Stupid Money

DaveHo · February 21

I scan my local adds on a regular basis. People are free to ask any dollar amount, but the trend seems to be stupid money. Are people really paying the asking price? Case in point. Monitor 10s, SL 2000's, not even remotely close to mint, $400. No upgrades. Hell no!

Kex · February 21

There’s probably a type of seller, and buyer, who think that prices have to be negotiated. The seller thinks he’ll never get asking, even if it’s reasonable. The buyer thinks he’s been robbed, unless he gets at least a 10-20% discount on the asking price.

I nearly always prefer to just give stuff away because I just don’t like buyers who expect a discount on an honest price. I don’t like haggling, so I don’t ever do it.

When I do state my price on something, it’s nearly always an absolute bargain. If you don’t like the price, get lost. You don’t deserve the product anyway.

DaveHo · February 21

See that's my hang up. I don't like to beat around the bush. I ask a fair price to get the deal done. I'm not looking for maximum profit. Just pass along gear I'm not utilizing.

Kex · February 21

I’ve also been on the other side of this argument.

When buying something, especially a car, I’ll tell the seller (usually a dealer) what I think the car is worth. If he argues, I’ll tell him that my stated price is what it is worth to me and what I am willing to pay. If he can sell it to somebody else for more, he should do so, with my blessing, but I won’t give him more than what I think is a fair price, even if I am wrong in my assessment. It’s my assessment, therefore I think it is not wrong.

When a seller calls me up and tries to pressure me with statements like “I can only guarantee this price today, I can’t guarantee it tomorrow”, my answer is always the same: if you can sell it for more tomorrow, you should do so. I don’t expect you to lose money because I won’t give you that price today.

bcwsrt · February 21

Why I like to buy here. No BS.

18 mos ago, I thought $550 on FB Marketplace for my mint AF RTA 15TLs with no upgrades was beyond fair, but no one else did. Guess they thought that was "stupid money." But ... at the $400, or lower, offers I was getting (most FB Marketplace "buyers" start at 50% off, jacka__es!), they were literally moments away from being firewood, or landfill, either of which would've brought me greater joy than selling them at what I believed was a ridiculously low price. Thanks to @charley96 and @pitdogg2, the rest is history.

Generally, people's ideas of what is mint, or isn't, is so far away from mine, it's not even funny. Also, generally, I find that people's ideas of the same, here, are much, much closer to mine, thus my first statement.

VR3 · February 21

in general audiophiles are more affluent, cleaner, more organized people - at least in my experience. IE: Folks actively participating in forums and swapping gear around, etc.

There are exceptions to every rule though of course!

audioluvr · February 21

Try looking for an inexpensive car or truck. Like people really are drinking the bong water.

heiney9 · February 21

Have you seen some of the asking prices for audio tubes on Ebay lately??? Holy Christ it's insane. I am guessing they aren't selling at those ridiculous prices since I see them on there everyday for months.

$900 for a pair of Mullard ECC83's, used with crappy pics, no verification they are what they say they are....etc.

H9

VR3 · February 21

Ebay to me is an interesting beast.

I purposely list thing so there 20 to 30% higher and sometimes at down right ridiculous prices in the hopes to NOT sell it there.

I want someone to try to find me on USAM or another place...

Ebay fees are absolutely out of control.

pitdogg2 · February 22

Ebay fees are absolutely out of control.

Absolutely!

heiney9 · February 22

I can't remember the last time I sold something on Ebay. My last 4 or 5 audio purchases have been on USAM or Audiogon. Quite a few purchases from Audio Advisor and a couple purchases here in the FM.

I have recently bought some tubes off Ebay, they were pretty good deals and I was just filling some holes. The tax thing surprised me though. It's been that long since I bought on Ebay, before they added tax to all sales.

H9

mhardy6647 · February 22

VR3 wrote: »

in general audiophiles are more affluent, cleaner, more organized people - at least in my experience. IE: Folks actively participating in forums and swapping gear around, etc.

There are exceptions to every rule though of course!

[emphases added]
Guilty as charged.

pitdogg2 · February 22

heiney9 wrote: »

I can't remember the last time I sold something on Ebay. My last 4 or 5 audio purchases have been on USAM or Audiogon. Quite a few purchases from Audio Advisor and a couple purchases here in the FM.

I have recently bought some tubes off Ebay, they were pretty good deals and I was just filling some holes. The tax thing surprised me though. It's been that long since I bought on Ebay, before they added tax to all sales.

H9

Do tell, what did you buy, what did I miss...😬😉

Upstatemax · February 22

Kex wrote: »

There’s probably a type of seller, and buyer, who think that prices have to be negotiated. The seller thinks he’ll never get asking, even if it’s reasonable. The buyer thinks he’s been robbed, unless he gets at least a 10-20% discount on the asking price.

I nearly always prefer to just give stuff away because I just don’t like buyers who expect a discount on an honest price. I don’t like haggling, so I don’t ever do it.

