Need help making an offer on Vantage.

[mrmike]

I am looking to move up ML chain and would like to make an offer on Audiogon on a pair of Vantages. Audiogon bluebook is MIA for Vantage but the Summit bluebook is $5312 which seems kind of low.

My thinking is $3000 for the Vantage. Asking price is from $3700 to $4600 at the moment. What do you guys think is a fair price? Is $5300 a reality for Summits?
If it is then...Hmmmmm:rocker:

My room is about 18x12 with 12ft ceilings and opens up to another room on top. I currently have Aeon i with Descent.

 

[Joey_V]

$5300 for Summits??

Unless the guy is wanting to sell real quick, I don't understand how speakers that you get for $11,000 + tax retail sells for that low. $3K for Vantage is tough unless the seller is willing to take a huge hit. I think $3500-3700 is about right for Vantages and about $6.7-8K on Summits depending on finish.

Joey

 

[jtwrace]

I sold my 6mo old ML Cherry Summits for $6900. I would have let them sit in the attic and rot for any less then that. $5300 is crazy at this time. IMO

 

[rhom]

If it helps, I purchased my set of Vantages via Audiogon back in the summer for $3400. They were the optional dark cherry finish and immaculate, less than one year old. The previous owner was a salesperson at a ML authorized dealer.

 

[kcl]

I bought my Summits, lovingly broken in and used, for $7200 about a year ago. $5300 is low enough to be suspicious, but not so low to be totally unreasonable. If you're really interested in the Summits, I strongly recommend that you talk one-on-one with the seller about them.

By the way, the Summits originally sold for $10000 and could be obtained from some outlets for a little while for $7500 (Martin Logan stopped these pretty quickly, though). So I guess its possible that somebody that got their Summits for $7500 a couple of years ago would be willing to let them go for $5300.

 

[Joey_V]

I bought my Summits, lovingly broken in and used, for $7200 about a year ago. $5300 is low enough to be suspicious, but not so low to be totally unreasonable. If you're really interested in the Summits, I strongly recommend that you talk one-on-one with the seller about them.

By the way, the Summits originally sold for $10000 and could be obtained from some outlets for a little while for $7500 (Martin Logan stopped these pretty quickly, though). So I guess its possible that somebody that got their Summits for $7500 a couple of years ago would be willing to let them go for $5300.

It is "possible", but if the seller has any economic/marketing sense to look at the Audiogon history on Summits sold, he would not sell for $5300.

There was 1 person who I recall getting a pair of cheap Summits, but that was a freak anomaly.

 

[mrmike]

Seems like the Audiogon bluebook is a little out of wack on this one but now I have contemplated the holy grail and maybe it is not my best choice.

First of all I really should only spend around $6k this year. I suppose I could streatch to $7k and probably land Summits...or I could get Vantage and some new electonics. I already own a Descent sub to augment Vantage wich might be better for room size (18x12x12high).

My setup now is Marantz dv8400>hk avr7200(pre)>classe ca200 amp>Aoen i, Nordost blue heaven interconnects and Audioquest cv4 speaker cable.

I know I desperately need a quality preamp. I have bean looking at Pass Labs X2.5 and Ayre k5-xe.

 

[JonFo]

Seems like the Audiogon bluebook is a little out of wack on this one but now I have contemplated the holy grail and maybe it is not my best choice.

First of all I really should only spend around $6k this year. I suppose I could streatch to $7k and probably land Summits...or I could get Vantage and some new electonics. I already own a Descent sub to augment Vantage wich might be better for room size (18x12x12high).

My setup now is Marantz dv8400>hk avr7200(pre)>classe ca200 amp>Aoen i, Nordost blue heaven interconnects and Audioquest cv4 speaker cable.

I know I desperately need a quality preamp. I have bean looking at Pass Labs X2.5 and Ayre k5-xe.

Do not forget the room, it matters more than most people realize.

A few grand on room treatments will sometimes make more of a diff than stepping up to the next model.

My advice, forget the Summit, go Vantage and do $3K in room treatments.

