a harsh but necessary lesson to always treat customers with courtesy, generosity and respect.

Over 1000 have now read about people who do not.

Anyone up for emailing them all a link to the thread?!


Chris

 

Ah, I think I can see where you are coming from now

 

The silly thing was, I was responding to his sale ad, so one would presume that discounts were available! It is a shame but many dealers are bloody excellent, but the few that behave in an elitist fashion simply queer their pitch.

Now my last system was bought entirely on the net, apart from the accessories that I purchased from MAX. So why did I do that? Well nothing I owned was available from retail outlets in the UK (Tact/Merlin). The Merlins in particular are without doubt one of the best speakers I have ever heard, and yet there is no distribution in the UK. The reason is almost certainly margin related, so I sought them out elsewhere and am delighted I did.

I have had AS dealers and reps round to my room. One guy at AS actually told me (in jest I might add) to get rid of the crap I had and get some proper stuff. On hearing the system, and picking his jaw off the floor (choice moment!), he asked how much it cost. When I told him 12K, he genuinely assumed it was just for the processor!! I think that sums my experience up, they're not telling me to upgrade anymore!!

With less disposable income available, and with a wider choice of avenues to spend it in, the hifi industry is under threat. In these circumstances, what's needed is more "stickies" for the clients, and more importantly a return to products that make music listening an event rather than a background. The last thing these guys want to be doing is alienating potential clients. A major rethink of the economics of hifi retailing is surely not that far away, a damned good place to start would be to remove the distributors from the equation, thereby offering better value to the consumer whilst retaining the margins neccessary to support a fully equipped retail outlet.

The problem is the Uk market is controlled by an insideous cartel mentality that would put any forward thinking retailer in a dificult position straight away by denying them access to the better known and long established brands. It's such an inbred industry that there seems little way to crack it and those involved seem to live with the notion that they have a god given right to our custom. Retailers won't import and manufacturers won't sell direct, not out of any wonderful business vision, but out of fear. When things get tight, most large companies cut out the dead wood. Hopefully the hifi industry will start with the likes of Mr Bozic and free itself from the shackles.

Rant over, back to listening to music!

 

A certain shop that by sheer coincidence we both may be talking about, no longer appears to stock Living Voice speakers. They are missing from the website entirely.

Could this perhaps be the reason that they are worse than the Avalons in every respect?


cynical, moi?