FreeRadical Posted October 1, 2003 Share Posted October 1, 2003 I would like to know what other members think about buying used equipment on ebay, audiogon, and other auction sites. I'm planning my next HT and I would like to get the most out of my budget. I'm seriously considering buying some used audio equipment. I will buy the TV new however. Can anyone give me advice on buying used equipment and what to look for and avoid? What are some personal experiences? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
love_hertz Posted October 1, 2003 Share Posted October 1, 2003 I would be worried about buying USED gear off the net, you don't know what shape its in, also no warranty. But I did buy my dvd player from ebay it was listed as brand new in box-never opened. That was my best buy yet I bought it for almost $60 below msrp. Just ask the seller ?'s via e-mail before bidding or making a purchase. If you are interested I have some Monster Cable interconnects still new if you wanna buy? Keep in touch. GOOG LUCK with your purchases. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J M O N Posted October 1, 2003 Share Posted October 1, 2003 The majority of the stereo equipment I now own was originally purchased by someone else. In each case, I bought these pieces of equipment used for significantly less than the original owner paid. I have yet to have a bad experience, but I do know someone that did recently from an unscrupulous seller. The only new equipment I have bought recently was the JBL gear from their tent sale last year. Those prices were probably better than used prices. Check out these sites for used gear: www.audioshopper.com www.audiogon.com www.audioreview.com www.audioweb.com Of course, eBay is also an option. I think your chances of getting burned are greater with eBay than with these other places though. Always pay with a postal money order and if possible, get a phone number. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
formica Posted October 2, 2003 Share Posted October 2, 2003 Most of my current equipment was also purchased used, but I did it the old fashion way... locally. Ebay is a great tool to get an idea how much a component is currently worth... and I usually expect to pay a premium when I find it locally, but there are a couple of advantages: 1- I get to see/try before I buy 2- I have a phone number, address, and a face to the equipment 3- Shipping is cheap (gas + time) esp for large items like Cornwalls 4- No border hassles (I'm in Canada) I have not had a serious problem yet... Rob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WMcD Posted October 2, 2003 Share Posted October 2, 2003 Generally I've had good experiences. The first point of dickering is price. The next one is how to transfer money. Everyone is a bit cautious about that, for good reason. Am I going to be ripped off and the stuff never gets to me. A rare occurence. However, my recent experience (shipment of second hand Quartets) is a bit sour about the price of shipping and whether the $X price of shipping includes a very good packing job. The purchase arrived with a substandard packing job and a little damage over what was sold. Getting any recourse is going may be more of a headache than it is worth. The next time, I'm going to be more demanding of the seller and ask some questions about shipping costs before making a bid, what that shipping cost is going to get me, who takes the risk of a poor packing job, etc. This is a re occuring theme in shipping the big heavy Klipsch speakers which we all like so much but is also true for electronics. As mentioned, the initial issue is price. The less recognized issue is price of shipping and packing which is pretty much a headache for both good faith buyers and sellers. It may be 30% of the deal yet is not discussed up front. Gil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dodger Posted October 2, 2003 Share Posted October 2, 2003 Hello: For some reason I have had better luck buying on eBay. I do know of some poor deals that way though. Audiogon has to me, been nothing but trouble for the majority of purchases. Mis-represented condition, not receiving orders, units stated to be checked over thoroughly needing a new on.off volume swith and Sellers ignoring emails. The best purchase was a pair of Cornwall IIs, but I still am waiting for labels and manuals promised. I do like the old fashioned way, you can touch, see condition, check for problems. The other place I would recommend is here on the Forum. A good number of us have some equipment for sale, will tell you of every flaw and in most cases give you a better price. Win dodger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ssh Posted October 2, 2003 Share Posted October 2, 2003 My experiences have been mostly good on ebay,Audiogon,& internet sources.I've had more problems with internet vendors.I've saved buying new & used wire on ebay,& I've bought used wire & a preamp on Audiogon.I just listed a Klipsch RC7 in almost perfect condition on Audiogon. SSH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ssh Posted October 2, 2003 Share Posted October 2, 2003 P.S. I am 100% satisfied with two purchases of used equipment from this forum:a NOS Valves restored Scott 299A,& a pr of Jeff Lessard-built SET 2A3 monoblocks.You might do well to watch for HT equipment here,or list your needs & budget for specific suggestions.Welcome to the Forum. SSH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curmudgeon Posted October 2, 2003 Share Posted October 2, 2003 The main factor that is key to successfully purchasing used audio equipment from eBay, Audiogon, or wherever is communication with the seller. E-mail or phone the seller and asked detailed (but not obnoxious) questions about the gear. Good