Refurbished vs New

Hi I want to buy an Arcam UDP411. I see on Amazon is an Arcam official dealer who has a refurbished unit for half the price. Is that a good deal?
--Jonathan

arnoland10-26-2016 9:02pm

11 responses Add your response

gdnrbob Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 4,444 posts 10-26-2016 at 09:16pm Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete I have no experience with Arcam, so I cannot say it is a 'good deal'. But, If it is on Amazon, and the seller is an official dealer, I can't see how you could go wrong. I say this with regard to the safeguards that Amazon provides, should something goes wrong, and not regarding the price consideration.
auxinput Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 2,920 posts 10-26-2016 at 10:12pm Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete The term "refurbished" essentially means that the unit is used, but the original manufacturer has done a basic system check on the unit and declared it "fully functional". They usually give a standard warranty (sometimes less time than new). (for example, Emotiva has 5 year warranty on new, but on used/refurbished/warehouse-seconds, they only give a 1 year warranty). So it will have to be up to you to decide if this "used" pricing is acceptable (just like buying it on the used market, but with a little bit of warranty insurance). If it's on Amazon, be very careful on the details of the listing. I do see one Arcam UDP411 on Amazon, but underneath the title/pricing/availability, I see "Ships and sold by Sound Seller". In this situation, Sound Seller is just using Amazon as a marketing website. You will have to really verify if the actual seller is a certified Arcam dealer. Most of the time, the actual seller address/location is not even available on the Amazon website under the vendor details page.
arnoland OP Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 1 posts 10-26-2016 at 10:23pm Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete gdnrbob and auxinput (great name) I want to thank you both for the helpful information. According to Arcam's US representative they are official Arcam dealers.
auxinput Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 2,920 posts 10-26-2016 at 11:44pm Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete When I was a kid in the seventies, I used to plug my electric guitar into the "aux input" of an old KLH phonograph, just like this one. For some reason, the name just stuck with me through the years. lol http://www.radiomuseum.org/images/radio/klh_r_d_co_cambridge/eleven_497099.jpg
jl35 Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 3,982 posts 10-27-2016 at 12:03am Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete I have had great luck with fully authorized factory refurbs - actually many were never used ...
reubent Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 6,986 posts 10-27-2016 at 12:34am Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete Call the dealer, feel them out, buy if comfortable. They will tell you if it's a return to them, or a refurb they procured from the US distributor, etc. If you want the product and you are comfortable with the dealer, buy it.....
jl35 Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 3,982 posts 10-27-2016 at 12:43am Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete factory refurb should include factory warranty
michaela Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 314 posts 10-27-2016 at 04:06am Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete I have had one bad experience with a Marantz DVD changer which I bought factory refurb. I bought from an authorized dealer. It was evidently a lemon, it failed within the first week of receiving it. It would just shut off and not turn on, which I assume is the reason it was refurbished in the first place. I sent it back to Marantz and after waiting a few weeks to get it back, it failed again for the same issue, again within about 2 weeks. I ended up just giving it away to someone, just wasn’t worth the trouble anymore. I won’t buy refurb again but maybe you will have better luck. Mike
mcgal Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 199 posts 10-27-2016 at 04:13pm Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete Arnoland, I have purchased many Arcam products in the past and have liked the way they sounded but did not like the way they all broke down over a couple of years, especially the digital ones. I would suggest you purchase an Oppo player.
tonykay Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 1,301 posts 10-28-2016 at 03:24pm Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete Sony used to offer "Refurbished" units at their outlet stores. Refurbished, it was explained to me, meant that it didn't pass the original quality control criteria and was removed from the assembly line. Those units were then gone through by technicians, the issues resolved, and the unit sold as a "Refurbished" unit, being clearly marked on the outside of the box. So, is your Arcam unit at Amazon a good deal? It's hard to say, but if the dealer offers a warranty, what have you got to lose. P.S. I second the choice of an Oppo! I have an Oppo 105D, and it was a good deal, even at full retail price.
dbphd Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 1,628 posts 10-28-2016 at 05:26pm Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete auxinput, In the early 50s I used to plug my little RCA 45 RPM changer into my Fender guitar amp. db

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