I remember not so long ago when these things were the hot ticket item, touted by all the reviewers as the next-big-thing, giant-killer, blah blah blah. Once again, all of the hype proves to be just that, and now I count literally hundreds of them for sale. So what's the deal? Nobody likes amplifiers anymore? Moving onto some other world beater of a component, I suppose? Go on, tell me it's just because so many of them were sold, hence the vast sea of available product on the used marketplace. I don't buy it. Just like everything else, they've come and gone. Their fifteen minutes of fame are now over. CD players, too. Have you seen how many of those are up for sale? Tossed into the classifieds like a weathered mistress. I knew it was coming, and that's why I've been sticking to singing in the shower. None of this fly-by-night hobby plunging for me. I'm much too smart to get caught up in that.
And by the way, am I still in business? I've been e-mailing myself all week, and get no response.
I agree with you completely. Contentment is found within, not from what I can possess from materail possesions. Right now I listening to a Sony receiver made in the 80's that I bought at a yard sale. I might later go high end agian. But the relacation bug is slowing me down. But I doubt I will ever make it back to my +$15,000 system I once owned.
I do enjoy audiogon however and the loads of knowledge here. And I am a techy tye person and I am delveloping the hobby fo upgrading lower end equipemnt just for the joy of working with my hands.
Kt_88, try being thankful for what you have. That frame of mind goes a long way in ending an unsatiable desire for more and more, IMHO. As Americans, we have so much in the way of material stuff. But as you note we still aren't satisified. I don't understand why people can't figure out this is not the way to happiness. Give some people in South America a soccer ball and they're probably happier than your average American with a new Lex.
well it's like larry510 said we're all trying to find that audio nirvana sound will we ever find it i don't know but that's why we're on audiogon trying to find that ultimate amp that can take us to next level.
i went through three diffferent home theater receivers, cd players speakers and all the way up to bryston sp-1.7 and a 4b-sst looking for that ultimate sound, also through ton's of cash in the process.
that's why there's so many amps out there. this hobby is just another addication so enjoy the high. (L.O.L.)
I'm not sure what the American way is??? Is it Enron? Is is some crazy running over kids in a McD's parking lot? Is is friends I know that sacrificed their time and money to go help people in the Gulf Coast after the hurricane? Is there an American way any more? Well anyway, back to the thread.....
Yeah why are there so many amps for sale? Kept me awake all night thinking about it.
Mrtennis you are correct as that is one aspect of many that can result in selling. The others may be economic, just trying to better what you have or just plain curiosity.
KT_88, yes we are at times a bunch of overindulging capitalists where more is always better than less. Isn't that the American way?
If you don't mind, and I'm definitely wading in here.....
I have a few ideas here ( not necessarily bright ones )
1. Amps are like anything else for sale. People are always buying and selling. To ask " why are there so many amps for sale? " Is somewhat like asking " why are there so many cars for sale? " Don't you think?
2. People make mistakes and buy an amp that is not what they though they it would be. So they sell it, usually for less than they pay it. This to is a mystery to me. Sellers ( in general ) Think they should get close to new asking price. But the buyers on the other hand think, they should only pay 30 cents on the dollar. If you list a well known amp for 75 or 60 cents on the dollar of list, it ain't moving on agon! But if you list that same amp for 50 to 40 cents on the dollar, people are wetting their pants and hoping the thing is still for sale when they send you a e-mail.
3. We never seem to be satisfied. It never is enough! That seems to be the way Americans are. That is why there is such a thing as a pair of $1000, $20,000 or even a pair of $200,000 amps in the first place. This one really puzzles me. As a person that has been to countries where people will eat bugs for lunch an feel satisfied. We Americans seem to think that there is little that will to satisfy us. We have unsatisfiable desire to have more than we really need. Have we lost the meaning of contentment?
TVAD, I thought it was an a foot & ankle thread, boy was I wrong. I'm just fooling with you. A few serious posts can stimulate a few more less serious answers and you & I just proved it.
Jayctoy, as we approach summer, sales do slow down. Audiogon's bread & butter is through sales and advertising. The forums are a by-product as well as a courtesy to its members. Without sales the forums may not exist at all since they generate no income but they do stimulate alot of interest & possible purchases. But more than that they keep members connected.
