Go used. There are many great deals here on Audiogon and many sellers are selling gear that is in mint or near mint condition. Pay attention to the feedback they have received however. I have been burned. Also, pay attention to how long they have been Audiogon members, and their posts, if any, on the discussion forum. With these cautions, I believe that you can buy with a high degree of confidence and the cost saving can be quite significant.
New or used???
I'm currently building a two-channel system starting with the speakers, and of all the speakers in the $3-$6K price range I have listened to (including Joseph RM25XL, Paradigm S6, B&W 804S, Totem Forest, Thiel CS 2.4, PSB Synchrony 1) the Von Schweikert VR-4JR, Dali Helicon 400 and Sonus Faber Grand Pianos and Cremonas all stood out for me.
Here's my dilemma ... For budgetary concerns (and so my fiancée doesn't kill me), I'm trying to keep the speaker purchase near $5K. I was wondering if any of you have any advice on buying new (the VR-4JRs or Dalis) vs. used (such as picking up the Cremonas or a pair of VR-4SRs used) as well as your opinion on how these speakers compare to each other. Thanks for your help.
Here's my dilemma ... For budgetary concerns (and so my fiancée doesn't kill me), I'm trying to keep the speaker purchase near $5K. I was wondering if any of you have any advice on buying new (the VR-4JRs or Dalis) vs. used (such as picking up the Cremonas or a pair of VR-4SRs used) as well as your opinion on how these speakers compare to each other. Thanks for your help.