Catering to the rich not the audiophile

[Andre Marc]

Ever read this article...all the past bubbles created and exploded by GS ?

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/the-great-american-bubble-machine-20100405

Yes. Shoot. Been reading RS since 1981...when I was 13!

Taibbi has balls. But I must admit, he can be a little rough in his delivery.

But as I said...

"As George Bush's last Treasury secretary, former Goldman CEO Henry Paulson was the architect of the bailout, a suspiciously self-serving plan to funnel trillions of Your Dollars to a handful of his old friends on Wall Street. Robert Rubin, Bill Clinton's former Treasury secretary, spent 26 years at Goldman before becoming chairman of Citigroup — which in turn got a $300 billion taxpayer bailout from Paulson. There's John Thain, the ******* chief of Merrill Lynch who bought an $87,000 area rug for his office as his company was imploding; a former Goldman banker, Thain enjoyed a multi-billion-dollar handout from Paulson, who used billions in taxpayer funds to help Bank of America rescue Thain's sorry company. And Robert Steel, the former Goldmanite head of Wachovia, scored himself and his fellow executives $225 million in golden-parachute payments as his bank was self-destructing. There's Joshua Bolten, Bush's chief of staff during the bailout, and Mark Patterson, the current Treasury chief of staff, who was a Goldman lobbyist just a year ago, and Ed Liddy, the former Goldman director whom Paulson put in charge of bailed-out insurance giant AIG, which forked over $13 billion to Goldman after Liddy came on board. The heads of the Canadian and Italian national banks are Goldman alums, as is the head of the World Bank, the head of the New York Stock Exchange, the last two heads of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York — which, incidentally, is now in charge of overseeing Goldman — not to mention …"

 

[taters]

Really? It possibly because of the revolving door between Goldman and the Government?

Hank Paulson was a poster boy for Godlman toole who was an incompetent fool in the Bush admin, who did nothing
when warned about the impending collapse. But guess who got their asses saved!!!!!!

They provide zero value to society and if were not for their political connections they would be destroyed.

Why haven't these thieves been prosecuted by the Justice department?

 

[rockitman]

Andre,

The GS debate is a bit off topic. I don't like GS nor do I like class warfare as your original post seemed to indicate. Let's get back to the original discussion...rich captive audiences with little hi end knowlege who rely solely on the audio dealer to do what's best for them.

 

[Andre Marc]

Why haven't these thieves been prosecuted by the Justice department?

Ah, my friend Taters, because the power circle is very small.

Go and research how many people actually went to jail after the financial collapse. Go and research how many billionaires
and Wall St financiers with connections to Government get indicted.

A subway pick pocket is treated with more scorn than a Wall St executive who destroys pensions, retirement accounts, and
siphons billions in tax payer money all the while lobbying for "lower" tax rates on "job creators".

Boy am I having fun!

 

[Andre Marc]

Andre,

The GS debate is a bit off topic. I don't like GS nor do I like class warfare as your original post seemed to indicate. Let's get back to the original discussion...rich captive audiences with little hi end knowlege who rely solely on the audio dealer to do what's best for them.

Sorry, but a Goldman douche bag was specifically mentioned in the article Bruce was kind enough to paste.

I am having a hard time understanding why your first reaction was to defend Goldman..you went out of your way.

 

[rockitman]

Sorry, but a Goldman douche bag was specifically mentioned in the article Bruce was kind enough to paste.

I am having a hard time understanding why your first reaction was to defend Goldman..you went out of your way.

Just because someone works for GS doesn't make them a scum bag. The decisions and actions made by that company you deplore are made by only a handful of high level individuals...the other guys (1000's) are the workers making a good living following policy. It is not their fault.

 

[Andre Marc]

Just because someone works for GS doesn't make them a scum bag. The decisions and actions made by that company you deplore are made by only a handful of high level individuals...the other guys (1000's) are the workers making a good living following policy. It is not their fault.

Then why don't you buy some shares?

BTW, I agree, I don't see an issue with the way this "clown" makes a living...

He is catering to a need.

 

[opus111]

Why haven't these thieves been prosecuted by the Justice department?

A very good question - I think it has rather a lot to do with Pogo's saying 'We have found the enemy, and he are us.'.

 

[cjfrbw]

I think Mr. Gideon Schwartz is fine with what he does. The rich pay to feel special, and that is what he provides, in an apparently tasteful and conscientious manner.

A concierge service for wannabe audiophiles just means that the rich guys don't have to wade through years of information and experimentation, and they probably get a reasonable service and a reasonable result. If they feel special for their munificent mounds of money, so what, they will pay for something else that makes them feel special, like a Faberege egg or a hideous piece of over flogged modern art?

Do I think they are getting better sound than a devoted audiophile who has labored for his results with modest equipment? Probably not, but they do keep those bargain used high end components in the pipeline for those who know how to set up their own stuff.

 

[rockitman]

And why do you think that he's a clown? I think that he's the most savvy dealer I've seen - instead of pandering to critical audiophiles, he sells to the crowd who can afford the gear he sells and appreciates what he brings to them. And I know that he cares about the music and the presentation.... even though he won't take my speakers.