When I do state my price on something, it’s nearly always an absolute bargain. If you don’t like the price, get lost. You don’t deserve the product anyway.

This is why I usually just give stuff away to friends or family at this point.

I hate when people try to lowball and haggle below market prices.

last set of speakers I sold, a guy came to buy them after we already agreed on a price, he tried to offer less when he was there to pick them up.

I looked him dead in the eyes and informed him I would rather go grab one of my axes and chop them into firewood for that price.

He dropped the act really quick and took out the agreed upon cash payment.

heiney9 · February 22

pitdogg2 wrote: »

heiney9 wrote: »

I can't remember the last time I sold something on Ebay. My last 4 or 5 audio purchases have been on USAM or Audiogon. Quite a few purchases from Audio Advisor and a couple purchases here in the FM.

I have recently bought some tubes off Ebay, they were pretty good deals and I was just filling some holes. The tax thing surprised me though. It's been that long since I bought on Ebay, before they added tax to all sales.

H9

Do tell, what did you buy, what did I miss...😬😉

I bought a Keces P8 dual linear power supply w/Orange brand fuses for a good deal.

https://power-holdings-inc.com/Keces-P8-8-Amp-Dual-Output-Ultra-Low-Noise-Linear-Power-Supply-p290853204

Upgraded Eastern Electric Mini Max DAC Supreme - W/DEXA discrete op amps and Mundorf caps

Uptone Audio - EtherReGen for the main rig

Uptone Audio - ISO ReGen for the office rig

Keces DC-116 dual 3A linear power supply

(3) iFi I Power X power supplies. (1) each run my router and modem I have a spare for the future....lol

1962 Quad Raytheon BP, Sq getter12AU7 organ pulls
1963 (PR) Raytheon BP 5751 Sq getter (already had a pair and didn't know it)
Couple other 5814 pairs to make quads with stuff I already have.
Quad- 1954 GE 5751 (5 star) BP 5751. The 5 stars are harder to find and they do sound a bit sweeter and more open than the standard GE BP 5751.

Looking at a 10MHz clock (thanks @Trietz and @Darqueknight)
Looking at Puritan Audio Labs power conditioner/purifier/non-sacrificial surge suppressor.

H9

P.S. and of course the Pass Labs XA25.

pitdogg2 · February 22

Nice Raytheon's! There have been some real nice tubes in the past year on ebay. I've gotten several nice Raytheon's mid 50's BP and some real nice windmill getters. I've also bought some RFT gems, god those are liquid sugar to my ears...

heiney9 · February 22

I should pick up some early RFT's.

Once can still find some good stuff at a reasonable price, but I feel I have to work a lot harder to find them. People suck at taking and or providing good photo's.

I don't really believe the text, show me the tube. I can tell by the construction, etc. Many times I have to ask 1000 questions and many times the sellers don't bother responding or don't know anything about the tube.

One tube still eluding me is the very early CBS BP tall arm D or Square getter 12AX7. CBS only made their own tubes for a very short time in early 50's. I have a strong single looking for a mate. I've seen some that say they are CBS, but they aren't despite the screen print on the tube.

H9

pitdogg2 · February 22

Original CBS tubes were Hytron as CBS bought Hytron. Then they said CBS/Hytron for a short period.

heiney9 · February 23

Then they were mostly produced by GE, IIRC

H9

dromunds · February 24

If I remember correctly, CBS made their own tubes until maybe even ‘55 when they were GE made

pitdogg2 · February 24

dromunds wrote: »

If I remember correctly, CBS made their own tubes until maybe even ‘55 when they were GE made

That's about right. It was about the same time GE bought the Ked-Rad tube plant in Owensboro Kentucky.

DaveHo · February 25

This might possibly be my first hijacked thread,! Carry on!

boston1450 · February 25

I dont know. There are good deals to be had. Yesterday I saw this as it was just posted. I called my brother & said go get this (his sub just died) he went today. It was new in open box. The older gentleman said he only hooked up speakers to his receiver & never used it & opened box to take picture. My brother is happy.

pitdogg2 · February 25

Damn what a deal! Your brother is one lucky guy Randy!

boston1450 · February 25

It was good timing. Glad he got a clean unit at killer price

Kex · February 26

There was a “deal” here on the Polk forum once, as I recall.

Some dude in New York City had a brand new pair of LSi9 that he didn’t like, and wanted to give them away for free.

Half of the respondents told him he was obviously a scammer.

The other half tried to convince him that he just needed proper amplification and to give them time to break in properly.

He wasn’t interested in troubleshooting (or the accusations of scamming). He had already bought a replacement at a much higher cost, and just wanted this gone from his Manhattan apartment where they were taking up space.

I don’t recall the name of the lucky forum member who actually went and picked up those speakers, but they did, and confirmed that it was totally legitimate.

mrbigbluelight · February 26

DaveHo wrote: »

This might possibly be my first hijacked thread,! Carry on!

Well Dave I'll do my best to carry out your wishes
👍🤗

Stupid Money

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