Garyk, its undeniable, trying new gear is fun & exciting. I don't even keep the same car for more than two years as its traded in on something newer but different. But for those that hang onto the same gear for any length of time, more power to you.
buying any component runs the risk of being disappointed with it. the conditions for engendering confidence that one will be satisfied with the sound of a component before a purchase are not usually present.
hence, one takes a chance and the result is components for sale.
Phd, I agree.I have 2 amps for sale.I am selling them because I have 4 amps total.Instead of keeping them in my house, I would rather sell them, so I can get cash, to buy more music and maybe other gear.And for others to enjoy them.
Yeah, makes no sense all the amps for sale. If they are such a good deal, they would sell in a day or 2, and so you would have half the # of amps listed at any one time. Even when I get a second amp, my JOR will not be given away at $1300, its worth its weight in gold and will stay in my family of close friends, as a gift maybe.
Another prospective, I buy to try. I think many people are just curious about the differences in amplifiers, all amplifiers are not created equal. Change a preamp & you could find yourself looking for a new power amp for synergy, doen't mean the one your selling is not worthy. Audiogon has made it easy to try different amps thus the reason so much gear is listed & is coming and going.
So the general consensus is " the flavor of the month " . Tell us, oh great Boa2, what is the " querry of the month " for January ? What is that guy , in the white coat, doing with a butterfly net ?
It's just all part of this hobby. I've probably at least 100 amplifiers of various types and sizes in the 30 plus years I've been an audiophile. A year or so ago I decided to simplify things so now all I look at is integrated amps and they must have a remote volume; really narrows things down. Who knows; maybe someday I'll decide to go back to separates again and you'll see my integrated amps up for sale on Audiogon.
On a related note, there sure a lot of Day Sequerra Model 1 Tuners for sale on Audiogon and ebay as of late. It may be that they want to sell them so they can buy the new models - the top of the line one is $7500.....
Naw, I'm one of those guys you see walking down the street listening to my tunes through my cell phone while my shadow is going through all kinds of modern dance gyrations cuz' in my dreams I can dance like that, too!
Have you tried sending in a ferret after Mingus? That won't be mis-tracking dad will be hearing!
Dan_ed, so you must be the guy I see walking by with the PC on his shoulder, pressed up to your ear? A boombox for the new millenium, I presume?
My father has taken great interest in this thread, and wanted me to share his latest innovation. It still requires the use of one amp, but he's got the entire house now wired (or strung, as it were) for sound. You see, during the remodel, he had the electricians run a 16ga string equivalent throughout the house, and into five separate rooms, thus allowing him to place four of his amplifiers up for sale right here on the 'Gon. A prize to anyone who can pick them out of the classifieds.
Given the complexity of the network, he opted to use a bucket at the home base amp in lieu of the more customary cup. But now, whenever he wants music, he can pick up the cup hanging on the wall in any of the five rooms, hold it to his ear, and take in the tunes. In addition, he can simultaneously use the cellphone on the other ear for a sort of Cecil Taylor-ish stereo effect. He did say that the cats must be sequestered during the string--he used Litz, by the way--installation process, or they will invariably become permanent wall-dwellers. Unfortunately, Mingus the Persian now must be fed through the light socket in the guest bedroom, poor little guy.
You guys are sooooo '90's! I've got all my sources connected to my pc. Then I have the pc call my cell phone to hear the playback. Yeah, it sound like shit but it is waaaayyyyy cool!
TUBES, that's where most everyone I know is headed- I can not for the life of me figure this out. I have some really good tube gear on hand, and really good SS gear beats it's ass IMHO in all but the midrange. Yes tubes sound good, at LOWER volume levels, but really good SS gear, cant match that tube midrange, however, REALLY, turn it up and tubes loose to their ss counterparts- why again is this I ask?
I enjoy tubes AND ss gear, the challenge for me is not in what is more costly, or popular, but what SOUNDS best in MY home in MY room to ME- I wait and let those with more pocket change then myself get tired of really good gear and then I snap it up when I can.
Truth be told, tubes have a midrange/trebble advantage that SS can not equal- dollar for dollar, but SS has a bass section and ease that tubes couldnt hope to resolve. SO, that said why doesnt some one like B&K or the like create a BI Ampable pre, that is tubes- say from 100Hz and up, and SS 100Hz and down.
the thriving Audiogon market for used components. I am not, generally speaking, inclined to buy and sell regularly. I tend to build a system, then enjoy it for years. Recently, though, I built a smaller system to use in my small NY apartment, and found myself buying and selling SS integrated amps several times before finding what I wanted. The only reason that I was able to do so, of course, was because I lost very little money while buying and selling the various popular models.
