How is U.S. Audio Mart for used equipment? any other good sites I should search?

I have bought most of my vintage stereo gear on this forum and have had great results but have recently expanded my search to other sites to look for stuff that does not come up for sale too often (I have upgraditis) on this forum. One site, other than audiogon, which I see come up a lot is U.S. Audio Mart. I am not familiar with this site. Does anyone have experience with buying stuff on there? Can I buy with confidence on sites like audiogon and U.S. Audio Mart? What should I watch out for (I know to pay via pay pal and have items insured, etc; anything else to be aware of?)? Any other sites I should be looking at? Thanks.
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Comments

  • displayname
    displayname Posts: 1,126
    Anything that's going to be peer to peer selling has some risks. Just like paypal. Audiogon and US Audio Mart are of equal quality in my mind. I do like that they flag who is a dealer on both of those sites. Also if you find a dealer you like (even outside of your area) many of them will have used sections on their sites, or links to their accounts on Audiogon/Audio Mart. You can message sellers on both sites, which I think is important as you get into higher dollar stuff.

    Below I linked a few other sites that I have not personally used, but I have talked to several people who speak highly of them.
    https://echohifi.com/
    https://tmraudio.com/ - this site seems to be where all of PS Audio's trade-in gear ends up.
    Analog: MoFi MasterTracker > MoFi UltraDeck > Sutherland 20/20
    Digital: Cambridge CXC / Streaming > Cambridge CXN v2
    MastersounD Dueventi > Rosso Fiorentino Certaldo or Arcam rHead > Hifiman HE4XX
    Discogs
  • displayname
    displayname Posts: 1,126
    Forgot to mention - ask around here too. Skip from this site has a dealer account on US Audio Mart. I'm sure several members here have accounts on those sites as well. Just gives you one more connection/trust point with sellers potentially.
    Analog: MoFi MasterTracker > MoFi UltraDeck > Sutherland 20/20
    Digital: Cambridge CXC / Streaming > Cambridge CXN v2
    MastersounD Dueventi > Rosso Fiorentino Certaldo or Arcam rHead > Hifiman HE4XX
    Discogs
  • Hermitism
    Hermitism Posts: 4,192
    I've had two transactions on US Audio Mart and they were both positive. A little over a year ago I posted a Wanted Ad for some specific speaker stands and someone responded within a couple days and I ended up getting some new old stock stands at a great price. It went very smoothly. Then this December I purchased an integrated amp from there, another positive transaction at a great price. The site has it's own feedback system similar to the way eBay works, except you have so many days/weeks to go back and revise your feedback comments, unlike eBay. The site allows you to import feedback from external sites like eBay (that might be the only one, I can't remember) and it allows you to link your Paypal acct also to show you are Paypal Verified. This allows buyers/sellers a little more to go on when buying/selling from someone they don't know. Both times I spent some extra time communicating with the sellers just to give me a sense of who I was dealing with. Of course, both times they never took the time to leave me feedback for my awesomeness! I love mankind... it's people I can't stand!

    After being here for a few years I understand why you guys are so protective of this forum's Flea Market. Something I really didn't understand when joining. I've bought a couple things here and I felt stress-free throughout the transactions even though I had never met the people in person before.

    I guess every place is gonna have a few bad apples, but my experience was positive.
  • treitz3
    treitz3 Posts: 18,230
    ~ In search of accurate reproduction of music. Real sound is my reference and while perfection may not be attainable? If I chase it, I might just catch excellence. ~
  • DaveHo
    DaveHo Posts: 3,471
    Have bought & sold on both US Audio Mart & Audiogon. Never a problem.
  • Mikey081057
    Mikey081057 Posts: 7,127
    I look on https://www.hifishark.com/.

