The other "flyer" type used audio gear that i was talking about ( other than Audiomart ) was the Audio Trading Times. I don't know if this is still operating, but they obviously still have a website. Sean > |
Think that it was from a disbarred attourney with more coke up his nose than incoming air.
Hey, it was just a brief mention of the site. |
About 2 years ago, I had saved up some cash to get a plasma tv and ht setup. I listened to music alot but wasn't aware there was better stuff than top of the line Best-Buy/Tweeter. I stumbled on Audio Asylum and learned of A'gon from there. I learned all I could and wound up ordering Von Scweikert 4.5 III's and their best center channel speaker. I hooked up my old Adcom stuff to the VSR's and...wow. "I never knew music could sound like this" I ditched the plasma idea and spent the money (and then some) on 2 channel.
To this day, I have never even hooked up that center channel speaker. Guess I should sell it.
-Patrick |
Hey Driver. The Crewe,Va. classified ad paper is/was Audiomart. I bought and sold several items many years ago through them. Nice folks. They should have jumped on the band wagon sooner and could have beat Audiogon to the punch to an internet site. The Gon is here to stay. |
Ironically enough, from a local A/V dealer. I was trying to sell a Denon HT receiver so that I could buy the latest upgraded receiver from him. He wanted to sell the new receiver so bad that he told me to go on Audiogon to sell the older one. Obviously I already had the upgrade fever, but after doing a deal or two on Audiogon and realizing how easy it was to swap out components and continue to upgrade at a minimal cost, it spiraled out of control.
I still occasionally buy gear from him, but only when I know I will have the unit for a long time and want to make sure I get the factory warranty. Even then, I won't buy from him unless I can get a screaming deal on a demo or B-stock item.
Audiogon spoils you, and I mean that in a good way. |
Searched Google for a speaker I had heard at a high-end shop, found it for sale in an Audiogon ad. |
I think about three years ago when I was researching speakers at Audioreview I saw a reference to this site.. |
I started at Audioreview about 3 years ago buying & selling gear & from there found this place. When AR changed their format I stopped going there & have done almost all of my on-line deals here since. I still use my local dealer but A-gon has opened up many doors for me & allowed me to try gear I would otherwise not been able to.
I also remember reading one of the papers Sean mentions. I think it was based in Crewe, VA & since I'm not too far from there, had a early look at it. Never did buy or sell anything through it though.
Never thought much about the name but I think too much deviation from it & some people wouldn't be able to make the connection. Sorta like when Blue Cross changed its name to Athena. Now where did they come up with that? How about Audiogone? (meaning both the item & your mind are), or is that what it means already? |
Yea, I was just cruising the web, stumbled on it about three years ago, and I've been a gonner ever since. (Actaully bought my first Thiels from the Audioreview classifieds back when they were worth while -- but it's been nothing but the Gon ever since).
As for dealers and the internet, I was stunned to be talking with one of the major high-end shops here in NYC about trade-ins and have them tell me that I'd be better off selling on "Audiogon or some other place on the web." Shoot, I knew that, but I was seriously considering the convenience factor of a trade-in and there he goes sending me back to the 'Gon. It's hardly news, but I thought it was a shockingly progressive and enlightened stance to be getting from a major dealer. Another large dealer, the one with possibly the largest selection/stock of on-site used gear in the business, ditched it entirley. All gone--officially no longer focusing on the used business. For all the chatter about how the internet is reshaping the industry, here's at least two significant players who've thrown in the towel as far as competing in the used market goes. |
Believe it or not, from a DEALER. And not only that, but a dealer that doesn't advertise on Audiogon. I was about to "replunge" myself into the cauldron of audio and was looking for a turntable. Most of the delares near me are HT nuts and think of a turntable as something on which to spin plasma TV for better views. He suggested Audiogon. I will not mention his name in the spirit of saving his house and car from rock throwing! :-) |
Sean, you're such a "punny" guy ! |
About a year ago I was reading reviews on Audioreview.com and notice some people purchased some great gear from here. I'm a GON-er for life now. Thanks! |
Another "good" name for the forums might be "Comparing Notes". Get it ??? : ) Sean
> |
I found Audiogon somewhere around 7 years ago while doing a search for used audio gear. From what i can remember, it had just gone on-line at that point in time. That is, in the current format that most people recognize Agon in today. I did not become a member of Agon for quite a long period of time after that for some reason. I don't know why, but i did buy quite a bit of gear from listings posted prior to becoming a member.
