Help me pick out some bargains

[bulletinwbw]

Hi everyone!

This is my first post, though I'm a long-time lurker. Hope this is the right place for this post!

I recently returned to the US and am looking to assemble a good starter stereo (amp, speakers, turntable, maybe CD player) for around $900-1200. I live very close to Hawthorne Stereo and am constantly checking out their used section, but the problem is that I really don't know many of the brands and models beyond Marantz, AT, Wharfedale, etc. And even with brands I have heard of (e.g. Naim, NAD), I don't know the model unless it's something really famous like the NAD 3020.

So...is there anything on this list that jumps out to you guys as a great bargain or gem. Bear in mind that this store has a great rep for selling stuff in really good working condition (I mention that because I get the impression some of these prices might be on the high side for used equipment, but I really don't know).

http://www.hawthornestereo.com/used/

Thanks so much!
Simon

 

[Silentnet]

Do you know if they've been over this stuff internally? Do they offer some form of warranty? If so the prices seem fair, if a little on the high side. If not, you could do a lot better elsewhere, at least on some things.

Example: they have an Adcom GFA-555 for $459. Good quality "workhorse" high-wattage (200wpc @ 8 ohms, stable down to 2 ohms) amp. If that's been fully serviced, that's a very good price. If it hasn't and it's just in "good working condition" in that it turns on and plays fine? I guess it depends if there's a warranty included. There's one being sold on Barter Town here for $250. Even with shipping it probably wouldn't be much over $300. Similarly, the B&K ST-140 regularly goes for under $200, and they have it listed at $239. Not a bad price, just a little above market.

I don't know much about speaker values outside of electrostats, but their prices on the Martin Logans there seem fair so long as panels are in good condition.

At the same time, there are costs associated with keeping a retail location, and the appeal of being able to go in and get everything in one place is great, I understand that.

So in conclusion...? I dunno. You'll need to get someone more experienced in here for a real answer. And yes, your post is in the right place. All discussion of valuation goes in Dollars and Sense.

 

[RossW]

Silentnet pretty much hit the nail on the head. Some of their stuff is pretty fair, especially with a warranty, but some of their stuff is pretty crazy overpriced (their KLH stuff seems to be consistently 3x overpriced). When in doubt, e-bay is the place to go for pricing research.

If you take your time and keep your eyes open on CL, Barter Town (the audiokarma classifieds), etc. you can get a lot more for your money. That approach is just a lot less convenient and a lot more time-consuming.

 

[bulletinwbw]

Thanks very much Silentnet and RossW, really appreciate the advice. For some reason I'm really leery of buying equipment on ebay, even though I know most is legit. But I'll definitely take a look at Barter Town. Just wish I knew more about all the different brands and (especially) models out there! Learning, slowly but surely...

 

[electronjohn]

Don't forget that Barter Town access is limited to subscribers...and the $25 subscription will be the best $25 you've eve spent.

 

[chip18sw]

WOW those are a lot of options! And the main advantage of a store like that near you ... is you can actually see touch and listen to "stuff!" Ugh ... as to where to start?? I would think ,find a pair of speakers you like and build a system around them??

If I were to point out a pair of speakers, I see they have KG 4's! Those guys and the Forte II's (for quite a bit more) have lots of fans ... (and most for life.) But then if you like them ... your a "Horn Guy!"

But ... they would open up a whole world of options as regards amps and or receivers, 25 watts or less become viable options! Panel speakers tend to take/like/need a lot of "Amp" AFAIK?? Tube Amps (lots of kits available around 300 or so) would then become a viable option! Just a thought.

 

[Mister Pig]

Sometimes you can catch a bargain at Hawthorne, but its just my opinion that they get top dollar for their wares. But they do have a good reputation, and you can walk in and walk out with a good system below retail new prices of course, since its used gear. Do not know if they have a service or vetting system in place before stuff goes out on display.

Another good used audio store is Echo Audio, but that is down in Portland.