If you're interested, the recent evolution went like this:
Bryston B60 Accuphase E-212 SimAudio Moon I-5 Bel Canto eVo2i Jeff Rowland Design Group Concentra I
I am very happy to report that, having recently acquired the Rowland Concentra, I will definitely not be buying or selling for the foreseeable future! I'll write more about my experience sometime soon, but frankly, I am astonished at how far superior (in the context of my system) the JRDG Concentra is to the other above-mentioned amps (all of which were solid performers).
Just keep selling them as I now have a collection in my basement that totals over 1000 amps. I really like the tube amps as they keep the house warm now that natural gas is so expensive. The real problem was the power cords though, they cost me more than the amps did.
I'm so ashamed, Marco. Yes, we have a deal. I'll even throw in Stan for good measure. His distortion specs aren't so favorable, but his bottom end is really tight. There I go, trading amps again.
I'm singin' in the rain...just singin' in the rain...
You've heard of hooking up an attenuator and going straight to the amp...well now folks are mainlining the source straight into their coffee making machines! Some fool gave them the idea when he tried premium power cords on his machine, and now he's not getting any of the profits. Someone right here on Audiogon as I recall! The new system sends the analog signal through an attenuator straight to your morning cup-a-joe and you get a double dose of Eva Cassidy that'll keep you going for hours on end. That's right, they're drinking their music...talk about a liquid sound! I hear Alex is already working up some mods for various machines. Get with the program Howard...or were you just scamming to get rid of those doorstops you got pushing those useless speakers. Tell you what, I'll take the whole rig off your hands for what you'd pay to drop the useless heap off at the dump. Deal?
I am to blame for many as I try one after the other. Ha! I think I have found the answer. We all like change as our ears become bored or used to a particular sound. Often times we think another amp sounds better, but in fact it simply sounds different. This is particularly true of two great sounding amps.
So I now own two great amps. One tube and one SS. I use one for several weeks and then use the other. I enjoy both and the sound change is fresh to me and my ears. Each time I switch I sear the amp hooked up is better. Funny how that works. Seems to keep me excited and off the amp buying cycle.
When you go to amplifiers there are usually 1,000 or more for sale---If you were shopping for an amp; you would prefer a much smaller number??? I guess fewer choices would be better,huh? I have 4 amps to sell but don't know which one to sell; now if I only had one to sell--- Just out of curiosity,does changing the faceplate help 'that' much??--Can I try,before I buy?
Because: 1. They can 2. There really is not much difference and they're trying the next latest fashion - yesterday it was Chinese amps, today it's digital amps, tomorrow it's ... 3. They are actually making money on it! The audiophile stereo business has such a massive markup - You can buy a brand new amp (with warranty etc etc) from a dealer who cuts you a good deal, use it for 6-9 months and turn around and sell it for more than what they paid for it. 4. They need the money 5. They don't need the extra system after all (and their "significant other" is ready to kill them for spending thousands of dollars for something they can get at Circuit City for a hundred bucks).
The trick here is to sell your stuff before it goes out of "style" and then buy it back a year later for a fraction of what you sold it for;-)
Albert, Looks to me like you're more vying for an audio version of "Face Off". You have the Travolta VTL face plates, and you are in need of the Nicholas Cage. But can your amps drive a speedboat? I'm willing to bet they can.
Because I have my amplifiers for sale and the goal is to put them on Audiogon when the largest number of amps are listed and I need cash for Christmas.
I am also noticing a lot lately many gears are up for sales and just make me wonder what everyone is upgrading to. I can only think that many audiophiles are dealers or salesmen - they get deep discount - upto 75% off retail. Therefore they have to rotate the gears for the following reasons: 1) To avoid further depreciation 2) To make $ and apply some of the money toward the newer and diferent gears and a chance to get familiar with the new and different products and eventually all his equipment are paid for.
Think about it, who can afford a $20K amp and turnaround dump it for $12K? Make sense?
My opinion is that people get bored after a while with their current equipment and want a change,so they sell and move on to something else,not necessarily better but certainly different.All of us get bored with our gear but some of us faster than others,I tend to buy something I like and try to keep it for a while. George
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