08-02-14: Trelja+ 1. The key thing if buying 2nd hand is to buy a set with as few owners as possible (no more than 2 is best) and wherever possible inspect the speakers pre-purchase.
You could also give a call to Millersound to gauge willingness and pricing. Bill has owned and restored several (and different iterations) pairs of IRS, and is obviously an expert with them, though I'm not sure how interested he would be in taking on such a project for a customer.
Regarding replacement parts, Graz from Apogee Acoustics can re-furb Emims using new, better magnets and Graz ribbons. I'm not sure if Graz re-furbs Emits, however historically the Emim's are usually the first drivers to go out of spec or have issues. Bill LeGall from Miller Sound also has experience with re-furbing Emim's. As for the L-Emim drivers & S-Emits, there are no known replacements to my knowledge sans looking around on Ebay. All NOS parts from sources like Orange County Speaker Repair have long since dried up. I'd exercise caution however if searching for 2nd hand or NOS parts on Ebay as that has become a fertile feeding ground for scammers making extravagant claims about mostly franken parts harvested from repairs, estates, etc being flogged at outrageous prices, so I would avoid that option where possible. The above contacts are your best bet as they are well known and respected businesses.
If you do find a pair you're keen on here on the 'Gon, there are a few things I recommend doing. 1. Firstly always communicate through Audiogon's system, not via private email. This allows all communications to be recorded on AG's system in case of an issue. 2. Request plenty of photos from different angles (especially showing any dings or holes in the grills). 3. Check if the woofers have been re-foamed atleast once (preferably by either Miller Sound or Watkins Engineering) 4. If you're serious about buying a set, request the S/N numbers of both speakers so you can cross check the original sale details with Harmon against POP. 5. Check their feedback on the 'Gon. If they don't have much f'back here, i'd proceed with caution. 6.Request to obtain a copy of POP if available. 7. Exchange contact names/numbers and request their paypal email address for payment. (Note: it is always advisable to check they are a verified paypal member & their paypal email address and location details check out).