MAGNOLIA Home Theater at Best Buy

[halo]

I don't know if anyone else has heard about this but according to some information I received in the mail Best Buy is going to carry these brands at certain locations:

Home video: Fujitsu, InFocus, Pioneer Elite, Stewart Filmscreen

Home audio: Boston Acoustics, Definitive Technology, Denon, Martin Logan, Primare, REL, SpeakerCraft, Vienna Acoustics

They'll also be specializing in in-home consultation, custom design, service, and installation.

[audiobliss]

I hope one of the Best Buys near me gets a Magnolia. I haven't seen anything from Primare, REL, SpeakerCraft, or Vienna Acoustics; I'd like to.

[fireshoes]

Yep, they've been doing it for a while now, but are starting to roll out to more areas.

[Danny Tse]

All brands confirmed. And Audioquest cables.

My local Best Buy has a Magnolia Hi-Fi inside.

[BIZILL]

mine has had it over a month. i walked in and walked right back out. can ill-afford those prices.

[polkatese]

gregure is our (unofficial) Magnolia guy, in case you guys need to check inventory. Great guy and very helpful..I hope he doesn't mind me sharing this info with CP.

[Shizelbs]

Glad to see a local company whore itself out to Best Buy.

Boy, I can't think of a worse idea. Get some great gear in the same store with Brittany Spears blasting over the store wide Bose system.

Are there at least some listening rooms, or is it the typical BB setup?

[Shizelbs]

We have a Magnolia store, and only a Magnolia store, not one in a BB, and its pretty nice.

[PolknPepsi]

Just 20 minutes ago I saw a B.B. service truck with Magnolia Home Theatre on the side.
Primare, Boston Acoustics, REL, and Vienna Acoustics I've heard about and not seen. Hopefully I can see in person what these are like.

Isn't that sort of like Mcdonalds offering Steak & Shrimp?

[RuSsMaN]

I went into BB/Magnolia in Plano, to buy a Martin Logan Grotto sub to match up with the Sonus Faber Concertos. It was a Monday, they 'didn't stock the Grotto, but could order it, and have it on Friday for me'. Huh?

Made a phonecall to Hillcrest Hifi (Tweeter owned), they didn't have one in stock either, but promised a 2 day wait to get it shipped up from the Houston warehouse - and offered to let me use their floor model until mine came in. They got my business.

I've got my Grotto now, and I'm happy as a puppy with 2 peters, but it escapes me, why on earth 2 'major' hifi stores would not have a $1000 subwoofer in stock to sell.

[okiepolkie]

Hey Russman,

Sorry for the the thread hi-jack, but how are those SF's treating you? I've been lusting after some ever since you got yours, but ended up with another set of LSi7's on the cheap.

Also, how does the sub integrate with them? I know you said they sounded really good in the bass department at first.

Zach

[audiobliss]

That is a good question. BUT, it's obvious who cares about the customer. That's why I'll never buy anything from a Magnolia. I'll look to quench my curiousity, but I'll not buy from there.

[Emlyn]

I've got my Grotto now, and I'm happy as a puppy with 2 peters, but it escapes me, why on earth 2 'major' hifi stores would not have a $1000 subwoofer in stock to sell.

I've noticed this to be true more and more over the last two or three years, probably because of inventory costs being lower if something is just ordered from a distributor instead of taking up space in a stock room on site at a store. But, it's not only on large items like speakers. Dealers seem to be reluctant to stock preamps or amps as well. FedEx or UPS have been able to get a product to the store within a week, but it frustrating as a consumer to say the least. If I take the time to go to a store, I expect to be able to buy something and take it home, not make a second trip after waiting a week. Seems to be the normal situation these days though. I've bought a lot from Audio Advisor because of this, since they always have a product to me within two or three days of placing an order and I can return things easily.

There are Magnolia sections in the Best Buy stores near me. I've browsed. Some good stuff there, but they seem to primarily be chasing the custom installation dollar.

