Quote Originally Posted by JoeE SP9
I can't say I disagree with what you've said. I do have a couple of points to make. I was speaking of buying a pair of used whatever's. For most of us here buying used is an option that gets serious thought. I may be wrong, but as far as I know you have never suggested any used products ever. Do you have a problem with used gear?
For a lot of posters here $2000 is a lot of money. It seems that once someone starts reviewing and getting gear for free or damn near free their attitude about what is a bargain really changes. Reviewers just don't live in the real world as far as purchasing gear goes. I'm not trying to insult or denigrate you or your recommendations. However, you as a reviewer seem to fail to understand that saying a $6000 a pair speaker is amazing and it's $2000 more expensive bigger brother is better means nothing to most buyers. Remember $2000 is still a lot of money to many people. For $6000 or $8000 they should be fu**ing fantastic and a bag of chip's. You reviewers with all the perks and free gear you get would do well to remember that.

There are lots of bargains on the used market. For anyone interested in ESL's or any panel I suggest taking a look at Audiogon.
I can't speak for other review publications but I don't get anything for free. I am "for" buying most things used. A reviewer will typically get an item at manufacturer or dealer cost - no better than that - and someone who buys used would pay the same amount so the reviewer's "deal" is that he will get a new item for the used price. Martin Logan is typically in the $6k-$25,000 price range. The Maggie 20.1 $14,000 so prices are relative which is why I mentioned the $6k Prince II. You could always look for a Prince II on the used market and you may get it for $2500 for all I know. That is why I am FOR used products.

But I do not scour the internet everyday looking for 10 year old items to offer as a suggestion. Most stuff depreciates in a relatively similar fashion so if the starting price of the Prince II is $6k and the 20.1 is $14k then you would expect on the used market that the Prince II would STILL be cheaper than the Magnepan (which has more name brand appeal (for now) and would cost a used buyer like yourself more.

The thing with a reviewer's discount is that the item thereviewer has is now an open box used piece of gear. Manufacturers who sell at their cost - well they all do it - that puts all manufacturers on the same playing field. In other words if ABC maker has a retail amp for $6,000 and the price to the reviewer is $3,000 then you can pretty much be sure that every amp that retails for $6,000 will run the reviewer between $2,000 to $4,000. This is typically what a non reviewer would pay walking into their local store's used selection or buying off of Ebay - probably paying less in fact.

I would definitely buy amplifiers used if I were you. Speakers too but check them out. I would be a little more cautious with cd players.