Simple monitor purchasing advice!

  • Thread starter Thread starter MISTERQCUE
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MISTERQCUE

MISTERQCUE

Not Just Anutha Brutha
For those in the market for new monitors;

1)Determine your budget for active (amplified) or passive(non-amplified)

2) Go to your nearest dealer with a copy of your recorded music on a c/d and test drive the monitors in your budget (Most dealers
have their monitors set up in series of which you can A/B/C/D etc
for comparison)

4) Go over the specifications. Min allowed wattage and RMS. Speaker impedance, and physical monitor placement (on it's side,
straight up,on stands). Are they magnetically shielded? etc.

3)Inspect the back of the monitors; What kind of connectors will
be needed to connect to your equipment

4) When you have decided on the pair you want, say the cost is
$400, offer the salesman $350 stating that it is all the money you have and see if you can arrange for the salesman's manager to allow you this deal!

Just my .01cents worth!

Good Luck!
 
great advise!

I *always* ask for a discount at a music store. The indistry operates differently than the average merchantiles. There is no absolute rule, but by and large the merchant pays half of what they ask for an item (again, this is different than with music stores) but espescially if you build a rapor with a store or particular salresperson you can usually get a nice "rebate". (Most common excuse I get for not going lower than 'X' for an item is "contractual agreement with the manufacturer", for instance they never give me a break on Monster cables at G.C.)

But back to speakers, I'd also recommend that buyers give an extra point or two for any speaker that offers "tuning" controls so that the speakers meld into more environments. Also a cut-off so you can add a subwoofer or simply hear your audio with <80Hz excluded when you need to.

-Shaz
 
About the money issue: I live in Holland (as I am Dutch, duh) were ALL music stores handle a "If he doesn't say anything, charge him 10% extra" policy. This extra 10% is 'by coincidence' also written on the price tags. So, here hou just have to ask for 10% off, and you'll get it!
I love my country!

EZP
 
Unless it's a mail-order, I NEVER buy any gear at the advertised
price! My philosophy is if that these stores are strictly in the biz to make sales and money! The mantra of these music outlets is to NEVER turn away a sale,unless the purchaser is trying to buy
a Neuman u87 for $150.00 or something like that.
My discount-buying technique is this:

1) Always go gear shopping on a rainy/cold/snowy day in the middle of the week (most people hate to shop in inclement weather,hence stores are mostly empty)
2) If you own a nice car, NEVER park in front of the store!
3) Dress up in your worst jeans,shoes/sneakers indicating an appearance that the money in your pocket to buy the particular gear has been saved for almost 4 years!!
4) If you have,say, $500 for a gear purchase, put $100 in 1 pocket and $50 in another pocket and keep the remaining $350
in your right front pants pocket!
5) When it's time to close the deal, pull out the $350 and pronounce "Shoot, man all I got is $350.00! Is there any way
you can let me have this XYZ-1000 Pro for $350!!??" If he seems hesitant,ask for his manager, and inform the manager of your
precarious financial situation. Of course said manager will go into
his schpeil about that they're losing money on the deal, therefore
while he's talkin' his b.s.,take out the crumpled $50 bill in your other pocket and tell him that this was the money you were gonna use to take a cab.bus,train,plane etc home but you will be
willing to include it to your main balance and WALK HOME!

Then wait and see what happens!

It works for me!
:D
 
I am 1 cheap-@ss b@stard, when it comes to gear-buying!
Every $$$ counts towards that SSL,NEVE,NEUMANN and my vacation to the Bahama's!!!:D
 
rofl.

Thanks for the tips, Mr!

Timing is something to think about too. If the music store in question is trying to get rid of stuff they would rather take a loss that either throw something out or let it collect dust on a shelf. For instance, this month my local music store is trying to hussle 3-tier stands for $60, and I got a Autocom Pro for $29 today.

One thing though -- Once I've bought something I try to avoid ever checking it's price again. I hate to think, "I could have saved X-hundred dollars if I'd only waited long enough or looked at the right store" so I just try to avoid it :)

-Shaz
 
Also, don't forget to take acting lessons.

I don't know about you guys, but when it came down to 'go time', I'd probably end up paying MORE than the sticker price if I had money tucked away in all sorts of different pockets.

I guess I just don't got it in me MRQQ....maybe if I ever make it out to NY you can skill me. I don't even haggle in pawn shops, and when I do I turn all red. Hah.

Slackmaster 2000
 
MISTERQCUE : Your technique should work fine if you go to a different store everytime. I personally like to go to the same couple of stores, that's where they 'know' me, and where I get free coffee (and thrust me, Dutch coffe is MUCH better than American) the minute I step into the store. I'm also a guitarist (don't stop reading now) and the guy at the guitar store know what I like and how to make my guitar sound and feel like it. I quess most of you guys have a HUGE amount of experience with all kinds of gear and brands, but I always listen to the salesman (as well as my ears BTW).
Should I come to you guys next time I want to make an investment??

C-Ya

EZP
 
living near 200km from melbourne, the closest city with more than two music stores, the internet is my tool d'force in bargaining....i just find the cheapest melbourne price and say to my local guys "$500 retail, i can get it in melbourne for $380"...then they usually reply "uh..ok then $380 it is"...i save myself a day trip and $50 in feul, the profits stay local, i gain a rapour with my local dealers, and if i have any hassles, the guy lives around the corner...try getting this service in your big cities!! anyway thats my tip for country-folk who wnat those big dollar savings....

hey shaz, i picked up my autocom today for $239au, they retail here for $300au (thats $120 and $150usd respectivley) i'm gonna move to the u.s. gear is sooo much cheaper over there!

so guys when giving advice to us aussies on purchases, don't forget that our gear costs a helluva lot more....

anyway this threads about buying monitors...something i'll be doing very soon, so thanks for the advice mr.q et al.
 
Doc,

Sad news. I might be the only person in the states to have picked up my Autocom Pro for $29 (US). I got a call later that day from my friend Jill at the music store and she told me it was a mis-print (she didn't get in trouble though). Apparently the "real" price right now is $79. Big difference, but still considerably less that you're paying too.

-Shaz
 
Speaking of monitors.

Just last saturday, I negotiated a deal where I bought a set of yamaha ns10s for 75.00 at a local pawn shop. The sad thing is the man at the counter thought he was ripping me off selling me those small speakers for that price.

But I have a long history of never paying full price for any piece of gear. Everythings negotiable in my world.
 
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