|   Buying second-hand | franciswong
Apr 14, 2003 4:17 PM | | Hey there,
Recently having discovered various online bulletin boards with items for sale, and eBay I have discovered a completely new way of purchasing hifi equipment; second-hand.
Having sold some of my equipment on eBay I am now looking for an upgrade, and have spotted various items going cheap - things that I wouldn't otherwise have been able to afford.
My question is, is there anything I should know before buying second hand speakers, or amplifiers for that matter? What things should I look out for, or test when buying second hand speakers? Do speakers, and particularly the drivers have a limited lifetime?
Many thanks and best regards,
Francis |
| re: Buying second-hand | RGA
Apr 14, 2003 5:50 PM | | Amps are pretty safe, speakers may have wear on their seals. But they are not too expensive to replace on most speakers even if you do.
Amplifiers past ten years may have minor things pop up like their lightbulbs for indicators go. I bough a 7 year old Sugden recently and the yellow light for the On/off switch is out...it was out when I bought but these kinds of things are cheap to fix...I just can't be bothered. Contacts can get a bit gritty etc. But hey these things are maintenance and will happen if you buy a new amp eventually anyway.
I would much rather spend 1/2 the money and get 2 to 10 times the amp. Speakers are more of a use and abuse issue and require more maintenace than amps etc. Still if I can get a speaker like the Reference 3a MM De Capo used for $1500.00 or ANY NEW speaker for 2k ... I take the De Capo. |
| Do you just work for Reference?! | midfiman
Apr 15, 2003 5:59 AM | | Wow, you advertise those things like you get commission on them! Even in Audio Asylum, you rant about the La Suprema even though you haven't heard them! This post has absolutely nothing to do with the De Capos (I get your point though) but low and behold, they are still brought up! |
| Do you just work for Reference?! | RGA
Apr 15, 2003 1:11 PM | | It's un uphill battle to recommend speakers or for that matter lesser known amp companies like SUGDEN(gotta get this into the thread as well).
Yes we get the plethora of talk of speaker companies that have deep pockets for mass produced lesser quality lesser sounding speakers...and with large distributorships they also get more mainstream reviews.
The internet was a small source really non existant when I was buying audio...It would have been nice to get the inside track on smaller companies like Reference 3a and Sugden which have both been around for 30+ years, but both not HUGE marketing machines. Indeed, even companies like ASL who make superior amplifiers at low prices are passed over for the likes of Sony, Yamaha and Denon etc that sell mini-computers over quality electronics.
The internet helps new audiophiles research some of these other companies...and the top half of the La Suprema is the Royal Master which I have heard. Basically it's a Royal Master with a massive subwoofer mated to it. And I always say That I have not actually heard it but it's something to look out for. If the De Capo thumps most at double the price then POSSIBLY so does the La Suprema. At the very least I would want to know about them and audition them if I could...I pass that along to someone who is in the price league.
I do the same heads up for the PMC TB2, Gershman Acoustics X1 when the price range comes up. Gershman is one of the best Canadian manufacturers...it's lost due the mid-fi mainstream big three Canadian Speaker makers...which is not to slag them...they make their money on $300-1k speakers where Gershman starts at $1500.00. Sadly though...the guy who bought the $300.00 Big 3 Canadian maker will upgrade to their BIG more expensive speakers(and chances are overlook a much better speaker due to some notion of indoctrinized brand loyalty)... These makers IMO are all inferior to less expensive speakers Like Gershman and Totem (also out of Canada) or PMC and Reference 3a(out of Europe).
Even B&Ws N805), a company I like IMO does not hold up to the De Capo nor does the 804 or the 803 in certain regards.
I guess I do sound like a broken record...so I'll try and throw a few other brands I like in there more. |
| Not an attack, just was curious on your stance (nt) | midfiman
Apr 15, 2003 1:19 PM | | |
| Do your research | Bryan
Apr 15, 2003 7:50 AM | | And include shipping costs in the total. For example, if you buy a pair of B&W DM303s used for $250 but shipping is $50 did you really save any money considering they go for $300 new? Get to know the person who is selling them and why. For example, several people at audiocircle.com are selling nOrh speakers. The main reason is they have upgraded and moved onto VMPS, etc., rather than something is wrong with the speaker. Others just speaker hop, trying out one brand then another and never settling on just one pair. Additionally, go through sites such as audiogon.com, hometheaterforum.com, or audiocircle.com. The people and websites have a reputation to uphold and they will want to make sure you are happy with your purchase or, at the very least, with doing business with them. |
| re: Buying second-hand | Abex
Apr 15, 2003 12:46 PM | | Speakers
Unless they are under a yr. or 2 old I would not buy used speakers.Metal drivers might be different.The surround meterials wearout.
Amps
I would look to the age to see if you would need to put new parts in.Resistor,Caps and transformer texhnology has advanced in the last few yrs.,but designs with the exception of Digital Switching amps have not.Ask if there are any Hum issues with the amps you are looking at and do research on them.
You can get LeAmpII monoblocks at the moment that are rated at 200\ch. and double with each halfing of impedance.They only cost $400\pair and I think that is a steal.I am going to get 3 sets if they gel with my system good to vertical amp.
Get a FT Audio Passive for under $400used.
CDP's are a steal now and DAC's under $500.The matches you can make outdo some $3000 players.
Good Luck! |
| When buying used, sometimes | Mash
Apr 15, 2003 7:31 PM | | you are the hammer, and sometimes you are the nail. Never risk more than you can afford to loose.
Speakers usually have a 20 year life span. Magnepan will rebuild Maggies for you at a reasonamle cost, but watch the truck frieght.
Figure a desireable 10 year old speaker as being worth 1/2 of say 2/3 to 1/2 of original, where 2/3 to 1/2 of original represents the approximate selling range of near-new demo speakers. This nets to 1/3 to 1/4 of new for 10 year-old speakers. If the speakers coexisted with cats, watch out. If a speaker has acquired a reputation as a dog, well....Bow Wow.
Amps and other electronics can become dated, or simply out-of-fashion. Sometimes a piece of electronics is a lemon that its owner simply wants to unload. Some electronics, like some autos, are poorly designed.
Know the desireable equipment and why you want to own it before you ever buy.
Some pieces can become classics and sell for more than their 'new' price. |
| re: Buying second-hand | Bill L
Apr 17, 2003 2:45 PM | | http://www.audiogon.com/ |
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