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Buying used: how old is too old?

All,

Considering buying some used speakers from a well established company, e.g., Wilson, Focal, B&W, etc.

Aside from obvious technology updates, do speakers have a shelf life? If so is this measured in overall life, or number of hours played?

I’ve read some reviews that some speakers can really improve with age, no doubt longevity is going to be influenced by speaker drivers. Perhaps paper breaks down before other materials—I don’t know.

Old flagships can be bought for a fraction of their original cost and less than new mid-level speakers. No break in needed! But maybe they would be broken down?

I’m sure there have been numerous threads on this topic, but I didn’t find much in my search and am also interested in any recent experience on the topic.

Would be really interested to hear thoughts, opinions, and experience with this.

Thanks!
w123ale
yage
400 posts
 
Recently bought a pair of Revel Ultima Studios for what I consider to be a good deal. Luckily the guy was local so I could hear them before I bought.

They are absolutely fantastic sounding. 

Good thing too, since I'm pretty sure I won't be able to get them back up the basement stairs.
buckheadmac
13 posts
 
I think it all depends on brand, condition and where they were used. Six months ago I picked up a pair of 2005 B&W 805’s that were traded in to my dealer. They have the original boxes, jumpers and are consecutive numbers. They were in perfect condition and sound excellent. I think some dealer trade in are a great place to start especially if the  dealer carries higher end gear. Chances are the speakers were driven by a good amp. 
raysmtb1's avatar
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raysmtb1
800 posts
 
I’ve actually lived in this situation I sold some Tekton moabs to help fund a sweet deal on a set of mcintosh xrt30’s. The Macintoshes were approximately 15 years old and I bought them from a little old man in Georgia. The speakers were spotless and they sounded like shit. So I sold them replace the Moab. I’m done with anything old
millercarbon's avatar
millercarbon
12,531 posts
 
Between the two of us I think we have proven conclusively that Tekton Moab are better than $20k speakers. (That are 15 years old.)
daros71's avatar
daros71
118 posts
 
raysmtb1383 posts06-22-2021 9:57pmI’ve actually lived in this situation I sold some Tekton moabs to help fund a sweet deal on a set of mcintosh xrt30’s. The Macintoshes were approximately 15 years old and I bought them from a little old man in Georgia. The speakers were spotless and they sounded like shit. So I sold them replace the Moab. I’m done with anything old
Hi, sorry, i din’t got the point. You sold some Moabs to buy a set of xrt30, they sounded like crap  so you sold them in order to replace the Moabs? Is that a faulty Moebius band? What do you want to say exactly?
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