Used PS Audio Items

JINXXXX ... not 4 months later, my phono preamp went south. When I shipped it to PS Audio for service after 10 days their message said "your ($1000) preamp cannot be repaired" but we will sell you another, our latest model, for $1500. No explanation, description of what failed, just what a great deal I'm getting. Would I really return to a company that sold me a $1000 component that didn't last and "cannot be repaired"? PITIFUL customer service. NEVER AGAIN ... FOR SALE ...

Oh and they sent me a free remote when I needed it. Nice!

I currently am using a PS Audio Amplifier, Preamp, Phono preamp, and Headphone amp and would recommend their products to anyone! The amp is an HCA-2, 150 watts @8, and Stereophile Class A. I sold my Krell and kept the PS, I just liked the sound better. And then the collection started to grow ...the GCP preamp is terrific. PS Audio prices are within my budget as well.

I have had and still have a number of PS Audio components.  They are a great value and in my experience, their customer service is top notch.  

I'm a very happy, loyal PSA customer!

The Music Room sells their trade in products is probably why. I purchased the PS Audio TRIO P200 preamp from TMR and couldn't be happier.

PS Audio has a lot of brand loyalists and a good trade in program so there is definitely movement with that brand's products. 

PS Audio is not Benchmark Audio. They are going for a musical sound as opposed to measured precision. 

I have had zero problems with my BHK 250 amplifier that was purchased new and matching By HK preamplifier. I am the second owner of the preamplifier. I have never had to contact their customer service department, however, I am very pleased with the performance and sound of my BHK gear!

When I traded in a piece of Musical Fidelity gear for a new PS Audio product, they told me the trade-in would be resold thru The Music Room, which is near by. I now have three items from PS Audio and n repair needs. Good folks.

I had p300 regenerator, stellar regenerator, Stellar Gcd, M700 monoblocks, dectet and other items. Purchased 50/50 new and used. Gear support was excellent and one time I had to send something in outside of warranty and purchased used, I was not charged for repairs or shipping back.

The gear served me well and the only reason I moved on, I wanted something even better (and a lot more expensive) 

@jjss49 

"why are so many people unhappy with their honda civics??? "

You are always the sense of reason :) 

 RE: PS Audio  "in the one case i asked for some support and some small items, they were very responsive and generous " 

My experience was equally positive. Perhaps even better - I purchased a used Perfect Wave DAC a few years back and customer service spent 15-20  minutes or so helping my through some of the set-up and configuration with JRiver software.

. 

I too want to chime in on the negative comments about the service by PS Audio.  I find them great at CS and have never had an issue.  They take care of their customers but  there will always be people who are unhappy with them.  I run a clothing store and while we bend over backwards to make our customers happy,  there are times when we cannot do what they want (like replacing a five year old pair of shoes for example).

This does not reflect any of my experiences with PS Audio or their equipment, and feel compelled to share the other side of the coin

I've had at least 2 pieces of PS Audio equipment in my system(s) since 1992 and have only experienced one failure that was repaired and returned in two weeks

Today my stack includes PS Audio amp, preamp, DAC, phono pre and power regenerator

While not quite a PS Audio bigot, I am a bit of a PS Audio evangelist 

My system far exceeds anything I could've done on my own and much of the results are based on the coaching and investment protection upgrade plans PS Audio offers to their customers

I have found them to be fair, engaging, available, honest, a company with great integrity with customer service in mind and easy to work with

More than anything my PS Audio experiences reflect SQ and price performance results

Our hobby is big on different strokes for different folks

To at least one they're the worst company in the industry and for me they're on my hifi Mount Rushmore - go figure

To characterize them as the worst company in the industry sounds emotional and snarky, with intent to unfairly soil their reputation and position in the market

Enjoy the journey

I get the impression that support for older products is a rarity amongst all businesses not just in HiFi. The one exception that stands out in my mind is Naim Audio who still service their oldest equipment going back 50 years. Only when components become unobtainable, CD Mechanisms for example, are they unable to keep their old gear running. 

I purchased a used out of warranty BHK preamp.  After a few months, the left channel went out.  I shipped it to PS Audio.  They replaced a fault board and put in new stock tubes at no cost and paid for the return shipping.  Their customer support is first rate.

I also have their DSD DAC, BHK 250 power amp, and Stellar phone pre.  I’m quite happy with my purchases.  

