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has anyone ever bought a used phono cart off audiogon or ebay. how did it work-out?
Follow Ups:
...used MCs off of Audiogon and both deals worked out well. The cartridges (Monster Alpha One and Linn Klyde) were purchased at different times from different sellers and were as advertised or better as far as condition and operation.
First rule of buying a used cartridge-add 100 hours to whatever the seller claims it has on it. I got burned badly on a used Koetsu Urishi Blue which had a bent cantilever. Bought from A'gon, and the seller underestimated the hours on it by, like, 1,000. Posted my story about it several months ago on the asylum-don't think I would do it again.
Bill
I want to die like my grandfather-peacefully in his sleep, not like his passengers, crying and screaming!!
With the exception of the Goldring that came with my MMF-5 and a Denon DL-103, all of my cartridges have been used.
That has included:
Dynavector 20XL (two), 20xH, Karat 17D2 (arrived in good order but destroyed by friend, doh!)
Grado Platinum
Koetsu Rosewood Signature (playing now as I type this).
Unless a deal was terrific (i.e. I recently purchased a Zu 103 new for less then the used were going for--that doesn't count though as I resold it new w/o ever mounting it) I PREFER to buy used. Yes there is more risk of dishonest sellers, but you can often get a feeling of the persons integrity from a conversation or two and use your best judgment.
One thing I might add, try and buy from origional owners. Just because you find a trustworthy seller who tells you they put 100 hours on it, doesn't mean the person before them was honest about only putting 250 on...
...just choose the sellers carefully. Trustworthy feedback is important.
and the issue was with my local post office (which lost an AT-14SA I bought last year).
But...I avoid cartridges with fixed styli (I'm an MM guy anyway, this is no problem), and I assume that any cart I buy that has a stylus probably needs a new stylus.
___
From the Industrial Hub of the Mid-Mon Valley!
one was in a lot of three identical carts, and the seller identified the problem before sending to me and refunded 1/3 of the money in the package, and gave me the problem cart anyway.
the other was simply an issue of condition - it was advertised as being in fine working condition and the dampers were effectively gone. That one cost me, but I have saved so much money on buying carts used that I view this as one bad apple out of dozens.
My personal view is that there are a huge number of carts out there - far more than people who play analog. And as much as we profess to play analog, lots of carts don't get much use. What I find most important is that the cart has not been stored in an overly humid or overly dry area for a long time (because for some reason, some older carts' damper material seems to weaken in overly humid or overly dry conditions, and they have to be VTFed at lower-than-original specs.
I've had really good luck buying used cartridges both on Ebay and on Audiogon. Only the one time did I have a problem and that was an Ebay purchase.I've sold a number of carts on Ebay and Agon as well and I've never had any complaints from anyone buying those from me as well.
Have at it, I say.
Edits: 09/29/09
Tom
I believe that Audiogon carries a higher risk than Ebay but this is only my personal experience.
I have sold a few items on Audiogon and all buyers were less than willing to cover the shipping costs, I found lot's of crying and whining, especially from buyers across the Atlantic.
The days of $50 UPS are gone. Shipping a small item like a Cartridge could be a full $100 to Italy or France. The shipping costs are sometimes a deal breaker.
Just 3 weeks ago, I lost my first $91 on a bogus Audiogon dutch auction.
Anyhow, we also may get struck by lightning so the odds are the odds.
My advice is not to spend more than $200 on any used cartridge unless you have spoken to the seller.
A good feedback history may not prove advantageous if the seller's auction looks too good to be true.
One give away on a Dutch auction is not having a full clear photo of the FULL LOT of items.
A single fuzzy photograph may set of an alarm, in my case it unfortunately did not and proved to be a bogus seller.
On the flip side, a phono cartridge is one of those easy to damage devices that depend on how it was used or abused.
If spending for a killer upscale Phono cartridge, lot's of homework and communiation with the seller will almost save you from fraud or disappointment.
There are many a homeless Koetsu or Benz just waiting to be adopted.
In the world of Hi-End Vinyl, the complexities that surround the mounting, calibration and use sometimes work towards the used market.
