hifi demo Stories and jokes wanted.

[mudlark]

While travelling in Oz I worked in a Bondi Junction hi fi store for a while, owner was a mad Hungarian with very particular tastes in music that didn't suit most customers needs. He tightly controlled the CD selection, but he only had a few record decks (this was late-80s - mad Hungarian thought CD was king!), but still a large vinyl collection (from a previous owner of the store I guess) that we used to enjoy flicking through during quiet periods.

It was fairly regular that he would pop in unannounced to find me and a colleague listening to some "trashy" album he didn't approve of. He would quietly walk into the listening room, gently return the arm, remove the record and a low growl would start, that finished in a roar as he exited the shop and flung the vinyl as far down Oxford Street as he could. He would then calmly walk back into the store saying nothing.

One time we were spinning a customer's disc...the customer was next door using the wash-room...he got to see his cherished Iggy Pop (I think) album winging it's way past him on his return Can't remember if he bought anything - we were all stoned and couldn't stop laughing

Richard
PS: there was hardly any embellishment to this story at all

fantastic. some dealers just become a weird law unto themselves.

having said that there are plenty of times I have embarrassed myself on here so why should dealers be any more sane?

 

[mudlark]

Clearly, the strain of all that faked tapping of feet and nodding of heads takes its toll...

I am desperate to tell the tale of one nice guy who did this. I was in excruciating pain. Too loud and the room was bare thus screechy to my ears which are used to my dull living room. He's such a nice chap I wouldn't want to name him. I can't bare to go back to his shop....

 

[Basil]

"It was like St Vitus himself had slipped a hand down the front of his trousers and had a good old clench"

 

[mudlark]

Argh, way too much information.

 

[Mescalito]

The dealer I bought my LP12 off back in the day was the father of a good mate of mine.

He was brutally honest.

"The Linn is a good t/t, but really, you can do as good for a lot less. But if you ever want to flog it, it'll hold it's value a lot better than the competion."

I bought the Linn.

Chris

 

[Basil]

Sorry mudlark, that quote just sprang to mind... it was originaly about your's truly after way too much alcohol and an excursion onto the dance floor...

Into serious Elaine Benes territory...

 

[Puffin]

I attended "Live92" (or it may have been 1993) at Earls Court, a consumer electronics show that was (I think) put together by What HiFi.

WHF had a log cabin for demos. They had a full Audiolab rig with CD, Pre and 4 Ms. Speakers were some large Monitor floor standers. Soundedvery bright and thin, so the decision was made to put on "the torture track from hell" at very HIGH VOLUME. Job Done.. it cleared the room.

The track? America - What Time is Love - KLF

 

[strocky]

While travelling in Oz I worked in a Bondi Junction hi fi store for a while, owner was a mad Hungarian with very particular tastes in music that didn't suit most customers needs. He tightly controlled the CD selection, but he only had a few record decks (this was late-80s - mad Hungarian thought CD was king!), but still a large vinyl collection (from a previous owner of the store I guess) that we used to enjoy flicking through during quiet periods.

It was fairly regular that he would pop in unannounced to find me and a colleague listening to some "trashy" album he didn't approve of. He would quietly walk into the listening room, gently return the arm, remove the record and a low growl would start, that finished in a roar as he exited the shop and flung the vinyl as far down Oxford Street as he could. He would then calmly walk back into the store saying nothing.

One time we were spinning a customer's disc...the customer was next door using the wash-room...he got to see his cherished Iggy Pop (I think) album winging it's way past him on his return Can't remember if he bought anything - we were all stoned and couldn't stop laughing

Richard
PS: there was hardly any embellishment to this story at all

Sounds like Keyser Soze needed to go for a Spa Day

 

[Leicaron]

Clearly, the strain of all that faked tapping of feet and nodding of heads takes its toll...

Holy moly, hadn't occurred to me that dealers did this until I read the above.

I used to wonder why some people would get so enthused over my acid jazz cd's or my Crowded House !

So it was a ruse to get me to like the system ... I'm just glad I never fell for it too bad. But, I wouldn't have my ES11's in that case though.

The other item I bought after a demo like that was my Audiolab 8000A. It wasn't until I heard a Naim system that I realised how crap it was ...

 

[deltaunit]

There must be some undercover video recordings of dancing hifi salesmen uploaded somewhere.

At least there should be.

 

[blossomchris]

Unable to vouch for this tale as it's my brothers

When he had an electrical shop a client (a well known bandleader) asked him to install one of those new stereo's in his house. On nearing completion my brother asked where he would prefer to position the speakers, the answer was one in the living room and one in the dining room

 

[rontoolsie]

Many years ago at Eulipion Audio, I was having a shoot out between a Quad 44/405, Merdian 101/103, Naim 42/110 and some big Sansui integrated amp with the customary LP12 front end and Kan speakers. And in walks a copper, who I found out was actually one of the better known audio journalists back then (I foolishly thought all such journalists were men of good breeding who didn't need to work for a living) and took over the dem without so much as an invitation to do so. When he plugged to Meridian combo in, there was a very load 'pop' and an acrid smell...both mid/bass drivers of the Kans were toast. He calmly walked out and told John Rafferty 'your Kans are blown'. And left without so much as an apology. Fortunately some Heybrook HB1s did almost as great a job as the Kans and the demo resumed.

The 42/110 was the best amp of the lot. The Quads however came much closer than I would have imagined. A few weeks later I actually got to hear the 42/110 with and without the Snaps, which took it into an entirely different league.

 

[JCL]

Not really a story but I remember walking in an Audio T where a member of staff and a customer, who apparently both owned stacks of Naim pre/powers and PSU's, were both sitting in the demo room listening to a Lavardin IT and some Dynaudio Contour 1.3's. It did sound rather nice although I'd not heard of the amp at the time. After the track finished the Audio T guy got up and said they'ed been listening to the amp all day and it's "****ing amazing" but it has to go back to the distributor as it'd cost the shop too much in customers getting off the Naim upgrade train! I was surprised by his honesty but he said he was getting out of the bullshit Hi-Fi trade and didn't care. LOL!