Need some advice please

[jowiii3]

I am new to the home theater world so I appreciate any help I get from you guys!

A friend of mine (I think) wants to sell me a brand new set of home speakers new in the box. They are Millenium 2006p speakers 5.1 500 watts. He says they are worth 1700 bucks but only wants 100 dollars for them. My question is does anyone know about these speakers? Is he trying to pass on a bad deal that he may have gotten? He says they were given to him, but of course I am having my doubts as to the price issue, and I cant seem to find a website that gives a definitive answer, to the quality or cost of them.

[N. Abstentia]

I'm not certain, but I'm thinking 'white van' speakers myself. Indeed sounds like he's trying to pass his bad deal on to you. The first clue is saying they are worth $1700 and selling them for $100. The second clue is that any speaker touting "500 watts!" is more than likely flea market junk.

Again, I'm not positive, but I'd be very skeptical of them. If they are indeed 'white van' models, they are worth maybe $20.

[jowiii3]

Not sure I understand the "white van" term.
Thanks for your quick reply by the way.

[spacedeckman]

In many cities in the US and Canada, there are people who are not very nice who drive around in rented cargo vans (usually white in color) who load up at a local warehouse and drive around town selling very poor quality speakers usually labeled as some kind of "studio monitor" having a value of very often $1700 (Some are listed as $2100 or $2400) that they have "too many of" from a delivery and would be willing to part with them for typically $500-700. Most people who think they are smart, will haggle them down to half of that. The guys want cash, and will even volunteer to drive you to the closest ATM. Then you figure out they are worthless, you've been screwed, and you have no way to contact them to get your money back...however, I have heard stories about people following the van all day to the warehouse and demanding their money back.

The speakers usually have really "impressive" names like Acoustic Response, Acoustic Monitor, or mimic a real brand (Paradime, Dyna "something") or another name (Denmark) to make it sound like they came from someplace nice. There are a couple of dozen brands that are usually very similar speakers, probably made by the same company (but changing the name to "protect the innocent" and get more "suckers") Do a Google on "white van speakers", there are a couple of websites with sob stories. These have most of the telltale signs of being them. The brand, the model number, and the "list price". Three strikes and....