    It aggregates a bunch of sites and is searchable with links to where they are.
    My New Year's resolution is 3840 × 2160

    Family Room| Marantz AV7704| Usher Dancer Mini - 2 DMD Mains |Usher Dancer Mini-x DMD's Surrounds | Usher BE-616 DMD Center | SVS Ultra Rear Surrounds | Parasound Halo A21 | Parsound Halo A52+ | MIT Shotgun S3's | Dual SVS SB 4000 Ultras | Oppo UDP 203 | Directv Genie HD DVR | Samsung 75" Q8 QLED | PSAudio Stellar GCD | Mytek Brooklyn DAC+ | Lumin U1 Mini | HP Elite Slice PC | ROON'd for life |

    ManCave: HT:Polk LSiM 706VR3 LSiM 703's LSiM 702's|| Marantz AV7002 AV PrePro Sunfire TGA-7401| Sony PS4 Pro| Sony PS4 Pro|SVS PB13 Ultra| Oppo UDP 203 | Music Hall MMF 5.3se TT w/ Soundsmith Carmen | Samsung 55" SUHD TV | Sony PS4

    Patio | Polk Atrium 8's | Yamaha R-N303BL |

    Office BlueSound Node| KEF LS50 | Peactree Nova 125SE |

    Bedroom | Focal 905's | Chromecast Audio |

    Garage | Polk Monitor 5B's

    Closet Yamaha M80 | 2 Polk MP3K subs| Yaqin MC100B with Shuguang Treasures KT 88's & CV181Z's | Tesla E83CC's | Marantz 2252B | Marantz 2385 |Polk SDA SRS 2.3 | LSiM 705's |
  • pglbook
    pglbook Posts: 2,163
    Thanks for all the comments. I am currently looking at a nice amp on U.S. Audio Mart and have communicated via e-mail with the Seller a few times today and he seems like a decent person but he has no feedback on US Audio Mart (although he does have 3 other items currently for sale). He says he is the original owner and has told me (via e-mail) the provenance of the piece: where he bought it, where he got it modded etc. Plus pics show it is in mint condition as he says it is, both working and cosmetic condition. It is about $200 above my $900 budget and seems to be a little on the high end but I know those amps rarely show uop, especially in mint condition, so I am contemplating getting the amp. I was not familiar with U.S. Audio Mart as I have bought most of my equioment on here in the last 5 years and trust the people on here implicitely. I guess my question how much of a risk am I taking. From the comments, it seems like a pretty safe bet. Seller asked me how I was paying; I guess to see if he could come down since I mentioned in one of my e-mails about it being a little over my budget. Pay pal would be the only form of payment in which I would be protected in terms of loss/damage, etc. Is that correct? Thanks again!
  • motorstereo
    motorstereo Posts: 2,043
    Another good place to buy would be audiokarma's bartertown. It's well worth the $25 a year if you've been stricken with upgraditis and want to buy used gear.
  • msg
    msg Posts: 9,308
    I've had great experiences so far on USAM, knock wood. I'd prefer to go USAM over Ebay, personally. Seems like on USAM you'll find more, well, regular audio enthusiast types, and not just flippers.

    Great list Tom! I forgot about that. I just went to go "insightful" it, and un-insightful'd it because I'd already insightful'd it back in 2017.

    Hifishark is another good site to use for saved searches that can help you turn up listings in different places. I thank tonyb for that one, it's served me well. Most of what it's referred me to has been USAM, Head-Fi, or Ebay. It even shows listings here on our Forum, which could be one of the ways we get guys surfing in. I know I've hit other forums like this, straight into a post, and I have no idea whether there are buying rules, so I think it's good we're starting to see the terms stipulated in advance in the listings here, so the new guys surfing in don't get slammed for asking to buy.
    I disabled signatures.
  • Hermitism
    Hermitism Posts: 4,192
    msg was that bad apple I was speaking of!
  • Mikey081057
    Mikey081057 Posts: 7,127
    My New Year's resolution is 3840 × 2160

    Family Room| Marantz AV7704| Usher Dancer Mini - 2 DMD Mains |Usher Dancer Mini-x DMD's Surrounds | Usher BE-616 DMD Center | SVS Ultra Rear Surrounds | Parasound Halo A21 | Parsound Halo A52+ | MIT Shotgun S3's | Dual SVS SB 4000 Ultras | Oppo UDP 203 | Directv Genie HD DVR | Samsung 75" Q8 QLED | PSAudio Stellar GCD | Mytek Brooklyn DAC+ | Lumin U1 Mini | HP Elite Slice PC | ROON'd for life |

