Recently I've inherited an audio system. I have no idea of what they are, I have never heard any of the brand names before, but upon checking on the internet I've found out they are somewhat high quality units. It consisted of Meridian 506 CD Player, Forte Forty-Four Pre-amp, Forte Fifty-Five Amp, Velodyne Sub and a pair of Rogers LS3/5A speakers. Some friend suggested I check out Audiogon.com, but as far as I can see most of the stuff are WAY over my head. Now that I found out about their value, my girlfriend is pressuring me to sell it, my question is.. Should I keep the system or sell it? It sounds very nice but my girlfriend keeps saying I don't need anything this fancy. Also, if I am going to sell it, is it better selling it as a system or piece-by-piece? Is eBay good for something like this? Any idea will be appreciated. Sorry for being so shallow, I really don't know much about high end audio... Thank you very much in advance.
Some thoughts for you. Listena to the system. Then see what happens by putting some lesser quality piece in it do you notice any differance and do you care. If you do not care about the change sell the piece. If you do you are on your way to keeping a nice if fancy set up that should last for years.You have something that you may or may not care to build on your own in the future. You have it now, see it you enjoy it first before deciding what to do with it.
Whether you need something this "fancy" is a question only you, not us or your girlfriend, can decide. What you have now is a very nice system and will beat any Bose or mass-market system soundly as far as fidelity to the source you're listening to and musical values go. But if you don't listen seriously to music, or have it on only for background listening and nothing more, then it is probably overkill for your needs and you might consider selling it and getting something that suits your needs better (exception being the subwoofer and perhaps the speakers, if you are more interested in a home theater/AV setup).
If you are going to sell, Audiogon is probably the best place for selling your gear, and I would sell the items separately unless someone gave you an offer for the whole system that was close enough to the separate prices to make the convenience of the sale worth the discount. If you do sell, though, be sure you know the condition of the equipment and fairly represent it, otherwise you're asking for problems after the sale. Most of these items are worth far less than when new, in case you were going from list prices, so you should check to see what others are listing/selling comparable units for. The Rogers speakers and Forte equipment should hold their current values well. The Meridian, if it's an older model as I suspect, may have reached its lowest value and, quite frankly, may be worth keeping if you can't get more than $500 for it, as it will beat most cheap modern players at least sonically. Oh, and don't forget the wires if you're selling the system--some of them may well have value too, in a set-up like you mention I'm sure the owner didn't skimp on cheap interconnects and speaker wire.
You've just inherited a very nice little system. Most of the pieces are considered some of the better values in high end audio. Who ever put this together really knew what he was doing. Most of this stuff will not depreciate much in the near future. In the big scheme of things this system isn't all that "fancy", just well thought out best bang for the buck kinda stuff. I strongly recommend you give it a whirl. You'll have very little to loose trying. As for selling it, well aound here whole systems are a hard sale. Breaking this system up would be a bit of a shame. You've been blessed with a rare opportunity. Very few of us get such a nicely thought out system dumped in our laps. Most of us spend a great deal of time and money pursuing such a system. Give it a chance, you may very well be delighted by what this system will do for you. I think you will find the members here very generous with set up advise. Good luck and good listening.
Sounds like you'd be better off selling your girlfriend and keeping this nice system. Maybe she's too fancy to keep around if she doesn't appreciate your good fortune.
Ebay is often better to sell as people get into the auction mode, bidding up prices beyopnd where they should be and prices get higher than you'll see here. Sell piece-by-piece for best return.
Priced right, things sell pretty quick here, but set the system up, and if you enjoy it, appreciate your good fortune and enjoy your system, without the annoying pink noise you're apparently experiencing.
I agree with Unsound. You should keep the system for a bit and see if hi-fi audio is something you would get into. If not you will lose little or no money in depreciation 6 motnhs down the road. I don't know how serious you and your girlfriend are but if I had a girlfriend pressuring me to sell something I inheirited, from a loved one, I would simple tell her, NO! The equipment you inheirited is quite nice. Give a try! If you do decide to sell it, you will more than likely have to break it up. Ebay is not the place to sell the equipment you have. Sell it here on the Gon.
What you have there is very nice and would take quite a bit of money to replace, quality of sound-wise. If you like to listen to music, then you have just gotten a very nice high-fidelity system for free. That doesn't happen very often.
