New or old?

Forum, your input appreciated please.

Broadly speaking, given that solid state components degrade etc etc, am I better off buying new or 'grabbing a bargain?'. The example being Primare I21 (£750 ish) or a something-else that may have started life at £1800 - £2500 (or possibly more).

What do you think?

 

Hi, some people like to buy from new, untouched by another, the first to experience, that new smell etc , this doesn't mean it wouldn't be immune to problems though... depreciation being one. You do in most cases get more for your money buying used, and upgrading a few old parts can mean more of an improvement to the sound.

Good Luck

 

Being old myself, I'm a fan of old.. Old solid state does wear but it's mostly capacitors (isn't it?) and very sort-able on kit that's worth the trouble. Depreciation aside, the major failure curves on any equipment are at the beginning and end of their life in equal measure.

And I'm resistant to fashion where something that was "best" in its day is "off the pace now"... hmmm is all I can say to that. Judicious mixing of old and new is what I have, but noting too esoteric, it has to be said. So old gear was a realistic risk when I was paying less than a hundred British pounds. 750 might make me think harder.

Watch out for current fashionable old gear though - prices well above their true value is being sought and paid for stuff like some of these Marantz CD players and what have you.

 

Always old(ish) for me.

Stuff/circumstances change so fast for people.....there are usually good deals around to be had.

 

There's a lot to be said for old David

How the Devil are you?

 

How old is old.

I think i would be the oldest .Have a lot of newish gear i wonder what that makes me just bought a origin live ultra
motor kit for my Thorens TD 850 T/T. Using it in a stand off
position with a long fine thread belt sounds great. Dont beleive
old is great it aint i know i am there
Old Noel.

 

I am ok, thanks.

You?

I wondered where you had got to.

No, I am convinced this is a product of the 21 century; people start something then things change and they have to leave it. Six months later it all has to be sold.

 

Hmm, yes, I take the point about what actually does degrade in solid state. Perhaps I have read too much into some articles.

I guess is also old and old. No doubt its all in the audition.

But any further thoughts welcome, of course!

 

Agreed. It's the post-Millenium Bug. Many have been infected.

I am also an old(er) enthusiast. Very satisfying benefitting from the fickle affections of others.

 

I've taken a ridiculous job where 12 hours a day isn't enough. I'm here right now and I started this am at eight. Also, we've moved into a slightly larger hoose so we can accommodate some more of our stuff and the hise dine sythe has been rented out so life's been darn busy for a while. At least I got Boris (my m/cylce) back from the tumble down the moors!

It's good to be back :MILD:

 

Right. Job done - its old (ish). I am now the proud owner of a Bow Wazoo XL.

This is a revelation and all I had hoped this major upgrade (in my time and relativity parallel universe). I am like a child in a toy shop trying various CD's and hearing things not previously heard.

Whilst I may have gone a little side street, compared with the tried and trusted, I did do my homework and I have read everything thats out there on this industrial box o' tricks.

This has resolved my problem with the missing lower frequencies (see my first post on forum) and the vocals - well just amazing!

Next project - open up the world of vinyl - most of my musc is, so its time to get researching turntables and tonearms.

So far, just on 'looks' (from a physics/build quality sense - nothing else) I am discounting Project but consider Thorens and Rega to be a good starting point.

With a budget of say £500, what would the vinyl devotees suggest as the best compromise for a starter turntable, also bearing in mind I will need a reasonable phono stage?

Over to you.

 

I sold a Michel Syncro + Cambridge phono stage for about £250 a year or so ago... which would be a good start if you can find one.

I think the recent version was a Mycro with the black platter.

When I had the Syncro , I also had a pair of Technics SL1210s and I put the 2 side by side for comparison and the Syncro was a totally different league to the Technics.

Looks rather nice too (link to my old 2007 advert with pics) https://www.audio-forums.com/as-rediect/showthread.php?t=17277

 

All of my gear with the exception of the CD player is secondhand and therefore fairly old. I refuse to pay the profit markup on brand new gear so will always look at the secondhand market first. Try to remember that if you've seen a turntable for £1500 it has only cost the dealer £600 plus VAT so what's it's true worth...???​

 

Your new purchase sounds exciting. a vinyl set up with decent arm, cartridge and phono stage seems like a big ask for £500 but could be do-able. You can pick up a decent Thorens on ebay for about £100-200 and maybe it'll have an RB300 on it already?

A decent MM for about £150?

Phono maybe a further look at the second hand pages?

 

Congrats thats a lovely amp, is it the one that was going in North London? I'd have had that one myself had I not moved on some time ago. Hope you have many hours of enjoyment with it.

 

Defride,

Yes, that's the amp! Its a revealation to me!