Yep, those days are gone. Yesterday I was able to walk in, say what I wanted and sit down in the listening room, sipping a coffe whilst the salesman ran around bringing out all the B&W stuff I wanted to hear, setting it up, allowing me to connect the iPhone where appropriate etc.
Next door to where I was in the listening room was a full home theatre where all the AV stuff was being demonstrated, you could sit and watch a movie of your choice on whatever equipment took your fancy. On 23 Feb 2014, at 6:47 am, Rick Alfaro <[email protected]> wrote: > Yes, that's absolutely right on. Quality stereo shops are a dieing breed for > sure. The one I used to deal with all the time, a chain called Sound Advice, > is out of business. I'm not really sure whose even left any longer as I > haven't really had the need for quite some time but I know when I purchased > my last receiver, the Denon AVR3311CI, I had to get it at Best Buy. At least > they have their Magnolia section but still nothing like the stores I was used > to where you could walk in and here any quality speaker combination you > wanted. They just had it all setup and ready to go. They even had an audition > policy where you could take the product home and listen to it in your own > environment and exchange it for something else if you weren't satisfied. You > could also trade up your speakers every year if you wanted and get the full > price you paid for them toward the upgraded set. It was amazing and very > sorely missed. Those days are gone I think. > > > > Best Regards, > > Rick alfaro > > On 2/22/2014 2:36 PM, Dane Trethowan wrote: >> I heard the Bowers And Wilkins yesterday morning, I listened to their 3 >> airPlay models, all of which were superb! >> >> I listened to some floor standing and bookshelf models and again just >> outstanding and so was the price <smile>, a little out of my budget, I'll be >> able to afford the Z2 and I actually think it very good value for money >> given its sound and straight forward design, compact size etc. >> >> Incidentally, I know people in the States who say that high end audio shops >> are just about extinct there, is that true? Things seem to be going that way >> over here too and that's a crying shame as so many of the younger >> generations just aren't going to know what quality sound is, quality sound >> is not! listening to an iPod connected to a Bluetooth speaker that fits in >> your hand, listening to music through a pair of Plantronics headphones etc. >> >> >> On 23 Feb 2014, at 6:31 am, Rick Alfaro <[email protected]> wrote: >> >>> Well I can say they were definitely here in the US in 1996 which is when I >>> auditioned several B&W speakers. They may have gone away for a while and >>> now coming back again. At any rate, they make a fantastic product and I >>> probably would have gotten all B&W speakers instead of Klipsch if I could >>> have afforded it. They were just a little too far out of my budget. Their >>> best attribute IMHO is their transparency. Very natural sound with >>> fantastic imaging. I'm glad to hear they are making another push into this >>> market over here. >>> >>> >>> Best Regards, >>> >>> Rick alfaro >>> >>> On 2/22/2014 2:19 PM, Dane Trethowan wrote: >>>> Right, well I don't know what the definition of "Quite Some time" is, I >>>> read a review on the speakers - I'll link to it on list in another eMail - >>>> which suggested that Bowers And Wilkins were new comers to the audio >>>> market in the U.S.A., I suppose the reviewer was making a comparison >>>> between B&W and other well established names such as Polk Audio, Boston >>>> Acoustics, Altec Lansing, Bose and so on. >>>> >>>> Incidentally did anyone read that Altec Lansing is no more? Plantronics >>>> have taken them over so I wonder what that will all mean. >>>> >>>> >>>> On 23 Feb 2014, at 5:50 am, Rick Alfaro <[email protected]> wrote: >>>> >>>>> Actually, B&W has been here in the NA market for quite some time but as >>>>> you said, only found in top notch high end stereo shops. My center >>>>> channel for my home theater system is B&W. >>>>> >>>>> I have all Klipsch speakers except for my sub which is a Velodyne and my >>>>> B&W center. I specifically chose the B&W because I didn't like the >>>>> Klipsch center. In fact, my sub was going to be B&W as well but I >>>>> returned it because it kept bottoming out and making a flapping sound >>>>> that was just weird so I exchanged it for the Velodyne which is a 12" >>>>> active sub with a 15" passive radiator. This was several years ago and I >>>>> haven't upgraded any of the speakers because the system sounds just the >>>>> way I like it. It's a better experience watching a BlueRay movie here in >>>>> my living room than in the movie theater except for the iMax ones of >>>>> course. >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> Best Regards, >>>>> >>>>> Rick alfaro >>>>> >>>>> On 2/22/2014 2:05 AM, Dane Trethowan