2. misc-audio
  3. 1008768695

I don't get it

I breeze through the Agon classifieds every few days and am absolutely astounded by the number of listings of equipment that is "less than 1 year old" and in many cases less than 3 months old. The implied financial hits are staggering. I have developed a number of theories:

1) The equipment is being bought by store/distributor employees at or close to wholesale and being flipped at no loss or maybe even a profit.

2) Audiophiles have some sort of obsessive-compulsive disorder that forces them to continue to change out components irrespective of need or cost.

3) Audiophilia(?) is like being addicted to herion, every day you need a new fix because whatever the last addition did for you, it wore off and something new is needed.

4) Some audiophiles have way too much money.

Don't get me wrong - I appreciate the chance to buy equipment at a discount as I generally can't bring myself to pay retail for most of this stuff. However, I'm curious why all this nearly new equipment is here.

Thanks
wstritt
jvogt
212 posts
 
I might also submit that used equipment, appropriately
chosen, can be a decent investment with little downside
financial risk. I've owned several items which I used
for a few years, and sold near or above my purchase price.
What other hobby allows that?
3728slingshot
102 posts
 
Three cheers for wealthy equipment rollers!
ljgj
955 posts
 
People get bored with the means way too soon and reviewers just act as junkies for us with 2 and 3 above. We got to have it until we get it and find out that something else would be better in our room or it upsamples more .............
gregm
3,396 posts
 
All of the above + 6 (?): mismatches. We buy cause it's a good deal, w/out auditioning cause it's well nigh impossible... no friends, friendly dealer, etc, to try out a piece...

Not sure about 4, though. I'd rephrase to, "Some audiophiles SPEND way too much money" !
smwdrtwin
25 posts
 
I used to wonder about the same thing until #2 and 3 took hold of me and I became a seller of some new barely used expensive equipment. Then I understood the ads that claimed "10 hours use" "barely broken in", etc. Ultimately, I was able to build a system that I am very happy with after trying new, demo and used equipment at home in my system and then selling what I didn't need or want. The overall cost to me still represented a savings over retail when I add up the cost of the purchases that I kept.

There is no way that a retail store would have allowed me to have extensive home demos of all kinds of equipment, so I am happy with the process and happy that A-gon exists for crazy people like me (us).
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