At what point do you...

Personally, I always buy brand new as long as I can afford it. Will buy used if the item is no longer available new and if it’s a must have for me, but mostly only in person so I can verify its authenticity and functionality or will order if it’s an item that I already have and already know what to expect and to look for. If the savings is substantial (relative to each individual) I would be more inclined to buy used from a reputable source at half price or less and only if it can be returned without hassle. I don’t have a problem overpaying for something to get what I want the way I want it. Good service merits its own price tag.

At least with cables, since it sounds like that’s what you’re interested in there’s not much to go wrong there but would be beneficial to already have a one to compare to and make sure it’s authentic. Lots of fake stuff going around...

I would never buy open box or used speakers without auditioning.  Highly likely to have been abused or damaged and a hassle to repack, carry and return.

I always buy used unless no used available, even then I would wait a while, having hifisearch show me that item or category 'first shown, new first'. check every am, bang: strike like a viper.

I am confident in my skills to evaluate the seller and item and money movement, and so far have not been disappointed. a few things have gone wrong (primarily bad packaging), all resolved, or refunded.

Worried about seller's packing skills, or local pickup only: I use UPS Pack and Ship, seller simply drops unpacked item nearby in your name, walks away. You make your own arrangements with UPS, you pay UPS directly, No need to buy insurance: UPS is responsible for any damage which is unlikely.

If you really want something, cannot find an open box (which get maker's full warranty), or 'safe' used, gotta pay the price. Then I think: "will I regret it? will I regret not getting it?"

For me, anything with moving parts is going to be new. Anything so expensive that I can’t chuck it and caulk it up as a learning experience I will get from a dealer. My system now in comparison with my income is very good… so I am aiming for the very best possible sound… so all of it is new puchased from a dealer (and delivered, first for demo, then installed). 

I almost always buy used. By purchasing used let’s me look at higher end gear. More bang for the buck. Yes,there is usually no warranty,which is the downside. Everyone has a different perspective.  

I buy used/open box/refurbished when it's about 50% or more off retail. Case in point: I bought a Yamaha CDS2100 for $1499 refurbished with a 3 year warranty from a reputable online shop.

Depends. I have no issue buying open box or refurbished as long as it is from a reputable dealer or direct from manufacturer/outlet. Also look for an "as new" warranty.

Back when I had more money than brains (and that's going back a while . . . now I don't have an excess of either) I always (except for once) bought new. The exception was a pair of ARC VTM120s that I bought from the classified section in Stereophile (this was before the internet days).  Those ARCs sounded fantastic, but man oh man they were unreliable!

Anyway, most recently I bought a factory refurb Maranzt SA10 from Music Direct and a preowned Cary SLP-05 from Cary Direct, and so far I am extremely pleased with both.  The savings on each of those units was way significant.  So significant that I would not have bought either for MSRP.  I did have reservations, but as I typed, I am so far happy with both.  The fact that they both came from dealers who should be reliable played a part in my decision making. 

As far as the power cable example you mentioned--I'd jump all over the open box for $49 savings if it was from a reliable dealer (so there wouldn't be counterfeit risk involved) like Music Direct.  $49 is $49, and that would be $49 I could then justify applying to something else.

Personally, I try to always buy used.  Buying pre-owned gears has worked out beautifully for me for over 20 years, and I've saved a ton of $$$$ in the process.  High end audio is way too expensive, and with such a vast global on-line market at our disposal, your buying power increases exponentially.  I couldn't afford my current audio system if I had to pay retail for it.  

at cheapest possible. free is the best 

Let me give you some advise being in this over 40 years ,plus owning a

audio store, the connectors on both ends you Donot want gold over brass 

Furutech ,or another brand itt has to say pure Copper with either gold plating or Rhodium ,why it sounds more natural for one and has 3 x more conductivity,which is far less resistance or noise ,Audio Art s uses only quality connectors ,Cryo treats the metal which is a plus and can get the Hagerman runin  process.

 It depends how much you want to spend.