Now this is just my opinion, and not audio related, but a wife suggesting something like this be sold is one thing, but having a girlfriend do so is way out of line. You may be better served by the audio system than the girlfriend. Just my opinion.
With regard to your girlfriend....it would be more accurate to state "she doesn't need anything this fancy"...what you need or don't need is really your call.
With regard to you....I've always found that in giving and receiving gifts it's always nice to target items that the person receiving the gift would never consider obtaining on their own, whether they could afford it or not. In your case I'm guessing you'd never be assembling a system like this in the for-seeable future, but that doesn't mean you couldn't get alot of enjoyment out of it. Who knows, you might get hooked just like many others do. You can learn how to put it all together or locate someone locally to give you a primer on how to set it up & use it. Maybe someone on A-gon can give you a hand or go to a high end audio dealer and ask one of the people working there if they'd help you after hours for a couple bucks...I'm guessing someone will.
I'd only sell it if you have zero interest in music and need the money. And yes ebay moves alot of equipment as does A-gon. I would guess piecemeal would be better as few people buying such a rig would probably choose all the pieces you have. Systems are pretty individual depending on what the person is looking for & likes ot hear.
I'm with Elizabeth .. keep it. You've inherited a very nice and balanced system.
It is simply not true that only audiophiles can hear the difference. My wife is not interested in hifi at all, but she says that music sounds a lot nicer on my system, she's just not bothered about her music sounding nicer, if that makes sense. Similarly I can tell that plasma TVs look a lot better but it doesn't bother me to have a better picture.
Most of the non-audiophiles who sneer at expensive hifi have never heard a good system and do not have any idea what they might be missing, and whether they would truly appreciate it.
Since there's no hurry to do anything I would spend some time with it and decide for yourself whether you feel that music is a more enjoyable experience with the inherited system. If it is not then by all means sell it. I recommend selling it here on Agon as you'll generally get better prices (and experience) than on ebay.
In my opinion one of the most beguiling aspects of a quality hifi is that it can present a very broad soundstage of music, that does not sound like it is coming from the speakers. This is the start of the illusion of realism. The system you've inherited is capable of doing this, but speaker placement is critical, and the LS3/5s must be on good solid stands.
There's a very straighforward, but good discussion of speaker placement here:
Wow, thanks for all the advices so far. They are all thoughtful and detailed. I do have the stands for the speakers and I didn't use them, and the speakers are spaced pretty closed to all other components. Maybe that's why all the monster cables and wires are long, they're meant to be spaced out...
I would like to give the system a little time to try out, and see if they suit my needs. And if I caved into the peer pressure and sell them, Audiogon will be the place then. Thank you so much for helping an amateur out.
Dont listen to your girlfriend,she may be seeing dollar signs,for her to spend!Without regard to how much enjoyment you might get out of it,,,for years to come!That is,,,if you enjoy music!
You may as well hear the system for what it really is BEFORE you make any decision to sell it, and to do that you will need to have the system properly set up; otherwise you may well be making a decision to sell based on improper setup resulting in those components sounding far below their potential (and possibly not much better than a Bose system). If I were you, I would post your general location; I'm sure that there may well be a friendly, knowledgeable Audiogoner who would be more than happy to assist you in getting at least a semi decent setup of the system in your room so that you can fully appreciate what you may or may not be giving up.
Giving it a whirl before even deciding to sell it is a very sound advise by Unsound.
The Rogers LS3/5a are very much sought after speakers as there is a cult following for them. There is a group of 1500 folks who share the joys of these legendary speakers. I also happen to own two pairs from different era. Some can fetch as high as Two Thousand Dollars, depending on when they were produced, their specs and the finish. Just to give you a hint, if they are in rosewood finish, Pre 1980 models, having a 15 Ohm rating and in pristine condition, yes they would fetch close to that figure. If they were Chartwells instead of Rogers they would fetch around Two Thousand Five hundred or so. During the economic boom in the Far East in mid 90's the price for them was something like $4,500/pair!
The most common types are the Rogers LS3/5a's, post 1990 models in teak finish which in worst case scenario could fetch between $600-900. Of course they need to be in reasonable condition and not damaged or tinkered with.
I do not want you to be taken for a ride, so I mentioned it.
