Have your say & ask the experts

A very high percentage of the populace live in fairly humble dwellings, me included, like flats, terraced houses and semi-detached properties. Add into the equation young children; friends and family visits.

Why in that case do all retailers, when you audition a piece of kit, feel compelled to blow your eardrums out by cranking it to very high volumns?

This is not aimed at one retailer in particular, but most of the ones I've visited over the years. It seems to be a prerequisite of most, including the bigger chains.

plastic penguin:

Why in that case do all retailers, when you audition a piece of kit, feel compelled to blow your eardrums out by cranking it to very high volumns?

It's possibly the same thinking as in many other retail fields, they're probably trying to create an initial impact. Much easier to do this with higher volume. They'll be aiming for the 'wow' factor.

I imagine it's also an attempt at showing the customer the potential of the product, and it's tricky to do that, especially with cinema systems, at low volume.

This is not aimed at one retailer in particular, but most of the ones I've visited over the years. It seems to be a prerequisite of most, including the bigger chains.

Thing is, if they do it everywhere, then it's probably the right thing to do. They can't all be wrong  Even if we don't really like loud demo's, and I for one don't, I'd say it's probable that the majority of the buying public do. 

If you think of the big high st chains especially, they all plaster the wattage figures all over their brochures. Their research must tell them that this is an important stat to their customers. So if the majority of their customers equate wattage with quality, blasting a demo at them will demonstrate this perceived 'quality'. If they want power, a loud demo proves that their choice of system has it. The good folk of this forum know that power doesn't necessarily equate to performance, but your average Comet buyer maybe doesn't, as Joel mentions.

Also, at a recent demo I had, the chap set it up at a fairly low volume, then left me to it. I had to go and ask if I could turn it up a bit. Unfortunately, many customers don't ask things if they're uncomfortable, they just smile and leave, rather than asking a question they may feel is silly. I guess many customers, if left to their own devices, would feel more comfortable turning the volume down than up, for fear of doing something wrong.

Sorry, rambled on a bit, but I've had many years in retail, and learned that many of the things that seem strange to the punter make perfect sense to the retailer 

Clare Newsome:

Always remember that you are the customer - if you don't want it loud, say so! (And if they get odd about it, leave)

When I purchased my A65+ I took in my Alpha 7, and as most of you will know the remote is only half the size of the DIVA range. So unbeknown to him I took the Alpha remote with me, and with amp fired up I was messing around with the remote. He said to me, a little perplexed: "I think you could have problem?" "Oh!" I replied. "Yeah, there seems to be a problem with your volume control."

It backfired slightly. . .by accident I pressed the mute button and he eventually tumbled. I had to confess and told him the reason. He took in good spirit though. 

Take note retailers. There's a lesson to be learnt. Not all of us can relate to wall shaking levels.

timwileman:

when i was auditioning speakers at a very nice shop indeed, they set it all up slapped on my choice of music, set it playing and then asked.....how loud do you want to listen? ---thats why i brought my speakers and amp and some cables from this shop, might of got all this stuff cheaper off the net but they as i got so much at once there was a 5% discount off the lot. PJ HiFi in Guildford....lovely place!

Then the A65 was retailing at £390 and as I tested it against the Nad 352 & Rotel RA02 (£350.00), they let me have the A65 for the same price. Quite a good deal I thought.

Now when I walk in they say "its the remote man!!"

I know PJ in Guildford. They are only a few miles away and trying to access the shop on a Saturday is a real horror show - especially with a wheelchair.