wrote: >>>>>> I've not heard those speakers so can't make specific comments but >>>>>> hearing the B & W Z2 was like hearing some Bose for the first time, >>>>>> upgrading from a pair of Plantronics Audio 478 headphones to a pair of >>>>>> Grado Labs SR60I audiophile headphones or say moving from USB 2.0 to USB >>>>>> 3.0, in other words now you've experienced the difference you can't go >>>>>> back and I urge anyone to hear these B&W speakers to fully appreciate >>>>>> what we're talking about here, B*&w aren't the sort of thing you're >>>>>> going to find at your local Radio Shack or Wallmart and I can only add >>>>>> its a pity that other speakers readily available aren't equal to B&W, >>>>>> would be a near perfect world if they were. >>>>>> >>>>>> Of course B&W and the only company doing this sort of stuff and their >>>>>> entry into the North American market has been recent though they've been >>>>>> making speakers in the U.K. for donkeys years. >>>>>> >>>>>> B&W are in the same league as Polk Audio, Boston Acoustic and so forth. >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> On 22 Feb 2014, at 9:52 am, Walter Ramage <[email protected]> wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>>> Hi. If these speakers are anything like the B & W CM5 stand mount >>>>>>> speakers >>>>>>> or the CM9 floor standing speakers then you won't be sorry. I have >>>>>>> always >>>>>>> liked B & W speakers as they have a vary balanced sound and have a very >>>>>>> good >>>>>>> bass response, they are also spacious and imiging is very accurate. >>>>>>> Ihave >>>>>>> the CM 5s to listen to music or radio via my PC and downstairs are the >>>>>>> floor standing CM9s which are very impressive. Good luck with your >>>>>>> purchase >>>>>>> but as it is B & W, there won't be much luck needed. Walter. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> -----Original Message----- >>>>>>> From: Pc-audio [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Dane >>>>>>> Trethowan >>>>>>> Sent: 21 February 2014 22:45 >>>>>>> To: PC Audio Discussion List >>>>>>> Subject: iPhone Dock: The Choice Has Been Made >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Yep folks, I've finally decided what Dock I'm going to buy, I'm after a >>>>>>> new >>>>>>> one given that I no longer have any IOS devices with 30 Pin connectors >>>>>>> though the only problem there is I have 3 units with 30 pin dock >>>>>>> connectors, >>>>>>> I'd be absolutely raging! if those devices couldn't be put to other >>>>>>> uses and >>>>>>> were only useless 30 pin docks <smile>. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> My decision has come down to the Bowers & Wilkins Z2 iPhone dock/airPlay >>>>>>> speaker though I warn everyone now, the price for one of these gorgeous >>>>>>> things is not cheap, at around $400 but - from what I've heard - its >>>>>>> certainly well worth the money spent. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> The Z2 sports a 9 pin Lightning connector, has an Aux-in socket and can >>>>>>> be >>>>>>> used with airPlay. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> I'll write more when the device arrives and I can test it with my Wi-Fi >>>>>>> network etc. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> ********** >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Dane Trethowan >>>>>>> Skype: grtdane12 >>>>>>> Phone US (213) 438-9741 >>>>>>> Phone U.K. 01245 79 0598 >>>>>>> Phone Australia (03) 9005 8589 >>>>>>> Mobile: +61400494862 >>>>>>> faceTime +61400494862 >>>>>>> Fax +61397437954 >>>>>>> Twitter: @grtdane >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> --- >>>>>>> This email is free from viruses and malware because avast! Antivirus >>>>>>> protection is active. >>>>>>> http://www.avast.com >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> ********** >>>>>> >>>>>> Dane Trethowan >>>>>> Skype: grtdane12 >>>>>> Phone US (213) 438-9741 >>>>>> Phone U.K. 01245 79 0598 >>>>>> Phone Australia (03) 9005 8589 >>>>>> Mobile: +61400494862 >>>>>> faceTime +61400494862 >>>>>> Fax +61397437954 >>>>>> Twitter: @grtdane >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> ********** >>>> >>>> Dane Trethowan >>>> Skype: grtdane12 >>>> Phone US (213) 438-9741 >>>> Phone U.K. 01245 79 0598 >>>> Phone Australia (03) 9005 8589 >>>> Mobile: +61400494862 >>>> faceTime +61400494862 >>>> Fax +61397437954 >>>> Twitter: @grtdane >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>> >> >> >> ********** >> >> Dane Trethowan >> Skype: grtdane12 >> Phone US (213) 438-9741 >> Phone U.K. 01245 79 0598 >> Phone Australia (03) 9005 8589 >> Mobile: +61400494862 >> faceTime +61400494862 >> Fax +61397437954 >> Twitter: @grtdane >> >> >> >> > ********** Dane Trethowan Skype: grtdane12 Phone US (213) 438-9741 Phone U.K. 01245 79 0598 Phone Australia (03) 9005 8589 Mobile: +61400494862 faceTime +61400494862 Fax +61397437954 Twitter: @grtdane
