The latest flavour of the month speaker

Forget flavor of the month. These are just hot topics of discussion and alone does not establish any merit.

Products that have been around for a while and have garnered a good # of positive reviews from users tend to be the safest.

My rule of thumb is that if you find 2-3 independent sources that say the same thing about a product that has been around for a while in separate reviews, there is a good chance that what is said has some truth.

I can think of a couple reasons that are not a negative commentary on the people selling the flavor of the month.

1. Many people on Audiogon don't have the oportunity to listen to an item they are considering buying in their own system prior to purchase. They buy something that sounds like it may be what they are looking for and put it up for sale when it turns out not to be.

Some people may not feel comfortable taking up a dealer's time when they have no intention of buying new. I hope there's a lot of these people out there.

2. Someone may notice a significant improvement in sound when they put a new speaker (or amp, etc.) into their system and decide they want something even better. So the item goes back up for sale.

I also think that a lot of buying and selling is done for less positive reasons like audiophilia nervosa or the buzz (short term) you get when that new piece of gear arrives.

I have not added one piece of new gear in the past two years. My merry-go-round has been painted a new color,and that color is called, "contented". YMMV

I first noticed the flavor-of-the-month-resale-cycle about 5, 6 or was it 7 years ago. The product was the Bel Canto EVO "digital amp". The online press was mad for them and the "buzz" here and other places was furious full of hyperbole. Then, about 6 months down the road, "used" Bel Canto EVOs showed up for sale here on a daily basis. At first the prices were high as the ink on the reviews was still wet. Then, over the following 6 months, when the real "reviewers" of this hobby (you) began to chime in and suddenly, the Emperor was wearing a nice new robe! I even jumped in and in the end, I lost about $200 between the time I purchased one and sold it 3 months later. It was a good amp, but, as a comparison, the best "digital" amps of today could have killed the Bel Canto as soon as it arrived.

You see it all the time. Just look for the "hottly" pimped piece of gear this month and, like clock work, about 4-6 months down the road this place will be ripe with plenty of "used" ones. Once in a while, the product lives up to the hype. As of yet, I have not seen a glut of second hand Maggico products on the 'gon.

What products have you all seen in the after glow of rave reviews?? Thanks, John

Speaking as a longtime bargain hunter, it's a wonderful phenomenon. Keepem coming please.