    ManCave: HT:Polk LSiM 706VR3 LSiM 703's LSiM 702's|| Marantz AV7002 AV PrePro Sunfire TGA-7401| Sony PS4 Pro| Sony PS4 Pro|SVS PB13 Ultra| Oppo UDP 203 | Music Hall MMF 5.3se TT w/ Soundsmith Carmen | Samsung 55" SUHD TV | Sony PS4

    Patio | Polk Atrium 8's | Yamaha R-N303BL |

    Office BlueSound Node| KEF LS50 | Peactree Nova 125SE |

    Bedroom | Focal 905's | Chromecast Audio |

    Garage | Polk Monitor 5B's

    Closet Yamaha M80 | 2 Polk MP3K subs| Yaqin MC100B with Shuguang Treasures KT 88's & CV181Z's | Tesla E83CC's | Marantz 2252B | Marantz 2385 |Polk SDA SRS 2.3 | LSiM 705's |
  • pglbook
    pglbook Posts: 2,163
    msg wrote: »
    I've had great experiences so far on USAM, knock wood. I'd prefer to go USAM over Ebay, personally. Seems like on USAM you'll find more, well, regular audio enthusiast types, and not just flippers.

    Great list Tom! I forgot about that. I just went to go "insightful" it, and un-insightful'd it because I'd already insightful'd it back in 2017.

    Hifishark is another good site to use for saved searches that can help you turn up listings in different places. I thank tonyb for that one, it's served me well. Most of what it's referred me to has been USAM, Head-Fi, or Ebay. It even shows listings here on our Forum, which could be one of the ways we get guys surfing in. I know I've hit other forums like this, straight into a post, and I have no idea whether there are buying rules, so I think it's good we're starting to see the terms stipulated in advance in the listings here, so the new guys surfing in don't get slammed for asking to buy.

    Thanks, msg. I am familiar with HiFi Shark and it was actually via searching HiFi Shark that I discovered U.S. Audio Mart. It is a good site that searches various sites for you.
  • pglbook
    pglbook Posts: 2,163
    Anything that's going to be peer to peer selling has some risks. Just like paypal. Audiogon and US Audio Mart are of equal quality in my mind. I do like that they flag who is a dealer on both of those sites. Also if you find a dealer you like (even outside of your area) many of them will have used sections on their sites, or links to their accounts on Audiogon/Audio Mart. You can message sellers on both sites, which I think is important as you get into higher dollar stuff.

    Below I linked a few other sites that I have not personally used, but I have talked to several people who speak highly of them.
    https://echohifi.com/
    https://tmraudio.com/ - this site seems to be where all of PS Audio's trade-in gear ends up.

    Thanks. What is the risk of paying via pay pal (by regular pay pal, not friends/family pay pal). My understanding is that I am protected against loss/damage, etc., if I pay by pay pal. Isn't that correct? I would think that pay pal would be the only comfortable way to pay because, no matter how nice and honest a Seller may sound via e-mail or phone, the bottom line is that Seller is still a stranger and thus caveat emptor.
  • halo
    halo Posts: 5,616
    Caveat emptor my friend. Anything can happen but, I do believe, USAM is a pretty good site. I bought and sold there and I cannot think of any issues. As long as you pay via PayPal, you should be protected.
    Audio: Polk S15 * Polk S35 * Polk S10 * SVS SB-1000 Pro
    HT: Samsung QN90B * Marantz NR1510 * Panasonic DMP-BDT220 * Roku Ultra LT * APC H10
  • Hermitism
    Hermitism Posts: 4,192
    Another cool thing about hifishark is the Sold/Expired tab. I think I learned this from Dan. After searching for something, click that tab and it will show past listings and past listing that were marked as sold. It also shows repeat listings and their duration. This is good for figuring out what something is worth or it's fair value. If something sold in two days, that price might be a bit low. If something was relisted three times at the same price and took 3 months to sell, that may have been a bit high.
  • pglbook
    pglbook Posts: 2,163
    halo wrote: »
    Caveat emptor my friend. Anything can happen but, I do believe, USAM is a pretty good site. I bought and sold there and I cannot think of any issues. As long as you pay via PayPal, you should be protected.

