Buying used or sight unseen speakers a bad idea?


Hi folks, reading & absorbing as much as I can in the Learn forum, question from a novice in this field, is it safe to purchase used or sight unseen a pair of hi-end speakers? Are speakers considered "too old?" Does it effect the sound too much? Thanks
akhan13
I would not buy the cable "sight un-seen", and I'm close to taking Kira's “ten foot pole” advice
I would not buy any speakers without plenty of pictures. I just don't "get" guys who list speakers with no pictures.

yes plenty of pictures(close up) and may be video would be helpful.Why close up?when i was buying dyns c1 in pictures speakers looked fine.But when they arrived ,during unpacking stright away I noticed that bafles of both sides had cosmetic factory defects because of sandwich layering.At first came idea may be it is faked,then i checked up drivers, crosovers.Were original.Seller sold them 400$ cheaper for this reason I think....
Which reminds me. The ONLY time I ever got screwed on A'gon in 10 years was by a guy with no feedback, new to the site. He got kicked off after I escalated the issue, but could of course easily set up a new account with a different email address.
Akhan..., I think the advice above is spot on. As I have mentioned many times on the Forum, mostly all my gear is either a dealer demo, a factory rehab or used. ALL, the used stuff was bought off A'gon. And, I followed the due diligence advice steps mentioned above. Most important -- KNOW YOUR SELLER. Look at feedback, make a call and have a chat, and so forth and so on.

One topic that wasn't discussed very much is model. I refrain from making equipment recommendtions because such choices are inherently very subjective. However, I do recommend that if you buy a pair of speakers without first auditioning them, stay with tried and true models that are well recognized. That way if you are not happy with the speakers, you should be able to get most of your money back.

One last point, I have mentioned many times that system synergy is very important: (i) between various pieces equipment and (ii) between the amp and speakers (e.g., tube or solid state). Some speakers are easier to drive than others for various technical reasons. I suggest that you call the manufacturers of both the speakers and amps that you are focusing on to ensure there is a good match.

The better manufacturers have very helpful customer service reps who are more than happy to give advice.

Good luck and please let us know how you make out.

Cheers