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Need help valuing high-end power cables.

I’m looking for help in valuing a lot of 5 Synergistic Research power cables. 
Here’s the backstory. I am doing this to help a ~75-year old friend, who has been operating an electronics repair shop for 40+ years. We live in a rural area in the mountains of North Carolina, and this fine man is struggling to keep his doors open. He is a wealth of knowledge, a true community asset, and I cannot imagine my small town without him or his shop.

These cables were given to him by a “good long-time customer” who himself is a retired audio engineer from a VERY high-end stereo company, which I think it best not to name. He told my friend the shop owner that he never used them, and to me their condition looks to be excellent. A few of them are labeled “Demonstration - Not for Sale.”

My friend has had these laying around his shop for about a year, and I have drooled over them; but know they are out of my system’s league, my price range, and all my vintage gear has the power cables built-in anyway.  He doesn’t have the Internet savvy, or the patience frankly, to sell these online. I am going to try to sell them for him, as a favor, because I know he could use the money, and I hope he can continue in his business for a long, long time.  

Here’s the help I’m requesting. I’ve done some research, and I really have no idea how to price this lot of five cables. I don’t want to sell them individually, I just want to do a single sale.  If anyone can suggest a fair private-sale price range, and/or offer any advice for how to market/package/sell these I would be very grateful.  The goal is a quick sale, thus the buyer gets a good and fair deal. 

So, here is the lot. All five cables look to be in Mint or Near-Mint condition.  Each comes with its own power supply.  All five cables are Synergistic Research brand. 
1. One Tesla S.E. Hologram D (a monster)
2. Two Tesla Series Tesla T3
3. Two Tesla Series Tesla T2

If someone from this forum were to want to buy them, I would list them on this site, and not circumvent Audiogon’s business model. Thank you to the board for your input and help.  I have learned a lot from this crew over the past year.

FYI my two systems:
Matching Sansui AU/TU 5900 integrated and tuner, Dual CS-5000 TT w/Ortofon cart, Raspberry Pi 4 Volumio w/DAC hat, Paradigm SE-1 speakers, cables are quality but basic.

Matching Kenwood KA/KT 3500 integrated and tuner, Dual CS-5000 TT W/Grado cart, Paradigm Reference Studio 40 speakers, cables are quality but basic.

Regards.


gemoody
gemoody OP
159 posts
 
This input is great and helpful.  Keep it coming.  

I’ve noticed that these (the Tesla Series) are long discontinued.  Does anyone know if there is anything particularly rare or special about the Teslas vs. their other models?

Also, what selling platform(s) are most recommended?

@millercarbon, I see you have a good sense of my urgency and lack of desire to maximize profit (thanks). I’m thinking of settling in around $2.0-$2.5k.

Regards.
rodman99999
6,206 posts
 
     The best of your lot (the Hologram), was listed on US Audiomart, at $650 and took 57 days to sell (last year).

      A Tesla T3, for $375, sold there in two days (this month).

      A Tesla T2, for $260, took 146 (2015).

      Good luck getting more*, though: much depends on the lengths (not mentioned) in your possession.

                                *especially: in one lot

       Regarding lengths: longer costs more, but: less people (typically) need the extra length.

       Synergistic used active shielding, beginning before 2000, with their MPCs and extra wiring, but: have since moved on to shielding technologies that don't require any of that.    Long and short: NO, nothing extra special about the Teslas, though as I said, they are still great (at least: better than average) cables.    Particularly, at what they can be had for, used.

         Don't mean to rain on your parade, but: facts are facts.
facten
2,905 posts
 
@gemoody

I concur with rodman999 and contact the guys at usedcable.com to get a quote for the 5 cables . Also, I’d contact TMR Audio for a quote (you can fill out a request for quote directly on their website listing each cable separately). You should get responses within a day or 2. If nothing else it will give you a basis for what you would get for a real quick sale to a reseller, as well as, provide to you a basis for what a private sale would be by marking up the quotes you get by 50% or so which is effectively what the resellers will do

If you sell directly Audiogon and USAudioMart are platforms I’d suggest

Good luck
millercarbon's avatar
millercarbon
12,531 posts
 
Yeah all things considered $2k would be doing well.  

One thing it might help you to know, there is a big advantage in all the Active Shielding cables in that the MPC can be significantly improved with hard-wired cap and diode upgrades by Michael Spallone. I did this with my CTS and the improvement was tremendous value for not a lot of money. Not many are even aware of this so you never know, it might be a selling point for the right buyer.  

Otherwise selling to a dealer like the cable co might be a good way to go. I have a hard time believing they will give as good a price to buy outright as if you were buying something, but they will have the advantage of getting a solid number, fast. 
rodman99999
6,206 posts
 
       +1, regarding the upgrades that Michael Spallone does, if a prospective buyer could be sold on that point and then willing to contact Michael.

        That COULD make selling on the 'GoN easier; as he has a LOT of positive feedback and testimonial, on these pages.

        ie: https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/modding-synergistic-research-mpc-to-galileo-status

        and: https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/modding-synergistic-research-mpc-to-galileo-status-2/post?hig...

         He used to advertise on US Audiomart, but: the ad's been deleted.

          Pics: https://www.usaudiomart.com/details/649063652-synergistic_research_ms_mpc_modified/images/584904/

           Here's what a Spallone-modded MPC/Tesla T3 (8' though) brought, on Audiocircle, in 2015:

            https://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=133766.0

             Haven't seen him in here, since this past March.

             I talked to the guys at The Cable Company (Used Cable's parent) about trading my Tesla Apexes in on a CTS pair, when they first came out.

                                Based on my experience: you'll get offered bupkis!

              BUT: like I said, depending on how fast or desperately you want to sell...

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