    Thanks, halo. There's only one thing that has prevented me from having already made the deal: my budget (it's about $100-$150 more than I was looking to pay). But I know that's a silly excuse, ha. Although I think the amp may be $100 ovepriced (only 2 sales on eBay in last 6 months; last one sold on eBay for $100 less than US Audio Mart Seller's price I am looking at). But they do not come up for sale often and this one is in really minty (Seller listed it as a 10 and it looks like it) condition (which is important to me) so I know it will most likely happen. This rabbit hole never ends.

  • gudnoyez
    gudnoyez Posts: 8,056
    I have bought off Audiogon and US Audio Mart, with good results.
    Home Theater
    Parasound Halo A 31 OnkyoTX-NR838 Sony XBR55X850B 55" 4K RtiA9 Fronts CsiA6 Center RtiA3 Rears FxiA6 Side Surrounds Dual Psw 111's Oppo 105D Signal Ultra Speaker Cables & IC's Signal Magic Power Cable Technics SL Q300 Panamax MR4300 Audioquest Chocolate HDMI Cables Audioquest Forest USB Cable

    2 Channel
    Adcom 555II Vincent SA-T1 Marantz SA 15S2 Denon DR-M11 Clearaudio Bluemotion SDA 2.3tl's (Z) edition MIT Terminator II Speaker Cables & IC's Adcom 545II Adcom Gtp-450 Marantz CD5004 Technics M245X SDA 2B's, SDA CRS+

    Stuff for the Head
    JD LABS C5 Headphone Amplifier, Sennheiser HD 598, Polk Audio Buckle, Polk Audio Hinge, Velodyne vPulse, Bose IE2, Sennheiser CX 200 Street II, Sennheiser MX 365

    Shower & Off the beaten path Rigs
    Polk Audio Boom Swimmer, Polk Audio Urchin B)
  • indyhawg
    indyhawg Posts: 1,633
    I have bought on US Audio Mart, Bartertown, and Audiogon a few times with great results. Facebook has a few pages also for audio sales. I have bought a couple items there. Both times, were awesome sellers.
  • halo
    halo Posts: 5,616
    @verb has had exceptional results on Craigslist as well.
    Audio: Polk S15 * Polk S35 * Polk S10 * SVS SB-1000 Pro
    HT: Samsung QN90B * Marantz NR1510 * Panasonic DMP-BDT220 * Roku Ultra LT * APC H10
  • dragon1952
    dragon1952 Posts: 4,894
    Audiogon is great and US Audio Mart is also cool. Other sites I check frequently are here, of course, Audio Asylum, Audio Circle, Head Fi and Computer Audiophile...they're all good.
    2 channel - Willsenton R8 tube integrated, Holo Audio Spring 3 KTE DAC, audio optimized NUC7i5, Windows 10 Pro/JRiver MC29/Fidelizer Plus 8.7 w/LPS and external SSD drive, PS Audio PerfectWave P3 regenerator, KEF R3 speakers, Rythmik F12SE subwoofer, Inakustik Reference USB cable, Gabriel Gold IC's, Morrow Audio SP5 speaker cables. Computer - Windows 10/JRiver, Schiit Magni 3+/Modi 3+, Fostex PMO.4n monitors, Sennheiser HD600 headphones
  • verb
    verb Posts: 10,176
    halo wrote: »
    @verb has had exceptional results on Craigslist as well.

