HOW TO BUY SECONDHAND AND VINTAGE STEREO SPEAKERS

Tips and tricks for bagging a speaker bargain

You know how it is; you do your research and read plenty of reviews, but the pair of speakers you really want are priced just out of reach. There’s a way around that problem: to buy second-hand. It takes a fair bit more legwork to get exactly what you want compared with buying new, but there is a fair chance they’ll be more affordable. Therein, of course, lies the appeal of second-hand hi-fi.

How affordable? Typically, you’ll find at least a 30 per cent drop in the price of a product that’s just one year old and around 50 per cent on something that’s closer to three years old. After that, the price is determined as much by condition as age.

Of all the various components that make up a hi-fi system, speakers are probably the most sturdy and can give decades’ worth of use provided they haven’t been abused. And if they do go wrong, they’re usually relatively easy to repair. All told, second-hand and vintage hi-fi speakers can be a great option – provided you avoid a few potential problems. Read on for our guide to buying a top pair of second-hand speakers.

DO SOME RESEARCH