Vote

was ok experience

I think buying and selling products on the Internet is very convenient. The only thing that still bothers me a bit is the question of whether or not it is really safe.

like it or not, retail stores (not yust audio) days are numbered. website stores may have showrooms, but most consumers will shop by computer.

Yes! What a great way this is for us to easily exchange components between. I usually use the newsgroups.

As with my response to last week's question, the answer is the same. I sold used equipment I bought over the internet to buy other new and used equipment. I have no problems with people who wish to be loyal to retailers who give them value added service and/ or with whom they have an excellent relationship. I take exception to the worshippers at the alter of "high-end" who state it is "unethical or worse" to listen to euipment then buy from internet sources. Unless I got my micro economics lecturers all wrong, the market will always be shaped by value and price (mostly price). For the one person who said the death of "high-end" would result from Internet commerce, they better check the current data on how fast e-commerce is growing. I would argue that music and it's enjoyment will not disappear simply because many of us refuse to pay 40% more than we should to hear it!

very convenient

Good deal on McCormack amp, and am quite happy with transaction. One-half new price and great sound.

As with any ad, online or in paper mags, if I find something interesting, I buy it . . . provided I have more than just an e-mail address for contacting the person selling.

I bought a Sansui AU717 to match two that I already have, to upgrade my quad system for DTS.

eBay, baby, eBay.

The internet is a great place to buy and sell used equipment.I find it very helpful due to the fact that you can find some terrific deals out there this way. Not to mention the fact that you can advertise all your older components to a much broader group of people then there is locally.I support it 100%! You do have to be careful however,due to the fact that there are some dishonest people out there.Buying used over the internet also has the disadvantage of not being able to physically see the item being sold.You have to trust the seller's description of the item. Overall though,I have found the audio community is fairly honest and a warning about a dishonest seller is usually posted all over the net. Buying used over the net is a terrific way to buy items(usually for aroud 50% of list price) that wouldn't be obtainable financially for myself otherwise.

My audio system is based on a mix of vintage and more recent tube equipment. As a result, I have bought and sold used epuipment over the Internet. In addition, there is so much to choose from on the used market, especially when price is a consideration, that new equipment at retail prices really doesn't provide the most value. Can a new piece at retail really compete sonically with a used but better piece selling for the same price? Probably not. For example: tube amplifiers. What is available used is so much better-sounding than new items at 2-3x the cost. To me, the added cost is not justified by the sound. I realize the need to audition, but if you are careful and the item doesn't work out, you can resell for about what you paid. With a new item, you are looking at trade-in value, unless the dealer is willing to give you back your purchase price and resell the item as a demo. High-end audio can be a costly hobby; buying used lessens the impact and makes better sound more affordable.

I am finding that the Internet is the way to go for both buying and selling audio gear. Not that I don't support my local dealers, but the range of options and what I have learned about products and fair prices is invaluable. I would not have the system I have today without the Internet, and the items I have been able to buy used and sell to some great people. I have been a loyal Stereophile subscriber for a number of years, and it wasn't until I discovered the Internet trade that I started to build the kind of system I had previously only been able to read about.

AudioShopper.com is great!

I buy used audio equipment all the time.

Absolutely. Some things, like cables, just aren't worth paying full price for. They simply don't wear out. Also, good solid-state equipment, like a Krell FPB 600 or a Pass Aleph 3, if taken proper care of, should sound the same used as they sounded new. Buying used is a great way for the budget-conscious audiophile to build a system that would normally be unaffordable.

I think it's a great way to get fabulous equipment on the cheap.

I think this is where the deals are.

Very affordable way to be in high-end audio.

Haven't had any problems. Met and conversed with some nice folks, too.

Yeah, what fun!! My UPS man loves me. Seriously, why pay retail for new when there are so many super components on the Net?

Internet commerce in used high-end audio equipment provides a tremendous benefit to those of us with finite budgets. I usually avoid buying new, because prices are often outlandish, and I am offended by what I know to be standard industry practice: 100% markup by the retailer. [Not really true in most cases.—Ed.] I like my local retailers and try not to hold this practice against them. After all, they are only doing what their industry advises. But imagine car manufacturers recommending, or dealers adding, 100% markup on automobiles! Ridiculous. I do value my local retailers, who have always been helpful and courteous to me. Consequently, I try to support them in every way my budget permits. My first choice when buying equipment is to buy demo or used gear from my local retailers. If the equipment I seek is unavailable as a demo (or simply unavailable at all in my area, which is too often the case), then I do not hesitate to buy used over the Internet. Apparently, there are many people who operate in a similar way, because I have never had any problem selling gear when I am ready to upgrade. In fact, occasionally I have been able to sell my gear for more than I paid to acquire it. I always tell my wife about these instances. It makes high-end audio a bit less objectionable to the more sane half of this duo. Who knows, perhaps audiophile divorce rates will decline as e-commerce in used high-end equipment flourishes.

Actually, I spotted an ad for a VPI turntable on a Net site, which led me to purchase the 'table.

I have acquired great bargains and at the same time sold what I considered to be bargains. Great equipment can be obtained at a great price.

I've done business this way since before the advent of the world wide web. I find it safe and easy, and never have been burned.

paid more than if i had patiently waited for something to turn up locally.

I guess if I saw some truely amazing deal on the net, I'd probably go for it. But what gets me is people who are buying high-end equipment (in the thousands-of-dollars range), who are worried about price. It seems that you have all the money you want to spend, why not boost your own local economy.

I got exactly what I wanted at a price I was willing to pay.

A great way to buy and sell. From individuals and manufacturers