I started my audio journey with PS Audio and Stellar and still using the DAC. Remote failed just after warranty and Scott sent me another no charge.

It's obvious people are not happy with the brand. Would you dump your girlfriend if you still like her? Most of the items I sell because I found better replacements.

High end audio is the only business where the customer thinks the company should repair the item no matter how old.  If you got multiple years out of something it's a done deal. 

ps audio has had a long standing policy of taking in used gear at good values when customers buy new ps audio gear (sold at high retail margins of course, so it benefits them to do this) ... as such they need a respectable well run outlet to then remarket the large number of pieces of taken-in-on-trade used gear -- this is where tmr comes in, they serve this critical function for ps audio...

tmr has a very good company ethos, as does ps audio... they are responsive, you deal with real people, they try to please you, within bounds of reasonableness -- their closeness can be felt in a shared ’dna’ and style, if you will, very positive and similar

i have had (and currently own) several substantual pieces of ps audio gear, have not had any issues... in the one case i asked for some support and some small items, they were very responsive and generous

PS audio and TMR are in the same town. I have always assume they have a working relationship. If not a closer connection.

Pre-Covid I bought one of their power conditioners and it degraded the sound quality to me. I called them and PS Audio customer service handled it perfectly and even sent me a return label. I haven’t bought anything since, but do eyeball the BHK’s from time to time and would feel comfortable buying from them again.

To Po5129

You said it yourself - you have never had to send a piece of equipment in for a repair.

It's easy to talk with customers on the phone.  Good to hear they answered your questions.  try to get one of your products repaired and you will join the large number of former PS Audio owners who will not buy again.

why are there soooo many honda civics for sale?  several appear each day on my local craigslist used auto section

why are so many people unhappy with their honda civics??? 

"Tmr in Colorado as is ps audio."

@mickeyb  What are you trying to say here? 

I have recently accessed PS Audio support and service.  I found them nothing but EXTRA nice, willing to be generous with their time, and incredibly fair in pricing and turn around time.  BH

Tmr in Colorado as is ps audio. I’m guessing that’s why so many of their products end up on the site. 

Many PS audio items show up on TMR’s used website almost daily. At first I had thought that it seemed a lot of people dump that gear. Thinking about it though, with the PSa trade up program, they probably get a ton of gear, and don’t have the time to bother listing and selling it, so they contract with someone like TMR to liquidate the trade ins.

A bunch of BS! I own all of the latest ps audio products and have had some of their earlier versions and if I needed support, they were there. No equipment issue, so didn’t have to send anything in.

I just did some searching on Google and in the audio got forums and I see nothing but praise for ps audio support. On page 7 or 8 doing a search on audiogon forums for psa support, ps audio did specify to an eBay buyer there would be no support for something they bought that didn’t have a valid serial number, which is great to hear.

so for the above poster above stating they are the worst company in the industry, this is pure BS!!!! And should be removed from this site with no valid evidence.

‘I would buy another piece of audio gear from ps audio in a heartbeat with no reservations

Wow! I'm here most days, but somehow that info got by me. Good to know. I will avoid them in the future.

PS Audio has good equipment that people are generally happy with.  HOWEVER, they have a pitiful reputation for service - among the worst in the industry.  Once your item is out of warranty, they will almost always tell an owner that needs a repair or service - that they can no longer support the product due to some parts issue.  The Audiogon Forum is filled with users who have all received the same story.

I just recently threw away a power regenerator because they would not service it and it was no longer working.   STAY AWAY.   You've been warned !

Check the stream of discussion on the thread about upgrading a 15 year old system.  One of the contributors to that thread said this ... I am quoting !

The PSAudio experience is not unique.  I had the same problem with them with a Phono Pre Amp and these Forums are filled with similar stories about their lack of support for various components.

Here's another good one in response to my question about PS Audio...

re PS Audio.  Their issues started well before the pandemic.  Their attitude is: Thanks for buying our stuff, it shows that you are a discerning consumer.  It broke?  Sorry man, we are a small company, and it is your responsibility as an audiophile to keep us going, so here is the replacement which costs 3x what you originally paid and might last half as long. 

THE WORST COMPANY IN THE INDUSTRY

They have a very generous trade in policy. Also as above mentioned they sell a lot of gear. I think at their price point they make very good stuff.

I missed out on a pair of BHK 300’s.  They went fast!

If there are a lot of pieces in circulation (as there are), there will be a lot of pieces for resale. Simple as that.