Lastly and again I would insist that you please keep the system, have fun with it for a while and than make up your mind, if at all you should decide to sell them.
If your so inclined,tell us what city you are in,and maybe an a,gon member can come over and set up this nice system for you ,or at least do a little research on speaker positioning ,if youd like to get the best sound from your system,this would be a fairly simple way to get good results!As youve probably noticed,we love this stuff,so feel free to ask any questions!!Or you can search the archives.We can also offer advice on girlfriends,,,,,,but cannot be held responsible for results concerning this////
Raycc, the people here on Audiogon are died in the wool audio fanatics. They really do mean well when as a group they tell you to keep the system. By audiophile standards it's a very nice system, but that doesn't mean it's a good system for you. You should ask youself the following questions:
- how many CDs do I have?
- when I listen is it the primary focus, or is the music background entertainment?
- will I set the speakers up properly for best sound and will I sit in the "sweet spot"?
If you don't have many CDs (say under 100), you primarily listen to music as a background activity and you'll position the speakers for where they look best while listening from another room, then you probably are better off selling the system and using the money for something else.
wow man your girlfriend sound's like a real kill joy not to mention she keep's telling you to sell something that you inherited.
my thought's are regardless of the value of the gear somebody thought enough of you to leave you something that was obviuosly a very personal possesion to them,music is very personal to alot of people in this hobby & so is the gear they use to play it on & it just seem's like a cold thing to do.
i hope my kid's atleast keep my gear & bike's when i take the big dirt nap.
This could be a test. Choose Wisely. There might just be a clause that says that if you sell the system, you end up forfeiting additional heretofore unmentioned inheritance and maybe even the analog front-end that goes with that nice system. Someone might be watching you very very closely ;-)
Listen to MattyBumpkin: DUMP THAT GIRLFRIEND and Enjoy the Music!
I agree with the above, keep the system and drop the girlfriend. Or better yet keep her and let the system continue to infuriate her! Anyway girlfriend aside you've got a nice little system that if set up correctly should sound very nice. If you're a music lover, and I'm guessing that you are, keep it and let it re-ignite your love of music. Use it as an excuse to go blow a bunch of money on new cd's. Most of all, enjoy it and resist the urge to upgrade at all cost, otherwise you'll end up like us, and nobody wants that, trust me.
I think that it is unfortunate that your girlfriend is suggesting that that you liquidate something that was left to you by someone who you meant something to. If this gear is in reasonable shape (it is very good stuff!!!) it will last you for many years and give you great enjoyment if you are a lover of music. I may be over-reacting, but a person who sees dollar signs attached to YOUR fortunate acquisition may not be someone to spend the rest of your life with.
Like I said, ten years from now you will still be enjoying this system - can you say the same thing about the girl friend?
Play her favorite romantic music on the new system, light a candle, share a nice wine/champagne and tell her how you drown in her beautiful eyes. Spend the evening talking about your favorite past times together. Hope she no longer asks you to sell the system for that big diamond she always wanted.
No need to get rid of either. Enjoy both. Remember - you cannot sleep with your music system.
Get someone over to set the system up properly, listen to it and see how you like it. Check into what it is worth. If you need cash more than you want to listen to music through this system sell it. Otherwise enjoy your good fortune and listen to music. You have received a very nice gift but if you don't have an appreciation for it, sell it and put it into the hands of people who will appreciate it and take the cash. It's really that simple. But certainly listen to this system properly setup or you won't know what you have. IMHO Audiogon folk will appreciate your offerings if you decide to sell more than ebay folk. I'd try A'gon first and then if it didn't sell in a reasonable period of time try ebay.
if you're into music etc....keep it as the money you get from selling can't replace what you got. if you're NOT into music, well, this may just be junk to you...and if you need the money, sell it,
and if you do sell, i implore you to do your research so as not to let your naivete cost you dearly.... you can confer with orion blule book or gon blue book to get an idea (though not accurate), run an auction here or on ebay with a reserve price that you're comfortable with to test the market and or see what other or selling them for,
remember this: the price you can command on your new found toys is not its intrinsic value but what the next joe is willing to pay for it
as for that girlfriend, i can't prejudge as i don't know the extent of your relationship... and the basis of her position
bottom line: let your interest and financial situation dictate whether to sell or not..
