Way back in the late 1970s, long before the Internet, iPods, and home theater changed the way we listened to music, I worked at Sound by Singer, a high-end audio store in NYC. I didn't know it at the time, but it was the golden age of high-end. It had a good, long run that made it to the early 1990s, but the high-end audio market didn't shrivel up and die. Here in NYC there are more high-end stores than there were in the golden age. Rents are sky-high, so you might wonder how the stores prosper, and the answer is that they offer service the Internet can't.
The Brinkmann Balance turntable with Breuer Type 8 tonearm.
(Credit: Steve Guttenberg/CNET)
Sound by Singer is still around, and I wanted to catch up with the owner, Andrew Singer, to talk about brick-and-mortar stores. Sure, it's easy to learn about what's hot and read reviews online, but the best systems aren't merely collections of great gear; it's not that simple. Your system is a system, after all; it's how all the parts -- the turntable or digital source, amplifier, and speakers -- sound together in your room. So smart buyers aren't just looking for a collection of "the best" gear, they're seeking out systems that sound best to them. When Singer demonstrates gear for customers he sees how they react, and that frequently leads to a better option. Tastes differ, and he knows how to ge... [Read more]
via CNET http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/cnet/NnTv/~3/C5WxQWxKvL0/
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