[fireshoes]

My company does the same thing. I'm lucky if they have any higher end speakers or subs in stock at the distribution center, let alone the store. Receivers usually aren't too bad. Sucks, but I guess it's just the way things are.

[heiney9]

Glad to see a local company whore itself out to Best Buy.

Boy, I can't think of a worse idea. Get some great gear in the same store with Brittany Spears blasting over the store wide Bose system.

Are there at least some listening rooms, or is it the typical BB setup?

I've never been in a BB that had listening rooms. That's why I can't usually talk to anyone becasue I'm always competing with the volume of music/movies that are blasting out in the open air. For me, if I'm going to spend the kind of money for products at Magnolia I need a dedicated demo room and a knowledgeble sales staff. Now, if they are going to give good discounts on these lines in lieu of a proper demo area, then maybe it might be worth the effort to take something home and audition and return if it doesn't fit my needs. But honestly to go upscale with product and then not have any way to properly demo it or sell it seems very very stupid too me. If I'm going to buy a premium product at a premuim price then I better get premium service/knowledge and the ability to hear it properly.

Also a mix of very low end lines with high end lines is a formula for disaster. Most people are not willing to spend the extra cash unless it can be well demonstrated the higher priced product sounds loads better than the other. Try convincing them without demonstrating it....most won't go for it.

H9

[audiobliss]

Reminds me of when Dad and I were listening to receivers before I got my RX-V1400 for Christmas last year. We were at a Now! Audio Video (in Greensboro) listening to the RX-V1400. Then we switched over to a NAD receiver (remember nothing about it), and Dad said he could tell a difference in the sound. Alas, it was $100 more (and I was having a hard time convincing them to go with the RX-V1400 over something from BB).

[Danny Tse]

The Magnolia at my local Best Buy is located in a corner of the store. It's more of a store inside of a store. Yes, there are separate listening rooms....in fact, 2 of them. One of them have the Boston Acoustics, Vienna Acoustics, Definitive Technology, Denon, Sony ES, etc. and the other has the Martin Logan, Pioneer Elite, Primare, REL, etc. It's actually not bad. All completely separated from the regular Best Buy audio area. The sales staff seems very knowledgable and even remember my gear when I went in for a buttom-of-the-line Audioquest video cable.

Due to The Good Guys chain folding (now 20% off of all home audio components), Magnolia is just about the only place locally that sells anything beyond the regular stuff. I wonder who will sell brands like Mirage, Energy, Monitor Audio, Parasound, etc. locally?

[heiney9]

The Magnolia at my local Best Buy is located in a corner of the store. It's more of a store inside of a store. Yes, there are separate listening rooms....in fact, 2 of them. One of them have the Boston Acoustics, Vienna Acoustics, Definitive Technology, Denon, Sony ES, etc. and the other has the Martin Logan, Pioneer Elite, Primare, REL, etc. It's actually not bad. All completely separated from the regular Best Buy audio area.

Due to The Good Guys chain folding (now 20% off of all home audio components), Magnolia is just about the only place locally that sells anything beyond the regular stuff. I wonder who will see brands like Mirage, Energy, Monitor Audio, Parasound, etc. locally?

Good to know...let's hope all BB follow this 'store' within a store idea.

[AsSiMiLaTeD]

The one out here hasn't opened yet, but they're building it now - looking forward to another place to look at stuff I can't afford...

[Danny Tse]

Good to know...let's hope all BB follow this 'store' within a store idea.

The audio listening rooms at my local Magnolia are self-enclosed and are separated by Magnolia's own video section. The video section is darkened and, at least the times that I was in, have no loud audio blasting for demo purposes. The audio listening rooms are family room-sized and have CRT video monitors, plasma/LCD and front-projection screens if need.

[audiobliss]

I wonder who will sell brands like Mirage, Energy, Monitor Audio, Parasound, etc. locally?

There is a local hi-fi store that recently opened up in my neck of the woods that selss Monitor Audio.

[halo]

For those of you in the Chicagoland area Abt electronics has some very nice stuff in a dedicated listening room. The staff is very knowledgeable and their customer service is outstanding.