[b-sides]

what can i expect to find selection-wise at guitar center? i'm looking for a place where i can test out some higher end products that aren't all boxed up.

what i'm looking for:
-shure and ety IEMs
-grados sr60s
-senn HD201s
-koss ksc75s
-sony mdr-7506/v6
-various beyer/akg models

the ath-a900 is in guitar center's online selection (albiet overpriced), but i highly doubt they are availible in stores.

also, how much leeway can i expect for haggling? i've heard of head-fiers calling them up and asking them to match prices listed online. how successful is this?

 

[Darknessxk]

the only sennheiser at the one near me was the 280. And They were all in boxes though I didn't ask if I could listen to them or not. If you have a magnolia hifi near you they let you listen to the headphones. But they don't have a huge selection.

 

[gshan]

The one near me only had:

Beyer DT770-80
Sony MDR-7506
Senn HD280

All in packaging.

 

[dmb367]

One by me in IL had

Beyer DT 770/80
Sony V700DJ?
Sony V7506
Senn HD201 and HD280 I believe
AKG 240S
+ some kind of Pioneer closed

all in boxes but all taken out for listening by me! (or at least could have been)

 

[panic689]

Quote:

Originally Posted by b-sides what can i expect to find selection-wise at guitar center? i'm looking for a place where i can test out some higher end products that aren't all boxed up. what i'm looking for: -shure and ety IEMs -grados sr60s -senn HD201s -koss ksc75s -sony mdr-7506/v6 -various beyer/akg models the ath-a900 is in guitar center's online selection (albiet overpriced), but i highly doubt they are availible in stores. also, how much leeway can i expect for haggling? i've heard of head-fiers calling them up and asking them to match prices listed online. how successful is this?

i've seen the shure iem's at the gc near me, along with the mdr-7506, and be 770s. it seems like they carry mainly closed style headphones. why not give the one near you a call to see what they have? although bring your source w/ you just in case, they usually don't have a listening station set up.

w/ regard to haggling, it works to an extent, from my experience, as long as you're not asking them to sell for less than the store bought them, they'll try to match.

 

[b-sides]

would asking for the 7506s at 70 bucks be unreasonable?

 

[gshan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by b-sides would asking for the 7506s at 70 bucks be unreasonable?

It's definitely worth a shot. Tell them that you can get them cheaper online. Here's a $76 (brand new mdr-7506) ebay auction that ends in 21 hours. You can try using it as reference:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...sPageName=WDVW

http://www.etronics.com/product.asp?...06&svbname=403
-etronics has the 7506's for $90

--

Or you could just buy the MDR-V6 for $70 at bhphoto, etc.

 

[I Miss My Car]

When I asked to try out some headphones at my local guitar center, I was told to buy them, and if i didn't like them just bring them back in for full refund within 30 days. As far as haggling, realy depends on the clerk. Some are coo, others aren't. If you have proof it shouldn't be a problem to get to them to price match though. Oh, and last time i was in, they had a pair of Sony V6's on sale for like 60 bucks. They didn't have a box though, so they might of been a return or something. You might get lucky when you drop by.

 

[ivandal]

I know the one near me carries the 770-80 pros, 250-250s, and amazingly the 660s. They also carry the entire sure line from e2c to e5, but I don't use earbuds of any kind (wish I could, but have "issues"). Your best bet is to look up the number in the phonebook for your local and give them a ring and ask what they have in stock. Also if they have a certain one you want to demo, ask them the price and if you like it tell em to hold them, if its too high, tell them you found them online for $1xx but you'd be willing to pay $1xx+15 if you could pick them up today and they will usually do it for you no questions asked if its reasonable (remember they work on commission).

 

[dima1109]

So is it realistic to go over to a store and demo some stuff? (interested mainly in HD600 and K601) Or would I most likely have to buy stuff?
I'm in San Diego, if anyone knows about the area.

 

[intoflatlines]

I'm not sure about their entire stock, but at the one in Chicago (actual Chicago, not the "North Chicago" one, which isn't in either Chicago or North Chicago, it is actually in Arlington Heights) I tried out a pair of DT770/80 that they had. They were in the box but the salesman took them out and let me listen to them after I asked if they had any that I could try. They had a display tower thing set up with some of the supra-aural Sennheisers, Ultrasone, and some others. And they had those IEMs that I think are UEs rebranded or something with a whole bunch of foam tips to try out. Nothing too high end, at least not on display.

 

[BrookR1]

I tried out a few pairs at Guitar Center too. The only thing I had trouble with was that it was just so loud and noisy that it was difficult to hear the hps without blasting them.

 

[kejar31]

Here in Urbana/Champaign IL we have a Hi-end audio shop (Champagne Audio) that has a most of the Sen lineup and the full Grado lineup (at least up until the RS1) out on display for people to listen to. They also have the Grado amp and a few other headphone amps out on display to try out. If your a good customer (such as myself

) they let you even take items home for a few nights to try them out.