Home Theatre on the Cheap: Used and Refurbished [Archive] - Audio & Video Forums

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Hal
02-05-2010, 06:36 AM
It occurs to me as I continue to plan my modest, inexpensive home theatre set-up that one way to cut costs is to purchase used or refurbished equipment. Other than ebay and Craigslist, are there any sources of used or refurbished equipment that I should consider?

BadAssJazz
02-05-2010, 10:11 AM
http://www.audiogon.com/

http://www.videogon.com/

http://www.spearitsound.com/

http://www.accessories4less.com/

http://store.audioholics.com/?jssCart=c72a6543a52918a6a70b2fcaa98b3453

Worf101
02-06-2010, 02:49 PM
You've bout got it covered but also NewEgg might have some open box stuff as well as your local Sears and Best Buy.

Worf

BadAssJazz
02-06-2010, 07:25 PM
You've bout got it covered but also NewEgg might have some open box stuff as well as your local Sears and Best Buy.

Worf

Agreed. I got my AVR at Magnolia as a demo item, steeply discounted. You'll occasionally find similar deals at Sears, BB and others.

I would also recommend checking your local AV shop -- not the big chains, but the little guys, the mom & pop boutique stores, etc.. You may find something on their shelves in the way of used trade-ins for cheap. I purchased my main speakers, and several components from previous installations that way. Plus, there's something to be said about working with someone face to face, establishing relationships with truly knowledgable people, and shaking their hand at the end of the deal.

poppachubby
02-07-2010, 05:36 AM
I think we overlooked dakmart. They are the official dealer of Denon factory refurbs. Fantastic prices backed with warranties. www.dakmart.com

What are you looking for, everything?

I have a modest, used H/T system. Down the road I would love to upgrade to something significant, as I do enjoy the audio experience of my movies.

Here's what I have, and what I paid...

*Sony STR-DE575 $125.00 new, returned stock Sears
*Angstrom Modular Three (front) $20.00 unclaimed repair/friend price, these are my finest speaker and retail for approx. $400
*PSB Century 100ci (center) $30.00 Kijiji
*Polk R15 (rear) $25.00 Kijiji
*KLH GFX-550L (sub) $75.00 demo model Radio Shack

Rocketfish S-Video (2)
Monster Optical (2)
Phillips Component
Acoustic Research Digital Coax
Acoustic Research "F" Cable
Acoustic Research Subwoofer Cable w/ Stereo Splitter

All cabling from local surplus shop, approx. money spent $75 CDN



Grand total of $350. Just by being resourceful and/or right place at the right time, I didn't have to break the bank. It's obviously not the greatest system in the world, but it's matched quite nicely. My living room comes to life when we watch a flick.

When I'm on the market for something, I literally keep a wad of cash in my pocket, just in case I walk into a deal. Cash is also the best way to get someone to play ball.

I like to hit the repair shops for any abandoned items or just items they may have for sale. I like to hit the local dealers up for used items, they will usually bend quite a bit on trade ins.