sellers will offer more info than you ask for and back it up with images, bad sellers will give you answers like they were filtered through a politician first. If the seller is vague about the cosmetic condition, operational condition, whether he is the original owner, etc. than RUN away from the sale, even if it looks like a bargain. Most of the sellers on eBay and Audiogon are decent people but there's always that low percentage of miscreants that are out to rip people off, you just have to be able to discern the type of person you're dealing with from the communication. Be extremely careful if a seller requests payment using Western Union wire transfers or an on-line escrow service - there are a lot of fake escrow sites out there and once the money's sent you'll never see it again. If you see an eBay auction where the seller has set it up to accept only "pre-approved" bidders ignore it, pretend the auction doesn't exist because the listed item doesn't exist either. Some low-life keeps trying to slip eBay listings in for high-dollar Levinson equipment but it's pretty easy to spot them as a fakes, so far eBay has been done OK at policing for them but eBay runs thousands of auctions simultaneously - and no one sells a current production $6000.00 amp for $1500.00. Don't get sucked into a pipe dream. If using eBay or Audiogon always check out a person's feedback. Good feedback is essential and it can tell you how a person handles transactions, problems, and if they are an enthusiast or a reseller. Watch the resellers: usually the "checked by a tech" statement means he loaned the piece to a drinking buddy and it seems to work. I have had 99.9% good experiences buying used equipment on both eBay and Audiogon, saving a lot of money vs. buying new (or used) from local dealers. Along the way I have met many nice people that are dedicated to audio and very informative (like the bulk of those on this forum). Most of them are like the rest of us, scratching and scraping their way up the ladder in search of better sound, trading out components to achieve a certain goal. Most of those that pay the heavy prices for well constructed gear take very good care of it; it's not unusual to find Klipsch, Linn, Levinson, McIntosh, etc. components that are 20-30 years old in like-new condition. Most forum members will also offer up their for-sale equipment here first as a courtesy which is another good way to find fair deals, especially if you're looking for Klipsch speakers or the appropriate gear to drive them with. Overall, use a common sense approach to buying used gear: 1) Talk to the seller, ask pertinent questions, ascertain cosmetic & operational condition 2) Examine and listen to items beforehand if possible, request images of actual item 3) Discuss packing & shipping issues before committing to the sale 4) Discuss any included accessories (manuals, remotes, cords, etc.) 5) Ascertain the number of owners and if any warranty left is transferable (verify warranty transferability with manufacturer) 6) Always pay using a traceable form of payment (like credit cards) 7) Discuss who pays any PayPal or credit card fees beforehand If buying gear long-distance ask the seller to send it COD, there's no risk to the seller and it gives you a chance to make sure there's something other than bricks in the box. If the gear is really expensive consider having the seller ship it directly to a dealer/repair facility to get checked out, it's the buyer's responsibility to pay for the check-out charges but it might be worth the peace of mind on high-dollar pieces. Good luck and hope this info helps you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FreeRadical Posted October 2, 2003 Author Share Posted October 2, 2003 Thanks, that is some great advice. You mention several things that I had not thought about. I hope to start aquiring some equipment very soon for my next setup. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynnm Posted October 2, 2003 Share Posted October 2, 2003 I have purchased several pieces of audio gear in the used market and the experience has been mostly positive: 1982 Klipschorns - Cost @ C$2600.00 - was about 22% +/- of new retail (C$9000.00+ shipping) Pro :- Sonically wonderful Pro :- After a lot of work they look almost as good as they sound. Con :- Poor cosmetic condition and seller jerked me around re delivery arrangements. "Dyna" FM tuner - Cost: C$45.00 - shipped Poorly described on Ebay - It is actually a Dynaco FM-3 in very nice overall condition Pro : It is a Dynaco FM3 Con : None Ariston RD80sl Turntable/Grace707 arm/ Grado GT cartridge: Cost: C$200.00 Pro : Nice TT & Arm - I replaced cart due to uncertain heritage ( Seller's apartment was a pit ! There was no reason to suspect that he took any care of the stylus.I looked at a couple of his LP's and decided that he wasn't especially careful about his equipment or his records). Con: None Dynaco QD-1 Quadaptor Cost: C$20.00 Pro: Works fine Con: None Dynaco PAS 3 Preamp Cost : C$175.00 +/- Pro : Superb performance Con : None This was purchased from kjohnshp - If this fellow ever offers something you want - Buy It !! The preamp was better than advertised and his packing made it damned near bulletproof. Dynaco PAT-4 and ST120 Cost C$ 5.00 Pro: Used the PAt4 w/o issues for a year. The ST120 works but I have no need for it. Both will be on Ebay soon. Con: None Crapola Pioneer speakers Cost : C$5.00 +/- (Garage Sale ) Pro: See cost above Con: Blown Various other garage sale thrift store finds : Cost : C$200.00 ( over the last several years ) Pro : Some lessons learned - A lot of fun had Con : Sometimes ya win and other times................ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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