Often, perfectly good kilobuck Phono Cartridges are blamed when the solution was possible with a few more tweaks and adjustments.
Also, some analog systems may suffer from hum that could come from something other than the cartridge itself, and could be due to a faulty
phono cable, cold solder or simply an aged conductor that has oxidized inside of the insulator causing sonic degradation and noise.
And the only horror story is a Dynavector MR23 that was supposedly low hour, works great arrived with no stylus and of course the seller claimed I broke it and refused to refund. Otherwise the other 20 or so I bought were as described.
Dave
I first bought a rebuilt Koetsu Rosewood Signature off a guy on Ebay.
List price was $3,500, and I got it for $1,200.
The cartridge was in perfect condition, and it sounded great and lasted me well over a year before I upgraded to another used cartridge, that I bought off a guy on Audiogon, a Shelter 90X, again for about $1,200. It lasted me about two years, before I bought another used cartridge, and my current cartridge, a Dynavector XV-1S, from a friend.
(Note: Both the Koetsu and Shelter were sold for approximately $1,000 on Audiogon a year or so ago, and both new owners emailed me back to say they were still in great shape and sounded fantastic.)
My advice is to only buy from people who have really good feedback, and if you can, only buy from people on Audiogon. And if you can, call them on the telephone to speak with them and get a feel for their system, as, in general, the better the system, the better they take care of their equipment. (I felt I took a real chance on the Ebay purchase, and was pretty nervous until I mounted the cartridge.) And if possible, buy from a local seller, as that way you can avoid shipping, and perhaps the seller can bring it to your place and help you mount it. That way if there is a problem, he will be there to know that you did not cause the problem.
Good Luck!
I request the seller to have it inspected and e-mail me the report (at my expense). Obviously, not all (or many) sellers will do this. But, there are a lot of sellers out there. Just takes a bit more patience. You also will miss out on the "hot" Audiogon deals.
I guess I am very risk averse.
********************************
"Some velvet morning when I'm straight..."
I will not spend more than a few bucks on a used cartridge. Too much of a risk IMO.
I have acquired many (usually attached to turntables) for dirt cheap at yard sales and thrift shops. Half the time the stylus is missing or the cantilever is bent. But hey, can't complain at the price.
Some of my better finds:
Ortofon OM-30 & Kenwood KD-3070 - ten bucks
Audio Technica AT12S & Marantz 6100 - free
I've been running the AT12S on my Technics SL-1200 for the past couple months and it's an excellent performer. Likewise for the OM-30, also a great cartridge.
i bought a clearaudio that was stated to have had about 10 breakin hours. the cartridge was exactly as described and has been making beautiful music ever since.
tom
I have had mostly good luck, I have bought probably 12-15 used over the last few years that were all in excellent shape. Unfortunately, I just bought a used Denon 103S(the one with the shibata stylus) that had been retipped with some oversized conical stylus with a thick cantilever, the Ebay seller would not return my requests for a partial refund. It happens, but it won't deter me from buying used again.
Tom
Portland, Oregon
I've never bought anything expensive, but have bought a handful of classic, vintage carts in the $30 range that I was curious about. It depends on having compatible equipment, but if you can make it work I highly recommend this; it's a great educational experience. Even if it's 40 years old you can get an idea of what people were hearing back then. And it can be pretty damn good.
Jim
Buying a $550 cartridge for $300 on Audiogon was one of my best moves. Sometimes, you can just tell that a deal will go well and other times that it may not. It is good to be aware of that. Usually, it is all in the communication. I even got the original receipt, something totally unexpected!
...off Audiogon and it has always worked out fine. But, that's not to say it always would. I am careful who I buy from and always call the seller ...you can tell a lot with a phone call.
reelsmith's axiom: Its going to be used equipment when I sell it, so it may as well be used equipment when I buy it.
Edits: 09/29/09
I would hesitate to buy one off eBay where the sellers are totally anonymous to me. I have bought two used LOMC cartridges off Audiogon from persons with whom I had previously communicated and who I felt good about. It worked out great both times. Saved a bundle of money.
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