Way back when, AudioReview was the biggest in terms of available gear / listings / traffic. I also frequented ( and still do ) Audioshopper and to a lesser extent Audioweb. Including Agon, these were considered the "Big 4" when it came to used gear on the web. As i have stated here many times, Agon has always provided me with the best means to buy or sell gear on a far more consistent basis out of all of those mentioned though. I have also come to appreciate the forums quite a bit, as it has a lot more of a "family" ( albeit sometimes disfunctional ) feeling than most of the others. AA is also a great source of info, but it is so big and has so many participants, it is sometimes hard to keep up / sort the wheat from the chaff.
Prior to having a computer, i used to subscribe to Audiomart, which was kind of a like a printed "flyer" version of Agon in terms of used gear for sale. There was another "flyer" that i used to subscribe to, but i can't remember the name i.e. it has "audio" in the name also. The bad thing about both of these sales flyers was that, depending on if you had good or bad mail service in your area, you would either see the listings right away and could therefore snag the good deals or end up calling the seller a week after it already sold if the mail was late. Quite honestly, i think that places like Agon and the others put Audiomart out of business, etc... In a similar sense, that is probably why dealers feel that Agon is also a "threat".
As others have mentioned in various threads, it's a changing world in terms of how business transactions are conducted. When it comes to price and availability of audio gear and discussing related subjects, Agon is a force to be reckoned with. That is probably another reason why dealers feel it to be a threat. Most dealers are still entrenched in their "old school" thought pattern in terms of being able to hold local customers "hostage" / over a barrel since they didn't have a lot of options as to other nearby places to go. The internet has changed all of that and audiophiles can now communicate / conduct business transactions on an international basis at the drop of a hat. As far as i'm concerned, it is sites like Agon and AA that are the prime reasons for this. As such, we should all be thankful for having dedicated folks like Arnie and Rod within our community. If it wasn't for them, the face of audiophilia might have a very different look at this point in time.
As far as naming this place, the audio gear listings could be called "Garbage & Gems" and the forums could be called "Listener's Talk" : ) Sean
> |
Browsing the internet a year ago in Feb., trying to find a site to sell my Linn LP-12 and Klyne SK-2A headamp, I found www.audioreview.com. After reading a few reviews, I came across one that mentioned he had bought his component on Audiogon. The rest is history. I sold both my units immediately on Audiogon, and I too, have been "gon" ever since. I have since enjoyed reading other audiophile websites, but Audiogon takes the cake. I also have had difficulties with my wife in her adjusting to my urge to be on this site. Be strong, fellow audiophiles. |
From an audiogeek friend-- over 3 years ago-- and my audio life hasn't been the same since. Audiogon has cost me a lot of money and saved me even more-- this is "audiogeek logic".
My audio knowledge has increased exponentially, and my stereo system is now truly high performance, but I think most of all, I've enjoyed the interchange of information and ideas (even the weird ones) on the site and meeting fellow audiogeeks. Cheers. Craig |
I HEARD about the site a few years ago...from my brother-in-law, but did not check it out until I stumbled across the link in Stereophile's Links2die4 section last fall. |
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Audiogon used to advertise it's website in the now defunct Audio magazine, is where I saw it. |
I found it doing some searches on the web over 4 years ago.
KF |
I heard about Audiogon a couple of years from a friend who occasionally buys and sells gear on this site and has, consequently, put together a fine, cost-effective audio system that is destined to always be a work in progress.
I am not nearly as afflicted by the upgrade and tweak bugs (coming here actually strengthens my resistance), but I've learned a lot from this site about what to do and what not to do with my audio system and how to respect others with differing priorities. |
Someone told me about it ~3 yrs. ago when I was running an ad in the paper (forget that now) to sell some gear. I have been "Gon" ever since. |
Yup, same for me, I was just cruising the web. I did a general search for "high end audio" and came up with this site. I've learned a lot since I've been here. If I remember correctly Audiogon used to be a dealer in Ann Arbor, MI under a different name. They would sell to rich U of M students. They did stuff online, and it just took off into this massive site. I'm sure the owners of Audiogon can tell the story better than I, however. |
