Benefits of Buying Used Equipment of Age


Hello Fellow Audiogoners,

My lack of ability to demo used equipment vs new equipment is bringing me to ask the following questions.

The following is an example:

Is it silly to buy 10 or 15 year old McIntosh (i.e. C41 and MC 7300 combo) vs brand new NAD (i.e. C165BEE C275BEE combo)

Silly meaning why buy something much older (yes one brand has benefits over the other on opinions I suppose) but from a design build and resolution, dynamic range?

What is the smarter purchase? Something that's been used for 10 or 15 years or something new.

I know it comes down to me but I am sure many people have this question because it was asked to me by a friend.

He said why would you spend 2k on a preamp that's 10 to 15 years old? And I said cause its McIntosh reputation etc etc, but he said SO haven't designs changed for the better? And I couldn't answer him party because to make a valid argument I would need to have lengthy experience with multiple products from multiple manufactures.

So I am reaching out to get some opinions about what would you do or better yet are the products of today better designed and you would trade older products for today's designs...
128x128thegoldenear
I think the cayin business model tells you to buy new. Cayin takes the classic designs and executes them with current state of the art parts, you get the best of the old and the new, at a great price. Then you can use the new purchase in about ten years to sell it used and start over. Mac's are great for sound, not value. I've never understood the 'pride of ownership' stuff.
Jmcgrogan2, you are absolutely right; however, my pre began to sound like beer that had been opened and left out all night, it was flat. After I replaced the caps, it came back to life and was like new again.
Speaking of beer, Australian in this case, I left an open can of Foster's overnight in refrigirator many times, and though in the morning it was not quite as good as in the evening before, it was still good.
Since I recently bought eleven years old Australian integrated, Redgum, I got in touch with the firm and asked them about capacitors and any other service recommendations. Do you know what the designer said? He said that it is very unlikely that I would have a need to do anything within the next ten years or so and told me not to worry unless I hear a change in sound, amp getting much warmer, noise from transformer etc.
Good older stuff is good. If it can be fixed I have no hesitation of getting it. In fact, I would only buy new if what I want is unavailable used. Except cartridges perhaps.