What should I look for when buying second-hand hi-fi gear?

The single most important consideration is overall condition.

Condition

Condition, condition, condition. It might sound obvious, but the physical condition of a piece of second-hand hi-fi equipment tells us a great deal about how it’s been looked after. Equipment that has been well cared for is almost always a much better bet than gear that’s been neglected, other things being equal.

Equipment that has been damaged or neglected is equipment that has not been well cared for, and you rarely want that. Equipment in poor condition is always worth less than the same model in good condition. Not only that, cosmetic damage can be very hard to repair, certainly harder to make good and more obvious than electronic repairs, in the right hands.

Service History

All equipment needs periodic maintenance and parts replacement. Can the seller show you any records or invoices for past work? Has this work been done by reputable technicians, or the cheapest ones? These choices in themselves tell us a lot about an owner.

Older gear can need extensive maintenance, and many owners cheap out on having this work done and look for the lowest quotes, forgetting that you get what you pay for, in everything. Don’t let this put you off; used equipment in need of maintenance is still often much better value than buying new, but the work HAS to be done at some point, and by someone competent to do it.

Functionality & Performance

I rarely suggest buying something you can’t see and hear running, unless it’s a particularly great deal and you are happy taking the risk. Sellers who say they can’t show you a piece of equipment running should be viewed with caution. It’s generally not difficult to plug something in, though in rare cases where a piece hasn’t been run for a very long time, for example, it might be best not to.

Does the equipment turn on and run correctly? Does it sound good? Do all the controls and switches work as they should? These are all things that can be checked before purchase. How about a warranty? If buying from a business, there will be some kind of warranty against defects. This can be very helpful. Some non-business sellers will offer returns if there are problems, but this is rare.

Inspection

Remember that Liquid Audio offers pre- and post-purchase inspections. Inspections can offer invaluable insight into the condition of a piece that most buyers will not otherwise be able to access. Inspections also allow for testing of critical functions and determination of originality. They also offer invaluable price leverage in certain scenarios, most often pre-purchase.

Most importantly, hi-fi equipment purchases should be made with a cool head. Something might be rare and collectible, but if it’s broken, it might also be the world’s most expensive doorstop, and we don’t want that!