buying speakers

[70salesguy]

70salesguy:

I always wondered what happened when some jerk came in armed with a Consumer Reports article.

Was there a standard strategy for dealing with me?

Somehow this post "got buried" and was not replied to.

I use to really enjoy when that would happen!

If they were interested in a receiver, integrated amp, tuner, turntable or tape deck, and they were going to buy based on the CR recommendation, I would gladly sell it to them unless the recommendation was totally wacked!

If that was the case, I would offer to demonstrate the clearly better product as opposed to the recommended product and then deliver my "closing line".

If it was for speakers and the recommendation was reasonable, I would agree that the speaker was a good product, but that I recommended the customer listen for himself before buying. I would also ask the customer about his preferences and demands, as usual. If I believed that the CR recommendation was not suitable for the customer, I would also demonstrate the speaker that I felt was better suited for the customer, then deliver my "closing line".

The main thing that made the CR evaluations and recommendations so vulnerable to criticism at the time was that they stated up front that they did not believe that any speaker could achieve a 100% accuracy, therefore the highest score they would award would be a 90!

I also kept a copy of one of the reports that rated a speaker by Radio Shack as the best and most accurate speaker, higher than an AR 3A! Now don't get mad you Realistic fans, but to most people, that pretty much shot their credibility right there! :yes:

And what was the "closing line"? After all the discussion and evaluation, I would ask the customer if they were going to put their new "stereo system" or "new speakers" or whatever in their library. Most would state that they did not have a library. I would then ask them this:

"If you're not buying this equipment for your books to listen to, why are you letting a book tell YOU what to buy?"

"Do you not trust YOUR OWN ears?"

Final Score : Consumer Reports 0, 70salesguy 1

 

[RussinOhio]

Not available on their website, apparently, it's going to take some research to discover what CR said about HPM-100s thirty years ago.

[Should be interesting, tho.... ]

I could "snail-mail" you a copy if you'd like.

Yes. I saved some of my test reports all these years.


Russ

 

[Zilch]

I use to really enjoy when that would happen!

I usually perceived it was seen as a challenge to a salesperson's persuasive skill....

I could "snail-mail" you a copy if you'd like.

Details via PM. Thank you.... :thmbsp:

 

[similost]

It's all hearsay,and personal opinion anyway

 

[RussinOhio]

I don't know what speaker that would be but it sure was not the Optimus T-100. CR gave the T-100 a very negative review.

From the article:

".....It's sonic atributes would NOT satisfy the serious music lover or audiophile"


I guess they're basically saying no-one will like it! Thing is....Radio Shack sold lots of those.

Russ

 

[70salesguy]

I usually perceived it was seen as a challenge to a salesperson's persuasive skill....

I perceived it as "a bunch of drivel" most of the time! :yes:

The CR testing and evaluation methods MAY work well on easily quantifiable parameters for items such as blenders, toasters and air conditioners, but I have never believed that it worked well for any piece of audio equipment that is as subjective as most are.

You can run frequency response tests, check for THD and IM and measure actual RMS power, but you can not measure the difference in the sound of a Pioneer receiver as opposed to a Sansui!

You can test tape decks, turntables, amplifiers and tuners, but phono cartridges and loudspeakers are far more difficult to evaluate with quantifiable results!

In that back in the 70s (and probably still true today) there was no standard accepted method for testing the frequency response of a speaker, any evaluation performed solely by test equipment would be inadequate.

I found that most people would "trust the brand" and/or trust their ears!

I made pretty good money as 70salesguy ( I was a full-time student and worked part time at the radio station as well while I was 70salesguy) not because I ever "pushed" anything on a customer, but because I would assist them to determine what equipment would actually suit their needs and please their senses!

Not to say I never lost a sale to my competition, as I had some pretty heady stuff to compete against! But I rarely ever lost a sale to truly comparable equipment!

Remember, I sold a lot of good stuff and I really was familiar with what I sold. I spent a lot of time listening to most all the gear I sold!

 

[70salesguy]

I don't know what speaker that would be but it sure was not the Optimus T-100. CR gave the T-100 a very negative review.

From the article:

".....It's sonic atributes would NOT satisfy the serious music lover or audiophile"


I guess they're basically saying no-one will like it! Thing is....Radio Shack sold lots of those.

Russ

Remember we're talking about 1972-1975!

 

[similost]

I don't know what speaker that would be but it sure was not the Optimus T-100. CR gave the T-100 a very negative review.

From the article:

".....It's sonic atributes would NOT satisfy the serious music lover or audiophile"


I guess they're basically saying no-one will like it! Thing is....Radio Shack sold lots of those.

Russ

And you've known true audiophiles to shop at Ratshak.... When?

I'd say back before Worst Buy, it was your next best buy, and that's why...

Statistics can be so easily twisted...

 

[RussinOhio]

Remember we're talking about 1972-1975!

I stand corrected then. The T-100 was a MUCH later model.


Russ

 

[70salesguy]

Need some batteries to go with them speakers?

I stand corrected then. The T-100 was a MUCH later model.


Russ

I don't remember the model, and I don't have a flame-proof suit, so cut me some slack RS fans!

But the fact that CR rated the RS speaker higher than the AR 3A didn't do much for CR's credibility! Remember the AR 3A was a current product at the time and was well-regarded!

 

[RussinOhio]

I don't remember the model, and I don't have a flame-proof suit, so cut me some slack RS fans!

Just so we don't mis-understand each other...I agreed with the article. The Optimus T-100 WAS a lousy speaker system, yet it is remarkable they sold so many of them even though some highly visable magazines gave it such a negative review. Still, the system was right there in the showroom for the customer to hear beforehand!

As we know back in the 60's & 70's a stereo system was THE main stay in home entertainment and I suspect lots of buyers back then bought stuff if they thought it looked good in their living room....as a "statement" to all their freinds....not giving a hoot how it sounded.

....and the T-100 certainly LOOKED impressive.....but the sound? Major fail:thumbsdn:

Russ