Where do you buy your equipment?

[sonic purity]

Just wanted to get a feel for how many of you buy from dealers, online, direct from the factory of only buy used i.e. ebay, craigslist, smd.com, classified. If you compete at all, I am really interested to find out where you get your stuff.

1. Local Dealer

2. Online Store

3. Factory Direct

4. Used from craigslist, ebay, smd, etc.

[sonic purity]

anyone?

[CaptainzPlanetz]

When I first started, The Dealer.....now its SMD, CACO, SSA, DIYMA, etc..... and online retailers.....I aint gonna pay 8 bucks a foot for 1/0.

[ChampN252]

It depends. If there is a dealer that has something I want and we're buddies, I'll buy from them (discounts). Everything else is online.

[zachfowler222]

mostly online and from the manufacturer direct

also guys what are some good websites??

i only really use sonix, audio savings, and woofersect

[CJ18]

Try www.hifisoundconnection.com

They have some good prices as well.

[Superjay]

I have never, and never will, buy car audio equipment online. I've said it before, and I'll continue to preach this...your local dealer is going to take care of you. the online guys don't know you and don't care to know you. They often are not authorized, so no warranty. You go to your local dealer to listen to them, and ask for tech support, but you won't buy from them. I know a lot of the online guys personally, and am making a push for them to stick to MAP pricing and go authorized, offer online and over the phone technical support, and offer installation services through local dealers.

I know the internet is here to stay, and you will always be able to find something online, so i'm not going to fight it completely. I will continue to fight the fly by night places, though. If they want to be a part of MY industry they'll conform to the needs OF the industry. This industry needs brick and mortar shops, people who have been doing this their entire lives. People who LOVE this industry like I do.

Places like woofers etc, and hifisound are literally destroying this industry from the inside. They encourage the race to $0, and that affects quality. Pioneer just came out with a radio that is listed at MSRP for $79...dealer cost is $64. that means the dealer makes about $8 after shipping. that's not a good way to keep the lights on. i also can't imagine how much of a pile of crap that radio has to be to only cost Pioneer $30 to make (yes, markup is that much)...

If you want quality, and for the manufacturer to support the product, and you, then you'll support them, and your local dealer...it's a constant support cycle. the internet guys break that cycle, and break the industry.

[CaptainzPlanetz]

I get what your saying Jay, there are some very good shops, however the ones around here are just shady, they mark up way higher than MSRP.....and if your not running there gear they talk shit about it.....for example my first system was from the local shop, a pair of Kicker CVX 12's and a ZX.1500, I payed probably 1600 for it.....then I even got the Stinger 1/0 from them to do my big 3(which they said would be a waste of time and I just needed to get a 5 farad cap from them) I got 10 feet of it, and it cost me 84 bucks with tax..... Now fast forward a year or so, I had found SMD, my set-up had then changed to an AQ2200 with a DC LVL4Xl, I go to show it at the shop, and I just get ragged on with the pawn shop comments, getting told that I should buy a JL W7 from them for a grand, and how it will walk all over my sub, after that I have never been back to that shop since, you cant just be nice to people that run the stuff you sell........

Edit: Also another reason I buy online is the only shops within 100miles of me, only sell Kicker,JL,etc..... all the mainstream stuff, I assure you if there was a place near me where I could get a Rainbow Component set, I would have got it there, same goes with alot of my other equipment.

[TeamHT]

I have to slightly disagree Jay, respectfully of course. You are pulling the best local shops examples and comparing to the worst examples of online sites.

I think shops have to be loyal to a product, because that's what they sell. It's not always possible to be completely honest with quality, performance, and price because let's face it...you can't sell kicker and actually tell people of better performing equipment. Not to mention there is a profit to be made, because....shop owners are also people with families, bills, and mouths to feed. If you sell JL audio you have to sell the brand, not the actual product.

I find it easier because I'm an authorized dealer for AVS, and I honestly believe they have some of the best products anywhere. I don't sell audio equipment and its much harder to have reputable quality shops here in Alaska with the ability to sell less mainstream quality equipment. If I could sell AA/FI I would....but I can't. And with my location, online ordering really is my most efficient way of business for my personal products.

I browse eBay but that's just like the way I browse Craigslist, you just never know what you might find. You can find online authorized dealers and these are where my most business goes. I love woofersetc and onlinecarstereo, and get good quality new equipment cheap, shipped quick, so I'm able to save customers money and time.

Not arguing with you Jay, just stating obviously we have different views. You were also lucky, you happened to work for great quality companies with quality products.

But the shop selling kicker L5s for $220 a pop, and selling stinger wiring at $6 a foot, with the newest stinger cap because you need it, ends up charging a customer $1200 for a very basic ok install...it only edifices not EVERY shop is out there for you. I don't mind, they have bills. I understand totally. But I'm not going to praise them for it.

[Superjay]

I get what your saying Jay, there are some very good shops, however the ones around here are just shady, they mark up way higher than MSRP.....and if your not running there gear they talk shit about it.....for example my first system was from the local shop, a pair of Kicker CVX 12's and a ZX.1500, I payed probably 1600 for it.....then I even got the Stinger 1/0 from them to do my big 3(which they said would be a waste of time and I just needed to get a 5 farad cap from them) I got 10 feet of it, and it cost me 84 bucks with tax..... Now fast forward a year or so, I had found SMD, my set-up had then changed to an AQ2200 with a DC LVL4Xl, I go to show it at the shop, and I just get ragged on with the pawn shop comments, getting told that I should buy a JL W7 from them for a grand, and how it will walk all over my sub, after that I have never been back to that shop since, you cant just be nice to people that run the stuff you sell........

Edit: Also another reason I buy online is the only shops within 100miles of me, only sell Kicker,JL,etc..... all the mainstream stuff, I assure you if there was a place near me where I could get a Rainbow Component set, I would have got it there, same goes with alot of my other equipment.

albuquerque....innovative audio & styling. talk to Bryan, tell him Jay from T3 sent you. he's a good friend, and doesn't bullshit.