The only item I will not buy used is a phono cartridge. Other than that I have no problem buying used!

I seek out all the bargains that I can in this hobby, demo, open box, used etc!

Great responses. Thanks All for taking the time to share your thoughts/experiences. @immatthewj  Music Direct is EXACTLY who I had in mind when I posted. They quite often offer open box items but it's usually not a significant savings, however it's enough for the temptation bug to creep in😬🤦‍♂️.

@czarivey agreed, I am always on the search for those 100% off sales but I haven't yet found any of those🤣

And yes, cables are usually a much safer bet rather than components.

Still contemplating those NRG's. I have until today as they're also offering an extra 10% until tomorrow...

There’s intangables at play here.

Only you can place the "correct" monetary value of the experience of new vs used. While "the math works" on (credible) used gear, assigning a value to the emotional attachment of breaking the seal on new gear that has not be touched by human hands since it left the factory is purely subjective. Owning new equipment vs taking possession of something after someone, or someones, have had their way with it may be a strong motivator for some. And, that "Christmas morning" feeling of the big reveal where you glance upon something special that is uniqely yours is difficult to access in dollars and cents (sense?).

"Still contemplating those NRG’s. I have until today as they’re also offering an extra 10% until tomorrow..."

Go for it big spender!!

Muriel Cigars TV commercial classics, Edie Adams singing ’Hey Big Spender!’ in 4 versions (lyrics in description) - maybe the greatest cigar television commercials ever made - video Dailymotion

@Yogiboy.    How about the Noxzema shave cream ad, Take it off, take it all off.

Given that higher end audio equipment should last 20 - 30 years (or longer) why should we be concerned about something that is 2 years old?  Or better yet, something that has been used as a demo in a dealer's showroom and is coming to me with full warranty?  The cost savings can be 25% - 50%.  I don't buy pre-loved to save money, but to allow the purchase of equipment I would have felt guilty paying full price for.  The same reason I like to buy cars that are two years old.  I am happy to let someone else pay 30% of the cost for the thrill of driving it off the lot.  Of course there are exceptions.  Soundlab speakers weren't option used but I still drove a hard bargain on a new pair.  I suppose in the end, I find it hard to respect people who have no respect for money.  I worked far too hard for mine to treat it frivolously.  But that's just me.  Spend yours anyway you want.  Cheers.

bigtwin  One of the reasons that I avoid buying used is because some things require a proper brake in period and there is no way to know how that item was treated and if it was properly broken in.

A proper break in period will determine the longevity of an item and only the original owner knows how something was broken in. Some people take a brand-new car and rag it from day one.  The next buyer of that car will end up with a car that perhaps will only last half as long as it would have had it not been mistreated. 

So, in the end, when considering how many years it has left, would the buyer of that used car really be saving any money? No.  That buyer would actually lose money when you do a cost of ownership analysis over the lifespan of that car.

This is why I don't buy used, particularly speakers, cars or items that should go through a proper break in period, but to each their own...

I buy mostly “Open Box” stuff as it’s usually Brand new equipment sold at a discount. However, I just bought some used PS Audio Kit that so far I’m having a lot of fun with. It’s a good thing to, because the warranty is about to expire.😁

If you're buying things that cannot wear out, open box or used is much preferable. Buying something with a ridiculously high profit margin when new is bad money management (buying a $400+ power cable or any other cable is just silly whether new or used).

@ellajeanelle   I see your point but commence sense prevails.  I don't buy Mustangs from motor-heads, rather Mercedes from retirees.  You can never be 100% protected but neither does buying anything new guarantee there won't be a defect.  I'm going through that very thing right now with a Hegel H30 amp.  Still hoping to have the  situation resolved to my satisfaction.  Cheers.

bigtwin Best of luck resolving your amplifier problem.

Since you mentioned it, I bought a used SL 550 from an elderly retiree in Palm Springs, CA. a few years ago, and only because they had stopped making that model and it was the last year that it was produced and could no longer be found new. I thought it would be a safe purchase since he was the original owner, retiree and elderly. Long story short, it required multiple trips to the dealer and a lot of inconvenience and time on my end to get it up to par. It wasn’t worth the hassle to me. I traded it in for a new model shortly thereafter.

