Audiogon’s business model seems to have changed where they are no longer favoring the hobbyist, with a great number of listings now coming from dealers with e-stores linked, such as TMR and similar, although TMR appears to be the most prolific. Nothing wrong with that, just an observation. USAM seems to have gained more momentum now and has become a serious and perhaps more appealing option for the hobbyist since they don’t charge fees for their basic ads, at least not yet. I use both sites with equal satisfaction. I also agree with the copied post below -
My biggest complaint (with Audiogon) is the filters put in place to prevent communication between buyers and sellers. I like to talk to sellers about a piece of gear I am interested in. I also think most buyers are like me. I understand that Audiogon doesn’t want unauthorized sales but if you pay the sale fee upfront they should allow unlimited communication between buyer buyers and sellers. They already have their money even if a sale doesn’t go through.