spiny norman said:
davedotco said:
It also virtually forces retailers to stock and sell 5* product, when other product is better in terms of system matching or a customer's actual requirements.
Poor lambs! Then again, they could always get off their backsides, get out there and demonstrate to customers why they feel the products they stock are better than the ones with the shiny 5* badges on them. You know, like selling and all that.
Doesn't work, at least not on WHF readers.
They will think you are trying to con them and the fact that 'unkown' system is better than the one with all the 5* components is some sort of a fix.
They are not confident enough to buy the system that sounds best, they want validation so they buy the one the reviewer (whom they do not know and may never meet) thinks sounds best.
They do not trust the retailer, mostly because he doesn't endorse the highly reviewed product, despite the fact that he makes a better sound so they end up going to a mass market dealer, buy a mediocre system that does not sound very good, blame the cables or the room, even themselves as it can't possibly be the equipment, it's all got great reviews.
There are a few dealers who continue to go their own way, produce great sounding systems and make a living but they are now in the minority and most have abandoned the budget sector altogether.
This is a shame, a lot of budget systems are sold to 'first time buyers' and they are invariably the customers that need expert help the most.