My wife inherited a bunch of Hubbel figurines (not the wall outlets) from my great aunt. They sit in this furniture thing with glass shelves, the damned things are butt ugly and worth a LOT of money. I asked her if maybe we should sell 'em (and buy a new phono preamp and cartridge), she said NFW. She likes having them cuz it reminds her of my great aunt, and, my aunt wanted her to have'em. Don't sell your rig, and if the girlfiend keeps giving you attitiude dump her, it's just the tip of the iceberg.
raycc, I'll take you back to your original post "I inherited this system". When I inherited something from someone it was because the person (normally dead) thought that I would be someone who would take the time to set it up right and they thought I would enjoy it for whatever reason. (so far it's been a table saw and a car but no stereo)They are right most the time. This isn't about what your girlfriend says but what the person who gave it to you wanted which to me counts for alot and says something. Take some time and learn how to set it up to enjoy it and then just listen for a while. You might come to enjoy it with the proper set-up and it cost you nothing.The person who gave it to you wished you would enjoy it. When you say your way over your head I was at the same point only a few years ago and can tell you the basics on system setup aren't very difficult at all ;-) It's myself and other people's ideas and chasing dreams that make it difficult but also fun if you want it to but that isn't required. It's a good system. Give it some time and learn and than decide. You don't need recommendations, just time and a little effort.
THANK YOU ALL! Reading some of the responses, I was doubling over from laughing so hard. I decided to keep the system for a while, like unsound said, I start out with nothing and got nothing to lose. The only drawback is that I lived in a one-bedroom apartment near Boston, so space is at a prime, and not much room can be spared for the spacing of the speakers and the stands. I'll try my best to place them. Also, I've told my girlfriend about the posting and some of the replies, she took it very well, so well in fact I think I'm going to wake up one morning with the Rogers speaker on my head. I might not get any for a while, but at least I will have my music. Thanks for all the replies.
None of us here actually know your girlfriend and I am sure none of us really wanted you to dump your grilfriend or sell her as some suggested. I think we all got carried away and wanted you to know that the sytem is very good and that you should not make a hasty decision.
My hats off to your girlfriend for showing understanding and taking it lightly, the comments made by some.
I am taking the liberty to say on behalf of all who posted on this thread that may you enjoy the system AND the girlfriend for a long time to come. :-)
one more comment to say that your speakers have achieved legendary status. they are worthy to be passed down to your future kids. selling them may cause you a lot of regret later in your life. very nice cd player too, its big brother 508 is an icon in cd history.
a passion in music will stir up your senses and likely make your sex life more enjoyable :) i won't claim that audio heaven is better than sex, but it is pretty darn close and just as addictive. may you enjoy them all!
it seems to me that you've been given a real opportunity; whoever bequeethed you this system must have had something in mind; enjoy your opportunity--lars
For what it's worth, many years ago under pressure from my wife of three years, I sold my complete stereo system. I had all top line stuff... MacIntosh Amps/Preamps, B&O turntable, Tandberg reel-to-reel, a pair of Klispschorn designed folded horn speakers, etc.
I dearly loved my music, but she hated having music ANYWHERE in the house and at ANY volume. Too, the speakers were fairly large (approx. 30wx30dx40t) and those "...had to go because we had no place to put them." However, the speakers were hand-built by my father just for me and they meant a lot to me. As often happens, the stupid husband, trying to appease the wife, caves in.
Years later, I divorced the wife for other reasons... though these things could be loosely related... only in how this reflects her selfish nature.
At any rate, I really wish I still had those speakers, but they're gone forever. I wish now that I had told the wife to stick it... I'm keeping the speakers!!
Raycc - I live in the boston area, let me know if you're interested in getting any help getting the new stereo to sound its best. Email me at hifitodd@gmail.com
The LS3/5a speakers are a deisgn comissioned by the BBC as "near field monitors", so sitting close to them shouldn't be a problem. The speakers are, frankly, legendary. At the local used hi end shop, a recent pair went for $1,300. Forte electronics are fabulous. This is an ideal studio apartment system. Enjoy.
Just athought: LS3/5a's have become classic, cult-like and overhyped speakers. For audio reasons alone, you may be better off seliing them to someone who craves that particular model and buying a newer design for yourself. You'd get a lot of good advice here.
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