is audiogon good for the audio industry or bad?

Overall, I think JD and Sns make some very good points.

We live in an age where we can research product in ways we'd never dreamed about 15 years ago. Likewise, we have access to that equipment, so, on a certain level, I agree with the statement of the golden age of audio being the past several years.

I will say that on the other hand, the internet revolution has completely decimated the brick and mortar dealer network. Those local dealers were where the lion's share of your audio dollar was spent. Now, most people buy used components here on Audiogon or find an internet dealer willing to prostitute the product out at the expense of the guy who's close to you - effectively putting a lot of them out of business. So, in that respect, things have been bad. In fact, real bad.

I am responding to a few folks who thought I was saying that I condone going to a dealer, auditioning and then buying on audiogon, which I have never done before... I was misunderstood here...in fact I have recently tried hard to buy products at a local dealer but the audition failed (Elipsas or cemonas in a small room didnt work). And, my recently purchased 3 items on audiogon are all from dealers...none of this equipment was auditioned at another dealer...the price was simply more competitive than simply msrp through audiogon...so it seems, I am contributing to dealers success through audiogon as I am a new customer for them.

While Absolute Sound drives me into retailers, my intent is to buy the product from the retailer as there are 2 in my area that I have spent much $$ at....if I do not, it is because of cost or the audition doesn't pan out....but as I have a better idea of the prices that are out there due to audiogon I am a more educated buyer.... In addition, I have met dealers nationwide (including ones in my own area I didnt know), opened myself up to new products and I see products at more competitive prices..especially demos or slightly flawed products which are fine for me and MUCH more affordable....these products have made owning a really nice system possible for me.....that is a more detailed explanation for how I utilize audiogon to afford better equipment.

I vote yep.

I liken it to getting music via online downloads. You get a couple three tracks and either buy the CD or move on. Both are eye openers and allow for investigation without the full on need to outlay enourmous duckets right away… or of course, you very well can.

Through A’gone I met makers and dealers, made friends and my knowledge base grew. I bought used at first along with some new items online and then locally. Found other resources I would not have otherwise.

Through the used buys, I found some makers with whom I’d have no reservations buying new from sight or sound unseen or unheard as my confidence in them and their efforts increased. In facrt I’ve done just that along the way too. I’ve found as well, the opposite side of that coin, the lesser entrants in the game, and that’s good too.

Consequently, I’ve made new purchases as the result of A’gone’s presence… my experience here, and via the people in the industry I’ve made contact with. That has to be a positive aside, and a real world benefit to the industry at large.

I get in where I fit in. Used. New. Demo. The matter for muyself is getting where I can as is best for me and my current state of affairs. Who among us wouldn’t prefer to buy new items everytime? Everyone would of course, save perhaps those whose preffs are in classics or collectors items… and maybe the die hard DIY crowd.

Such however is not always the case with me, and I suspect it the same way with many, many others. It is however, always the desire, and the now an then certainty that’s of course a plus to some degree as the A’gone pages seeded the interest initially..

From my singular interests here, some of my friends have ventured deeper into the waters of high end video and audio gear that would normally have just laid down for a Bose setup, or mass fi outfit.

I must think then, that from our own efforts here we do in some cases affect those about us. Sometimes to the end that those other normal, non committed or non card carrying audio nuts, will indeed delve into the auspices of the industry by and large, to some degree, that simply would not have otherwise. That too must be a positive.

Be it new purchases or not, there is an impact I feel is positive in the higher end audio or video industry as the result of A’gone, and certainly due to it’s membership base. As I’m pretty sure it’s the members and visitors here that are doing the actual buying… not Audiogone.

Together, the membership base and A’gone, there is a decidedly better impact. Alone, I’d suggest something less.

A better query perhaps, might be to ask those B&M dealers who also enlist the aid of A’gone to disclose generally, which side of their business provides them the greater revenue stream routinely

As much as I love Audiogon and the Internet for providing me Information on products. I still miss the days of old when you could visit stores and audition the equipment for yourself.