I guess my point is that the older one gets the more important time becomes, and I prefer to not to chance wasting it if I can avoid it and buy new.  Now in my late 50's my time has become more important than saving money, but I also don't waste it.

Hello, I really feel you could be spending your money better elsewhere like on room treatments. I know power cables make a difference. I have Straightwire Black Thunders on my two JL Audio subs. I actually heard a difference not only from the stock cables, which the recommended using but also some other nice guage cables. It just seamed like the sub was more accurately followed the front two speakers. 
mid this is for home theater then I would definitely not waste my money since the surround preamplifier actually controls the sub including the timing. I’m pretty sure SVS has some nice software that goes with their subs. Maybe just recalibrate the speakers. $500 is a good chunk of change to spend on subwoofer power cords before you correct some of the issues in the room. First reflection points, bass control for corners, and stuff like that. As a worst case scenario upgrade your power cord on your steamer, DAC, and transport. Especially since those items are usually not tunable. I hope this helps. 

Well, I did it. Just purchased the 2 open box NRG-4’s. Got an extra 10% as well. By the way the $499/$449 was just for hypothetical purposes. I got 2 6ft NRG-4’s for a final cost of $304. The extra 10% expires end of day. I already had aftermarket PC’s but again wanted consistency. Now I have my LaSpada and Magic Power cables without a home…

@hsounds thank you for the advice. I already have corner bass traps and aftermarket cables on my processor, amp, DAC, and streamer. I don’t have a single stock cable on any of my components. Upgraded all of those first and throughout various upgrades over time, the subs got the leftovers. That’s why they had different PC’s. Figured the AQ’s were a better cable to begin with and now I’d have synergy as well😁…

Great stuff All and thank you again for taking the time to share…

I am one of the people who believes AQ can be a great value for money. Great job on getting all of the important stuff done right. I actually use the NRG power cable to power my turntable and phono stage. Because I needed a pretty long power cord it is a great value. 

Thanks @hsounds always love to hear endorsements from those with the experience. Especially after I’ve already pulled the trigger😊! What’s weird about the NRG’s is that I couldn’t find anything anywhere about their specific recommended usage. Most cable manufacturers specify what components their cables are meant for. Couldn’t find anything on NRG series. But figured they’d be great for subwoofer duty…

You have to be careful buying used audio equipment. I have bought stuff and 2 ,3,6 months later it dies.probability from the same reasons the guy sold it....Buyer Beware.....

For me it depends on the component, the price, availability, and the dealer or person I’m buying from. I would never buy a CD transport used but will always buy cables used when available.  I bought my McIntosh Integrated used from a reputable dealer (Audio Classics) and many open box items with a full warranty.  For new, I look for huge discounts and close outs.  I purchased my Elac towers on close out for 50% off from Music Direct and recently bought a pair of Dynaudio bookshelf speakers for my office system at 25% off list. I never buy on impulse and always thoroughly research a product before pulling the trigger. 

Everything except my turntable and cartridge has been dealer demo or closeout. I like the peace of mind. My power line conditioner was also new (with a nice discount) since it wan't available with any savings used.   I did buy a used phono stage from someone on USAM, but spoke with him at length and since it has no moving parts or even external switches, I took the chance and it was in perfect condition as he said. Save about 25% over new. 

I buy open box and dealer demo all the time. I never buy used. I did get into trouble once. I bought a dealer demo Clearaudio Double Matrix and the guy put some god awful solution in it that eventually choked the fluid pump. Fortunately, Musical Surroundings covered it under warranty and let me install a new pump myself which saved me from shipping it across the country. When I took it apart the tubing and pump were full of a thick white residue. I cleaned it all out and replaced the filter. I also now know the machine backwards and forwards and can deal with anything that happens to it. 

Used, demo, open box mostly- it’s the only way I can afford targeted sonics.  New if used option not available such as a newer model.