Why pay "more" for USED??

I watched this auction also. Macm, bid history is suspicious, but I can vouch for the sellers. They are first class and would not try to manipulate the process; check their eBay feedback. I bought a pair of B&W CDM-NTs from them last August and later bid on a pair of N804s that got too expensive for me. I traded multiple e-mails and a couple of phone calls with them and found them to be professional and sincere. I suspect that we are simply dealing with an uninformed or trouble-making bidder (ZERO feedback). This guy will probably run away from this deal. I expect to see item re-listed shortly because the deal fell apart. I do find the second place bid a little curious though. This bidder has some auction experience and still tried to overpay.

I have to agree with Macm that something doesn't smell right. However, I really don't believe the seller's were trying to cheat since they included and honest and very detailed discription of the speakers. I thought it might be shield bidding. That's when one person bids a low amount and his "buddy" bids a ridiculously high amount to ward off other bidders. At the last minute the high bidder cancels his bid and the low-ball bidder wins. But if you look at the history it didn't work that way. Who knows...

Look a little deeper. There is another auction on eBay for a pair if 802'2, a pair of 805's, and a HTM1 all NIB for $8k no reserve. It is hard to understand how one would pay so high for damaged speakers when so much more is available in another auction. I agree with Macm - it looks like shill bidding to me.
I watch eBay quite frequently, looking for a "steal", and often notice items going for well above market for new. I even saw an email from a retailer who sells on eBay to a bidder that bid above what the retailer sells the item for new (smart marketing). I have found that, for midfi consumer electronics, you can go to www.pricescan.com and find what the item is selling for new on the net.
Cheers.

It seems to me thatthe "Buy it Now" feature on eBay is agreat addittion. If something has a fair (or even cheap) Buy it Now price, and it is what you want, just get it, don't screw with the auction. Of course, you may not be able to get a real "steal" but it seems thise things are pretty rare anyway.

Some guy was just recently selling a pair of Nautilus 803s on eBay that he claims he paid something like $6600 for new. His "buy it now" price was the $5000 new list price. It was not a dealer, just a dishonest person.