Buying used or sight unseen speakers a bad idea?

@ Bifwynne, you sound just like a dealer. Just because I don't buy that particular set of speakers I'm auditioning, doesn't mean I won't come back at a later date and buy something else. I've spent thousands of dollars at ListenUp, and I did not buy every single thing I listened to. I also did not buy something every single time I walked in the door; in fact several times I enter dealerships without the intent of buying anything. Its called browsing.
I've spent hundreds of dollars at Gold Sound, and I didn't buy everything I listened to. I go into these dealerships a lot to listen to new gear and check things out. I don't make a purchase every time, sometimes I buy new, sometimes I buy old. Whether or not I am going to make a purchase should not affect how I'm treated in the store.

I agree with Jallen. I have an employee who purchased a new M5. Don't ask me how, because I can't afford one...

She was driving the car with less than 30k miles, when suddenly the transmission slammed into reverse. The indicator lights lit up like a Christmas tree, and BMW keeps giving the run around on an issue that seems to be rather common according to forums.

Sometimes you just get a lemon. It's always a risk. At least Audiogon gives you a chance to get to know the reputations of sellers. It is a smaller community than eBay or Craigslist, etc.

You run less risk, but there is never a guarantee in life.

Ask me how I feel about buying speakers sight unseen in a few weeks. I just mailed my cashier's check today...

LOL

Realremo, as I said above, that's just me. Also, I find it difficult to meaningfully audition speakers in brick and mortar shops because dealers can only sell what they have. So, if I wanted to compare some Vandys to a Wilson, I have to hope the shop carries the brands I'm interested in.

I am not critical of those who take a different view. It's just that I generally do not buy new equipment, so I feel uncomfortable taking up a salesperson's time if I likely will not but something new at some time in the present or future.

OTOH, your post says that you do buy gear from various shops. I think puts a different spin on the situation.

Why would a woman need M5? Either M3 or Porsche.
Anyway, modern cars are computers on wheels and computers sometimes have minds of their own. Good for us that speakers are much simpler so far and it is unlikely that they could go into reverse.

Whether to buy a pair of speakers unseen depends, in part, on your options. If it is a common speaker, I would wait till another comes up for sale where I would have an opportunity to inspect the speaker. Even if one has to pay a dealer premium for a trade-in, the peace of mind is worth it. For something rare, one might have to gamble more.

Most used speakers that are under ten years old that have not been abused are essentially "new" speakers. Some speakers from the 1970-80s had foam surrounds on the edge of woofers that would go bad and fall apart, but most current speakers can be expected to last much longer.

I am, personally, in a position where I have to gamble in my search for a particular speaker. I have been looking for a pair of midrange drivers made by Western Electric in the 1930s. I have heard plenty of different speakers and drivers, and for me, this is it. But, the speakeer is extremely expensive, the only pair I can find will be shipped from Japan, and it is pretty much impossible to repair if it turns out to be defective (the Japanses source is reputed to be reliable). On top of that, I don't even know if it will integrate properly with what I have.