    Yes I have! :smile:
    Basement: Polk SDA SRS 1.2tl's, Cary SLP-05 Pre with ultimate upgrade,McIntosh MCD301 CD/SACD player, Northstar Designs Excelsio DAC, Cambridge 851N streamer, McIntosh MC300 Amp, Silnote Morpheus Ref2, Series2 Digital Cables, Silnote Morpheus Ref2 Series2 XLR's, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Pangea Power Cables, MIT Shotgun S3 IC's, MIT Shotgun S1 Bi-Wire speaker cables
    Office: PC, EAR Acute CD Player, EAR 834L Pre, Northstar Designs Intenso DAC, Antique Sound Labs AV8 Monoblocks, Denon UDR-F10 Cassette, Acoustic Technologies Classic FR Speakers, SVS SB12 Plus sub, MIT AVt2 speaker cables, IFI Purifier2, AQ Cinnamon USB cable, Groneberg Quatro Reference IC's
    Spare Room: Dayens Ampino Integrated Amp, Tjoeb 99 tube CD player (modified Marantz CD-38), Analysis Plus Oval 9's, Zu Jumpers, AudioEngine B1 Streamer, Klipsch RB-61 v2, SVS PB1000 sub, Blue Jeans RCA IC's, Shunyata Hydra 8 Power Conditioner
    Living Room: Peachtree Nova Integrated, Cambridge CXN v2 Streamer, Rotel RCD-1072 CD player, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Polk RT265 In Wall Speakers, Polk DSW Pro 660wi sub
    Garage #1: Cambridge Audio 640A Integrated Amp, Project Box-E BT Streamer, Polk Tsi200 Bookies, Douglas Speaker Cables, Shunyata Power Conditioner
    Garage #2: Cambridge Audio EVO150 Integrated Amplifier, Polk L200's, Analysis Plus Silver Oval 2 Speaker Cables, IC's TBD.
  • nooshinjohn
    nooshinjohn Posts: 25,034
    The only time I ever had a deal blow up on me was on USAudiomart, and they did nothing to assist in solving the problem. Never again for me...
    The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk Audio Legend L800 with height modules, L400 Center Channel Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds. Marantz MM7025 stereo amp. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD

    “When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson
  • vrno
    vrno Posts: 0
    Absolutely the worst place to buy used stuff are audio marts. These are practically owned by sellers, they are prevalent especially on their forums where they boost each other in scamming buyers by writing absolute nonsense (many of these nonsense were debunked by Audio Science Review) and of course banning those buyers who discover these scamming schemes. For example, I sent a seller a link with the confirmed sold price of an item in support of my offer and I asked the seller to send me the link in support of his price. Instead, the seller sent me an attachment files with a virus. I again asked the seller to send me the link and the seller started to f. with me. I cursed the seller and the mart banned me. This is the way they get rid of buyers who are well aware of their scams. It happened to at least a dozen of buyers I know. They do not need true buyers audiophiles on the site, only naive people who they can scam easily by boosting products with fraudulent claims (fraudulent because the other side cannot express their opposing opinion since they are immediately banned). The "rules" they have are a mockery, it is a sellers scam, plain and simple. Just read those rules, it is ridiculous, they are more complex than Encyclopedia Britannica (more complex the rules easier for them to invent a reason to ban a buyer as this buyer can spread the truth to other buyers/sellers via emailing system, forums, and they stop that by all means).
    Much better site than audio marts is Audiogon although there is a lot of scammers there as well, but there are some reputable sellers. Audio marts should be reported to the authorities in US and Canada for supporting sellers' scams against unsuspecting buyers.
  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 27,968
    Never had a problem on USAudiomart, audio on, ebay, etc. Like all things in life, all questions, if it feels wrong, it probably is.
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
  • jdjohn
    jdjohn Posts: 2,987
    Reverb is good, too. It's primarily known for instruments, but they have some straight-up audio gear as well.
    "This may not matter to you, but it does to me for various reasons, many of them illogical or irrational, but the vinyl hobby is not really logical or rational..." - member on Vinyl Engine
    "Sometimes I do what I want to do. The rest of the time, I do what I have to." - Cicero, in Gladiator
    Regarding collectibles: "It's not who gets it. It's who gets stuck with it." - Jimmy Fallon
  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 27,968
    Jody is alive! reverb is a good site for sure
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
  • TEAforONE
    TEAforONE Posts: 999
    I've never had a bad experience on audiomart. I just picked up my J2 on there. Great communication from the seller. Everything went off without a hitch.
    See my profile for list of gear.
  • msg
    msg Posts: 9,308
    vrno's post made me laugh. sounds like someone familiar, but I can't quite put my finger on it.
    I disabled signatures.
  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 49,708
    msg wrote: »
    vrno's post made me laugh. sounds like someone familiar, but I can't quite put my finger on it.

    It's a troll.
    Political Correctness'.........defined

    "A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."


    President of Club Polk

  • msg
    msg Posts: 9,308
    A funny specific grumpy one!
    I disabled signatures.