 

[twich54]

Seems like the Audiogon bluebook is a little out of wack on this one but now I have contemplated the holy grail and maybe it is not my best choice.

First of all I really should only spend around $6k this year. I suppose I could streatch to $7k and probably land Summits...or I could get Vantage and some new electonics. I already own a Descent sub to augment Vantage wich might be better for room size (18x12x12high).

My setup now is Marantz dv8400>hk avr7200(pre)>classe ca200 amp>Aoen i, Nordost blue heaven interconnects and Audioquest cv4 speaker cable.

I know I desperately need a quality preamp. I have bean looking at Pass Labs X2.5 and Ayre k5-xe.

This post pretty much sums it..........with your room size, buy the Vantages, integrate your sub and take the $$$ saved by doing this and purchase a good pre-amp !!

I'm not trying to make fun of your HK receiver.....but it's kinda like taking your girlfriend to the prom in an Edsel.

 

[FatJ]

OMG... I'm too young. I had to google the edsel

That thing is pretty bad!

 

[mrmike]

I would not mind taking the girl out in an Edsel. Don't think I would buy one though.

BTW, The HK is not that bad, it's just the weakest link. I would buy another for HT duties when they come out with the new formats.

 

[twich54]

BTW, The HK is not that bad, it's just the weakest link.

Which means what ??? just what I said, not that bad is also not that good !

Is the glass half mty or half full ?

Subjecting a pair of Summitt's to a known "weakest link" makes no sense to me.

Given his budget, I know that I, along with quite a few others on this sight could put together a better sounding system with a pair of Vantage's and utilize the remaining $$ in the budget for a good pre-amp, room acoustic improvements, etc. as opposed to spending the entire amount on a pair of Summitt's ! Especially in a room of approx 200 sq ft !

 

[Craig]

Is the Edsel a convertible? I'm available next Friday night.

 

[Joey_V]

I have absolutely NO idea what Edsel is... for all I know it's a motorbike.

 

[twich54]

I have absolutely NO idea what Edsel is... for all I know it's a motorbike.

here you go kiddo............

 

[mrmike]

Is the Edsel a convertible? I'm available next Friday night.

Ummm...................uhhhhhhh....................wellllllllllllll................................

what kind of speakers do you have?

 

[Craig]

Why is it they always want to date me for my speakers?

 

[mrmike]

LOL.... You are one sick puppy! Nice teeth BTW

 

[Craig]

Thank you and back to the thread topic.

For used Vantages that require shipping I would consider those in the price range of $3500 to $4000. You have to consider the expense of shipping and paypal fees (if you use that service). Then there is the shipping risk, buying risk and lack of warranty support when buying used on the internet. A local purchase is really beneficial when it comes to sizeable speakers.

Sound Advice stores and Tweeter have had an excellent speaker upgrade policy. Check with your local store to see what their policy is but they typically will apply full credit on your speaker towards a higher priced model if traded in within a year. I've taken advantage of their upgrade policy 4-5 times and worked my up to the Summits I now own. For the reasons I mentioned, I would support your local brick and mortar audio dealer and buy either Vantages or Summits there. Another benefit is that you can select whatever trim option you want.

I think you'd be happy with the Vantages especially since you have a great sub already.

 

[mrmike]

Well I did it! I puchased a demo set of Vantages with full warranty for $3500. The only bad thing they are black on black, definately not my first choice. They also need to be shipped. The dealer is no longer going to carry ML and is liquidating inventory. I think the had some demo Summits if anyone is interested.

I took the money saved and bought a used Pass Labs X2.5 pre. Should be here Friday!:rocker:

Next up is a new CD player. Looking at a used Marantz sa11s1 or an Ayre cx-7 that has been upgraded to the Evolution level. Any recommedations are welcome, under $2000 used.

JonFo, I have not forgot about room treatments. I am trying to figure out how to go about it. Seems like a lot of money for cat posts and foam on the wall. I like the idea of digital room correction but not the extra a/d and d/a conversions. Is there any product that wouldn read the the frequency of your room as you move furniture and treatments to obtain the flatest response? I really need a couple days to look at JonFo's posts and web site.