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"Hardly Used / Less than 100 Hours / Took out for pics only"????

I'm constantly baffled and confused by the number of ads I read that say the item for sale has barely been used.  

I try not to be distrustful, but I feel like you're either in this hobby or you're not.  There's nothing more fun than the anticipation of a new piece of gear and what it might do to your system! 

If you have a piece of equipment, why wouldn't you set it up and give it a couple of months.  We all know that it takes awhile for the item to break in, or for your ears to adjust.  

Dealers aside, why would anyone in this hobby own something that has less than 100 hours on it?

mjmcubfn
knock1
194 posts
 

I bought set of back up tubes for my amplifier. Within couple of months I decided to make an upgrade. Traded in the amp for another one and sold the tubes having less than 100hrs of use. Sometimes life is stranger than fiction.

tony1954's avatar
tony1954
900 posts
 

I know golfers that own dozens of putters and they're all in the back of one of their closets.

Sometimes people just aren't patient or smart enough to know where the source of a problem is. With a golfer it could be his swing or alignment that is causing the problems. 

With an audiophile, maybe his room sucks the life out of any component he puts in it, yet he continues to hope that the next, best component will fix his problems.

ellajeanelle's avatar
ellajeanelle
386 posts
 

I’ve bought components before and then ran into something I liked better after the fact, once the return widow had expired. They were sold with "barely used" and "took out for pics only" on the listing description. I have also purchased more than one of each component, such as 2 pairs of speakers. Kept the ones I liked best and sold, traded or gave away the others, practically in brand new condition. Granted that most components don’t really "open up" until after they are broken in, but the difference is usually very marginal. As for me, I can tell if something is a keeper or not pretty fast. Not unlike a new pair of shoes. They mold to you your feet over time, but if the initial fit wasn’t right, it’ll never be.

thecarpathian
4,181 posts
 

@ellajeanelle ,

I give up, what is that a picture of??

mitch2
3,697 posts
 

I have a high end DAC for sale right now. One month’ish old with full transferrable warranty (minus the month). New condition, except it has been played for a couple of weeks. I received it from the dealer as part of a trade of another DAC I owned. Have decided to keep one of my other DACs in my main system.  They both sound great with subtle sonic differences. I basically have too many DACs and decided not to keep the one that I have listed for sale, even though there are many rave reviews claiming it is among the best DACs you can buy.  To your question of “why”, sometimes things just work out that way.  As a result, someone will get a very good DAC, in like new condition, with warranty, at a very good price.

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