How do I know if seller is selling genuine cables?
Lot cables on this site are at good price but it fears me that may be I will end up with a fake cable. Is there any grantee that seller is selling a genuine cable?
I dont know about BMWs but when I popped the hood on my Benz today just to be sure, the little guy on the Megaphone (you know just like the Geico commercial) was talking German.
For sure you don't know if cables are genuine. About 2 years ago I had upgraded my stock cables to S_______. I had bought most of them here. Got this Email direct from the company. They warned me that I might have fake pc's as an employee was working with someone one the outside. So has it they were stealing the pc's sleeves and jackets and supposedly using whatever type of wire on the inside. Not only could be a fire hazard ect.but can you imagine how many of these high end cables have been sold on here or through certain stores. I also wonder how long it was going on before that and can you really trust your employees and what's to say it isn't still going on. A sleeve here,a jacket there,a couple a month and you can live quite comfy and the consumer hasn't a clue or the company. Needless to say non of my serial#'s were on that list supposedly. I sold them all anyway and went with something else that I find alot better for me.
you may check the quiz bellow my post even before reading it to shortly know the answer why there are fake cables.
check dhgate.com. plenty of audioquest, monster, transparent, even sometimes cardas too for double-digit times cheaper than original one looking absolutely the same! ya want ta get monster hdmi stuff for just $3/1m? ye'll getit there easy. btw works as any hdmi no compromise... just the same one you'd get from bestbuy for $34.
hey! even for dealer getting this stuff is kinda tempting isn't it?
anybody asked the question why???
i do have a very simple answer: A LABEL SHOULD NEVER COST MORE THAN PRODUCT DOES to avoid fakes coz lots of us realy go nutz to get $10k speaker cable without realizing that it's so easy to make an undistiguishable clone for a lot cheaper.
realizing the illegal acts of dishonesty of such manufacturers and re-sellers of these products at the same time, one should realize that these actions could've been dramatically minimized if the manufacturers would ask a legit price for the original product. another words this mess happens ONLY because of OM rip-offs so that illegal cloning or copying activities are often cary some kind of sanitary action of rip-off in response to rip-off.
I hope we all realize that when we choose to play in the Audiogon second hand game, there is ALWAYS the RISK of getting less than promised, and it does not have to be on cables only.
Very good point, Avguy and one we all need to keep in mind. Esp. those who rip retailers (b&m OR internet)for their mark-up. In the long run, even w a couple of "less than perfect" transactions, I am WAY, WAY ahead of the game w the upgrades I've made since I started buying on this site.
I've purchased cables here(verified authentic via serial number/dealer contact), without issue. Lately; I've been purchasing everything through The Cable Company(http://thecableco.com/), enjoying their, 'Frequent Flyer' discount and removing all risk.
I hope we all realize that when we choose to play in the Audiogon second hand game, there is ALWAYS the RISK of getting less than promised, and it does not have to be on cables only.
How do we know when buying a second hand CD player, amplifier, pre-amp, etc. that the equipment was not previously serviced with non-genuine, or sub-standard parts? For example, I once bought a 5-channel amp on Audiogon, and only after one of the channels burned out a tweeter on my speaker a year later did I find out through service at the manufacturer that the circuit board for that channel was not the original, but a sub-standard replacement with an unstable voltage stablizer. It was the sub-standard board in the amp that killed my tweeter.
I have seen many a times people place ads in the wanted to buy section (below the ad) for broken amps, CD players, etc. of well known brands so that they can put in a cheap fix and then flip for a nice, quick profit, probably on Audiogon also.
Interestingly, I have had the least problems and concerns in buying cables. It is actually the amps, CD players, and everything else that I would worry a lot more....
"So I guess the answer is to buy from a reputable seller w the understanding that you have the right to return if the manufacturer says they are not genuine."
Wouldn't the obvious sub par sound tell you it's a fake?
Fake cables might sound good too, that doesn't mean that you want them. You could buy from me if I had anything to sell. I don't at the moment. That would be a guarantee. My cables are not fakes unless they are made so well that even the manufacturer missed it.
Agree that the only way to be sure is to have the cables verified by the manufacturer. I once bought a pair of Audience Au-24 i/cs that looked to be genuine. When I went to re-sell, Audience contacted me because mine appeared to be very similar to counterfeit cables that they had seen before. I had a lengthy and pleasant email exchange w John MacDonald, the owner and ultimately he offered to verify them at no charge. So I guess the answer is to buy from a reputable seller w the understanding that you have the right to return if the manufacturer says they are not genuine.
Having a legit receipt helps but the seller could have just purchased one legit pair & is still passing off fakes. Places like Audiogon are alot more reliable then places such as Ebay (where your more often to get a fake vs a real most of the time) but when looking though Audioquest cables on here, I have seen a suspecious seller even on here (prices seem to good, from Hong Kong).
Origional packaging would be a plus as some fakes won't include this & in the past if they did, it was usually poorly executed. I see the guys copying Audioquest have got much better with their fakes, their packaging now looks very close to the origional. As mentioned some companies will verify the cable for you (some to send in the cable while other can be done via emailed pics)
I'm a fan of supporting the companies that sell direct. Signal Cable, Morrow, MAC, and Audio Art are just a few examples. The pricing on most of their cables is generally about the same as a used cable of a similar quality from a brand that uses a distribution network and advertising. Plus, most of these brands offer at least a 30-day in-home trial.
Is it just me or are there always alot of Audioquest Sky for sale on this site at really low prices? They almost never have a box with them (unless priced higher). I have wanted to try the Sky but am skeptical of the fakes. Someone may have great feedback here on Agon but may not know the history of what they are selling. Is great feedback enough to accept the cables as the real deal?
This is a real problem, I've now seen over a dozen fake Audio Note Japan cables that people paid good money for. All I can say is BE CAREFUL ! Dealer disclaimer
No guarantee. Buy from reputable sellers with great feedback. Pay with Paypal and try them for three weeks, if they sound good and meet the described criteria as presented in the add, be happy and enjoy the music.
Plan B: Only buy from authorized dealers at new or demo pricing.
Some cable manufactures (Cardas) offers a service to verify the authenticity of the cable. It will cost you more, but that is the price of peace of mind. Also, ask the seller if he has an original receipt. Look for good feedback and stay away from Ebay.
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