My initial quick reponse was incorrect in the real context of the discussion. I failed to realize that there are people who want hi-end equipment, have high budgets and don't know the first thing about what manufacturer's/component types that are needed to fullfil their musical reproduction desires. That was rather short sighted by me as I wrongly assumed people spending that kind of money "know" what they are doing. Some of the verbage like:

"For most of my clients, it's not about money," Mr. Schwartz said of his equipment's nonnegotiable price points. "Money is no object. It's about creating a spa of music."

put me off and I would be insulted...but then again, I know what I am doing for the most part.

 

[Soundproof]

Let's be pleased that the color of the remote will go with the rug.

And realize that they spend more on china, silver and crystal than they could have spent on Mr. Schwarz' top selection.

 

[danielk141]

I'm looking at my system.

Electrocompaniet EMC-1Up. Pass XP-20, Rowland 625, James EMB1200, all purchased used on Audiogon.
In the hallway, still in boxes, my Apogee Stages, also bought on Audiogon.
As long as reputable dealers flourish, an excellent selection of desirable used gear will stay available to anyone who wants it.
My local Wilson dealer is now a Rockport dealer. Over the years I've bought more items than I can quickly count, when Gary called me to say he had a trade in I might be interested in.
Some memorable gear: Avalon Avatars, Magnepan MG-3.3R, Rowland Model 2 with BPS, Rowland Consonance, Aragon 4004MKII, JBL-B380, Snell Sub 550s.
This is from a store 10 minutes from my house. Anything that wouldn't fit in my car, I put in Gary's van & moved myself.
Why would anyone resent any dealer who brings more quality gear into the pipeline?

 

[FrantzM]

Hi

Now that person is tapping on a market of people who do not know an MIT Cable from a Transparent or Tubes amp from an SS. He's attracting the scorn of "audiophiles". All this in a world of $50,000 cables and $300,000 amplifiers.. I have not mentioned speakers that routinely approach and surpass the quarter million of dollars mark or the odd $650,000 turntable that are discussed here with nary a lost breath ... Honestly who do you think these gears are for?

As for his ceiling of $500,000, I think this guy needs to get out more

 

[DonH50]

I did not read the whole thread. I will say that 35'ish years ago when I was active in the audio business (mainly as a tech, but also doing installs and some sales), there was a small but significant client base that wanted only the best at any (and sometimes "maximum") cost. Those few depended upon us (dealers) to put together a great-sounding system for them. Most expected high-end names and cost to go along with them. Some were soley about the music and wanted the best sound possible (often equating that with the highest cost equipment); for others there was an element of showmanship and one-upping the neighbors. And, some wanted the best sound even if that meant spending less. There was as wide a variety of folk as at any other price point. I had a college friend who loved to show off his home-brew Voice of the Theater copies, always commenting on how big and loud they would play at parties... They might have been something to hear if he had not used the cheapest drivers he could find, combined with an "interesting" hodge-podge crossover design.

 

[rblnr]

Hey, if the guy can make it work, more power to him. If he turns on more people to great sound quality, it's good for this hobby/industry.

With a shrinking middle class, one size fits all may not be the way to position a business. He's got a specific target audience and has set it up with brands and a location to match.

 

[Old Listener]

This forum often has an unpleasant snobbish character. The attitude that "if it isn't the best, it's trash" pops up regularly about audio gear and other gear as well. The "What's Best in..." titles for sub-forums made it sound like a mini-Robb Report.

Bill

 

[Steve Williams]

This forum often has an unpleasant snobbish character. The attitude that "if it isn't the best, it's trash" pops up regularly about audio gear and other gear as well. The "What's Best in..." titles for sub-forums made it sound like a mini-Robb Report.

Bill

C'mon Bill

you need to lighten up. We have made it perfectly clear here that "what's best"isn't necessarily "what's most expensive"

This was a thread regarding this man's business as chronicled in the WSJ

 

[Bill Hart]

My wife and I once encountered a "sushi consultant" in one of NYC's higher end sushi bars. He suggested stuff to order and you paid for him to eat it too. Told him to bite.

 

[Robh3606]

This forum often has an unpleasant snobbish character. The attitude that "if it isn't the best, it's trash" pops up regularly about audio gear and other gear as well. The "What's Best in..." titles for sub-forums made it sound like a mini-Robb Report.

Bill

Hello Bill

I have not had anyone give me a hard time about my DIY speakers and Emotiva gear. Not to mention my active HT set-up which is a hodge podge of old and new gear. Has happened of other forums though. You know the guys that see something they don't like such as JBL or Crown and run with it ignorant about how things are implimeneted and of course no actual listening time.

Rob

 

[rblnr]

My wife and I once encountered a "sushi consultant" in one of NYC's higher end sushi bars. He suggested stuff to order and you paid for him to eat it too. Told him to bite.

That's as dumb a thing as I've ever heard. Might as well split the bottle with the sommelier too.