You do have one of the better Craigslist sites in the US though for audio. Lots of interesting stuff on the Seattle CL, and you can put together many a system that way for very reasonable money. The kicker being is that you have to evaluate the gear yourself, and take a bit of risk on buying used. Of course this is why its cheaper than new, and cheaper than retail used. You don't get something for nothing, and you take on a bit of risk for better gear for less money. You also got to locate it and get it yourself. Essentially you are paying Hawthorne or Echo to do that kind of work.

As far as not knowing brands, you can ask here in the appropriate forums, turntable, solid state, speakers, and so on. Someone will be able to give you a detailed answer. But if its something truly awesome, if you snooze you will loose on CL.

Cheers
Mister Pig

 

[colohiker]

Don't know if they qualify as a bargain, but being and ADS fan, I would consider these ADS L910 (no affiliation).

https://seattle.craigslist.org/see/ele/d/ads-910-speakers/6747735509.html



I know they chew up a large part of your budget but they don't come up very often. To make the numbers work, you could hook them up "temporarily" to an large older home theater receiver like this Denon AVR-3805 for $75
(again, no affiliation).

https://seattle.craigslist.org/see/ele/d/denon-avrchannel-v-receiver/6733807087.html

That still leaves you some room to get a decent turntable. You could replace the Denon with something better at a later date when funds are available.

 

[bulletinwbw]

Again, thanks so much to everyone for their comments and thoughts. Mister Pig, really helpful to hear some thoughts from someone who knows Hawthorne firsthand, and I really appreciate the suggestions from others.

One thing I should probably mention is that I'm unfortunately limited to bookshelf speakers (my wife is an interior designer and thinks stereo equipment is ugly (!), so our compromise is bookshelf speakers). So the KG4s and ADS' (thanks Colohiker!) are a no-no for me. Sorry, I should have mentioned that from the start.

 

[Silentnet]

Big panel speakers! Tell her they're room dividers!

 

[teal'c]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/NAD-2200-p...h=item3d7a5f5c05:g:Qo8AAOSwfvtb8G0S:rk:1:pf:1

 

[bulletinwbw]

@Silentnet - hahaha, I'll try it. Tbh, it's taken a ton of convincing just to get her to agree to *any* set up beyond a smart speaker.

@teal'c: what exactly is a power amp and how do they differ from regular integrated amps? Do they need to be paired with a preamp? If so, am I correct in thinking that a power amp + preamp gives more power than an integrated amp, but comes at the cost of extra $$$ and another piece of equipment?

Thanks!

 

[bulletinwbw]

Also, anyone have an opinion on the Onkyo A-9010 for $259? Thank you!!

 

[Silentnet]

@Silentnet - hahaha, I'll try it. Tbh, it's taken a ton of convincing just to get her to agree to *any* set up beyond a smart speaker.

@teal'c: what exactly is a power amp and how do they differ from regular integrated amps? Do they need to be paired with a preamp? If so, am I correct in thinking that a power amp + preamp gives more power than an integrated amp, but comes at the cost of extra $$$ and another piece of equipment?

Thanks!

Yes, power amps must be used with a preamp. The advantage is a theoretically "cleaner" sound thanks to separate power supplies and more separation / space to design the circuits for less interference. That, and yes, given more space dedicated power amps are often more powerful than integrateds. 300+WPC power amps are common, but an integrated over 200WPC is a real rarity that often commands a major price premium.

Also worth noting: I have no technical background beyond a very basic understanding of electronics and am almost 100% self-taught. If I start talking about technical stuff take it with a grain of salt and assume I am over-simplifying most if not all of the time.

Also, anyone have an opinion on the Onkyo A-9010 for $259? Thank you!!

Price feels high given buy.com/ratouken was selling it for $300 shipped new, though they appear to be out of stock / may not be restocking. Cheapest I could find new in stock was like $380 after shipping, so $260 used for a fairly new unit isn't that bad in that case, I guess.

44WPC @ 8 ohms isn't a lot, though. Had to dig in to the owner's manual to determine it (which I don't like) but looks like it's good for 70WPC @ 4 ohms, but they advise lower ohm loads may damage the unit.

Largely depends what speakers you settle on. Obviously bookshelves like you're considering are going to be much less demanding than I'm used to, power-wise, but I'd personally find 44WPC limiting.