New vs Used when buying please share thoughts

Definitely - "USED".

I have purchased almost my entire system used here on Audiogon or on (dare I say it?!), Ebay.

I quite agree with Elizabeth regarding shipping. Be very careful which items you ship cheaply (i.e. ground shipping). I think most of us here on Audiogon have some horror story to tell about a piece shipped via ground that was lost, dinged, damaged, or just plain destroyed! Items such as turntables can be damaged fairly easily unless packaged well.

One thing I like to do is keep tabs on which sellers are local. I will usually make it quite clear to the seller that I am more than willing to pick up the unit and pay them in cash (or cashiers check if that makes them more comfortable.) You will find that most sellers, including myself, love to sell locally. It avoids all of the hassles of shipping, and the fear of getting burned.
I have purchased a good part of my system from local sellers for this reason. (Plus sometimes sellers will discount for local buers. Kind of tells you how much most of us dislike packaging up and shipping out our sold equipment, huh?!)

As far as which pieces of equipment should be purchased used?:
I suggest that almost all solid state equipment (preamps, amps, cd players, etc..) are fine.
Tube equipment can be shipped, but the tubes need to be protected.
Speakers can be shipped, however, be careful as they can be big and heavy and can cost big bucks, especially if they must go via a frieghter. (My Revel Studios cost several hundred dollars to ship.)
Regarding turntables and cartridges, agree with Mark7767. I suggest that unless you are very confident about the packaging, that turntables be bought new (or used locally).
Cartridges are the one item that probably should be bought new. Used cartridges seem to be the one item that can be damaged the easiest, and unless you are very knowledgable, a slightly damaged cartridge can be pawned off on you unsuspecting. Also, by buying a cartridge new, you can have the dealer install it for you, since installing a cartridge is not an easy thing to do if you are not experienced.

One last thing. If you buy anything in pairs (speakers, monoblock amps), beware of shipping them. I have seen several instances of shippers damaging or losing one, and then only paying half the insurance. Having one speaker or one monoblock amp does you no good. Make sure the shipper is aware that the insurance is for BOTH pieces to arrive safely or the entire insurance is to be paid.

Good Luck!

Saint2, welcome aboard!

Before buying anything on Audiogon I would suggest reading the forums extensively in order to get an idea of what you'd like to spend and which brands would appeal to you musically.

Also at the same time I would recommend visiting as many high end audio stores and listening to as much as you can in order to gain experience and form your own opinions about the equipment you've heard and how you like the music presented.

If you can listen to a friend's system that would probably be even better than visiting a store. At a friend's you can relax and spend more time trying different configurations. Also, since audio stores usually take more care to display the equipment than to set it up for maximum performance you might not get a good feel for the gear.

Unfortunately, the only reliable way to judge a component is in your own system. Auditioning equipment in a foreign acosutic environment to your home's can greatly reduce the reliability of the comparison.

That's one reason I've taken the expensive, but fun approach. I research, research, research, then buy it used on Audiogon.

I've learned far more about a piece of equipment from the give and take discussion on Audiogon than from reading any review in a magazine. I've rarely been disappointed and always enjoy hooking up a new piece of gear for the first time to see if everything I've read is true and to hear how it synergizes with the rest of my system.

I've had over 70 transactions on Audiogon and have had only one bad deal. I've bought and sold just about all types of components except large floorstanding speakers and big subwoofers. They can be a real challenge to package and ship safely.

If you're careful and do your research, I think you'll find that buying used is both satisfying and cost effective. Plus you'll make a lot of new friends.

Good luck!

How about this concept. Buying new stuff at used gear prices. That's right you can find brand new gear for 30 40 even better than 50% off. It'll take you a little time to figure it out but when you do it get's harder and harder to buy used.

I'll leave you with one little did bit of info. Anything in High end can be had brand new for 25% off retail pretty much any day of the week. and that's only the beginning!

One other thing I will recommend is bite the bullet and pay for the audiogon bluebook. It pay's for itself real quick, especially when your spending thousands of dollars on gear.

I renew my subscription every year, though my spending has slowed way down I still find it to be an invaluable reference tool.

WOW!
I would like to thank everyone for there input, it is extremely helpful. I would like to say that buying used is appealing to me. Especially as the price goes up. I don't think in my life I have ever owned a new car, but I have learned that used can be nice if you do your research as Gunbei says. In that respect, I have been visiting hifi stores listening to everything, because I know from this forum that synergy is important. I also notoriously read disscussions on Audiogon to get insight on equipment.
Kurt, as far as local sellers go that would be my first choice. Everything else I buy used is local, and it is nice to see the item physically before buying it. I also agree with buying component pieces used by mail, if packed well they should be ok. Double boxing is also an excellent idea SFAR, I will keep that in mind. I never thought about getting the SN # from the equipment, but that is a good idea, Thanks Driver.
A few posts suggested to buy from sellers you can trust. Instinct will have to guide that decision because I am not familar with anyone on this site. Hopefully, my instincts will be as good as some of yours.
I do believe I will buy my speakers new from a dealer. Like Driver, I to believe in having a good relationship with a local dealer who does let me demo items at home. That type of relationship can be invauluable later.
Glen thanks for bringing up Audiogon Blue Book, I was looking at that yesterday. I will have to pursue that further. Thanks again all! From someone who is always browsing the forum.

I prefer to buy Cartridges new since they are so delicate. NOS tubes are also preferable to OOS (old old stock). Aside from those I believe used gear will give you the best value.