If you have an interest in audio equipment, but are not yet ready to completely turn over your budget for a brand new system, there are many places where you can find a used stereo system for sale.
However, with any used item, it is important to know what you are getting into. There are many different quality problems that can happen with a stereo system, and it is good to know what you might encounter before you buy one.
Here is a list of five quality problems to expect when buying a used stereo system:
Buying a used stereo system can be a great way to save money, but it can also lead to problems. A stereo system is an investment, and you want to be sure that this investment won’t just break down before you’ve gotten your money’s worth out of it. Here are 5 quality problems you might expect when buying a used stereo system:
1. Bad speakers – Speakers are often the first thing to go in a stereo system, as they have many moving parts which tend to wear out over time. Even if they don’t make any visible physical damage, they may still not be working at their best capability. If you listen closely to the speakers while playing music, you may find that one is quieter than the other or different notes do not sound right.
2. Poor sound quality – The quality of sound in a used stereo system may not be as good as it was when it was new. This can be due to deterioration of the components over time or just normal wear and tear on the system; either way, you should expect that your used stereo might not sound as good as its new counterpart.
3. Missing or bad remote control – Remote controls are easy for kids (or adults) to misplace, so make sure that you get one
If you are a music lover who is looking to purchase a new stereo system, you may find yourself making the decision on whether or not you should buy used. If your budget is limited or you are looking for unique, vintage pieces, buying used can be a great way to get the sound quality and look that you want at a lower price than when purchasing new. But as with any purchase of any kind, there are some important things to consider before making this major decision for your home entertainment system.
Here are 5 quality problems that you can expect when buying used stereo components:
1. The first thing to worry about when buying used equipment is that it may be prone to breakdowns. After all, it has been previously owned and there is no way of knowing how well it was taken care of. It could have been subject to extreme temperature changes or not stored properly. This can affect the internal components of the equipment and cause them to break down faster than if they were new.
2. The second thing to take into consideration is wear and tear on the exterior of the equipment. You may notice scratches, dents or other aesthetic damages on the equipment that will take away from its appearance in your home when it comes time to show off your new system.
I am just beginning a series of articles surrounding the purchase of used audio equipment, and the problems you may encounter when buying a used stereo system. I hope to provide helpful insight into the world of buying used audio equipment, and what to look out for.
Today I will be discussing five common problems that occur with used stereo systems. Most of these are pretty easy to diagnose, but there are always those that are more difficult to find and can leave you scratching your head in confusion. So read on if you want to learn about some common problems that one might encounter when buying a used stereo system from a private seller.
1. Wear and Tear
The first issue is wear and tear. This is usually pretty easy to spot if you know what you are looking for, but sometimes it can be difficult to distinguish between normal wear and tear, or if something is going wrong with the system. There are a few areas in which wear and tear will show up most noticeably on a stereo system, namely around the power button, the volume button, or other buttons on the faceplate of the stereo receiver or amplifier. If these buttons show signs of use such as scratches or gouges around them then chances are they have been pushed many times throughout their life. This isn’t necessarily
All the major electronics companies were making great stuff in the seventies. I recently acquired a Technics SA-410. This is a basic, no frills stereo receiver from the late 70’s. This particular unit had been sitting in a garage for about 15 years, covered in dust and grime. I took it home and cleaned it up and it worked perfectly. The FM tuner was weak, but stereo reception was great. So I opened it up, cleaned the tuner contacts with a pencil eraser, and now it works as well as any other $300-400 modern receiver I’ve heard.
If you are looking for an used stereo system there are 5 quality problems you should be aware of:
1) Dust inside the equipment can cause problems when it gets on electrical connections (switches and potentiometers). This is not a big deal to fix. Just open it up and clean everything with a soft brush (no paper towels or compressed air). Clean off all the dirt and dust with a light spray of window cleaner on a cloth or paper towel. Never spray anything directly onto the circuit boards or into openings with moving parts.
2) The second problem is more serious; rust on the potentiometers (volume controls). Rust forms on metal
A lot of people prefer to create their own music library. This is a good thing, because it is easy to find a good quality stereo system at a lower cost than a new one. You can also get one with better features and quality for the same price as a new one. But there are always some risks that you should know about before buying an used stereo system.
1) Test It First – Just because you buy it from someone does not mean that it works perfectly well. In fact, there can be anything wrong with it. It could have been returned by the previous owner for some reason or another. They may not have disclosed the real reason they returned it, so you could end up with a faulty system. If possible, test out the stereo system at the store itself before taking it home. Even if you buy online, ask for a refund or replacement if it is found not working properly later on.
The worst problem with used equipment is that you might not be able to get it repaired.
Some things are easy to repair, some are hard. It’s pretty easy to replace a fuse, for example. But if the amplifier has an intermittent fault, forget about it. You’ll never find it. If something in the CD player breaks and you can’t fix it yourself, you might be able to send it back to the factory for repairs. Some manufacturers will do this, but some won’t.
You’ll have a hard time getting parts for any electronic equipment more than 10 years old, and extremely hard time getting parts for anything over 20 years old. A clever repair person may be able to jury-rig a temporary solution if you need one badly enough, but if they go too far out of their way you’ll owe them big time!
If your power cord or speaker wire gets chewed up by your dog (yes, this happens), you can probably get another one for less than $10 at Radio Shack or a nearby electronics store. But if an internal part breaks in one of your components and you can’t find another one, that component is essentially junk now.
It’s very important when buying used gear to get a warranty from the seller and make