I love the format !
Of every audio site I've visited, this is the only one simple to navigate. It is deceptively well designed and you only appreciate it if you attempt to post (or worse) find a post at another site.
Regardless if your looking for Sale items, Auctions, Discussion forums or just need to send an email to a fellow member via the Audiogon server, it is all here.
Already mentioned is the virtual systems, but I also read the bio's and frequently visit the lengthy "Who RU", thread.
I really appreciate all the IMAGES. Images that accompany ads, images for virtual systems, images for Auctions. About the only images not available are of the contributors to the discussion forums.
What does Audiogon do wrong? Nothing I can think of, except I didn't come up with the idea first. |
I am a critical person, but right now, I don't think audiogon is doing anything wrong. The only thing that comes to mind was the voting, etc. done in the past.
The best thing, I think, is how the classifieds are managed. |
The effective search engines - search for information, search for gear, buy quality equipment well below retail. The post archives contain a wealth of useful information.
So far, I haven't found much use for the new equipment reviews feature. The discussion forum is already more effective covering this ground. |
This site is near perfection. Let's keep in mind that this is a business model and that the features we enjoy the most are meant to keep us coming back. It's a rare finished product that maintains viewer interest and makes money. They have done it so well that I sometimes forget this is how the owners earn their living. This, my friends, is the internet at it's best.
I'm with Albert about enjoying the photographs and personal bio's. This forum is by far my favorite feature. I especially love the threads that evolve quickly into humorous posts.
Note to any Audiogon techs that may be following this thread: Sometimes images are slow to load even with my high speed connection. I have a free resizing program that discards the uploaded image after the resized one resides on the server. Contact me if you would like a copy. My web site serves the Realtor community and as such is heavily involved with images, many of which are virtual tours. While we don't have your volume of traffic, our bandwidth usage must exceed yours and our images load must faster. Can you accomodate virtual tours being posted? |
Ok,I envy you guys with your dsl's. I'm a webtv user and this sight is faster than any other of this type. (pictures and all) As a buyer /seller--the feedback system is the "gem" of the sight. Since the caustic contributer has been removed from the forums this is "the Dream-Site".Well done AudiogoN,and thank you. |
I love this site, I do not feel there is one better on the Net. Near perfect. One wish:
I wish I could search by price level; I.E. $100-$500, $600-$1000, etc.
Matty |
Loves:
the blue book is nice but I want even more upto date info. I wouldn't mind if they tracked sales and purchases to get a more accurate set of data
Search feature is fast
Search feature should use a better engine (?) searching to info on the forums is hit or miss and usually its a miss. I am familiar with the and or concepts but still I find it a bit lacking. At least tge info I do scour is good!
The dispute forum is fantastic. I do go in there to lok at the "car wrecks" of deal gone wrong and I think it is all handled professionally and efficiently. Excellent idea and I think the best thing about audiogon.
Whoever you guys are keep up the good work, it's appreciated! |
One thing I particularly appreciate is the "bump" feature where, when there is activity in a thread, it stays toward the "top". On some other boards, posts "sink" to the bottom and "off the page" even if there are a ton-o-responses. |
I'd love to see the Blue Book info automatically turn up on every "for sale" ad. I'd like to see what the item sold for new, as well as high/low/averages for the unit, and the sellers asking price all appear on the ad. More datapoints, readily at hand, make the process that much easier. What do you say AudioGon? |
I would like to see an picture icon next to a listing like ebay does. It would be nice to be able to tell which adds have pictures without having to open each one. Aside from that I think this is a great site. |
I enjoy, and have participated in, just about everything that is on this site. I have bought equipment and sold equipment off the classifieds. I have entered posts into all the forum pages. I have bid on auctions. Sold music on the music classifieds. Posted a Virtual System. Done a couple Reviews. Made some friends, helped some people, irritated a few people, and had alot of fun. It is a very rare site that can maintain this level of interest. I come here every day. Good work, Audiogon! |
I love the format.
The user friendliness.
The speed and ease of navigation.
To further paraphrase Albertporter, I very sorry I didn't think of this first (or second; Albertporter beat me to this comment too).
Nice community too! (I beat Albertporter to this one) |
The only complaints I have very had about AudiogoN were when I didn't know my way around it. I am barely computer literate (some might argue that I am barely literate) but I find it very easy to get around here now.
The forums are great. I follow many of them and have found a huge divergence of opinions and for the most part people are able to disagree without stooping to infantile behavior. It's nice to encounter intelligent adults from whom one can learn and grow, and buy.
My system has changed significantly since I found this site. Thanks to the ghosts behind this machine!!! |
Right- Audiogon provides a true community atmosphere with open discussion and provides a realistic trading market for used gear. I think it's a tremendous asset to the hobby/industry. It's gotten me back into hi-fi.
Wrong- Nothing, really.
Strengths- The many Audiogoners who participate.
Weaknesses- The few 'bad' Audiogoners who either rant and rave on the forums or have questionable businees pratices(few and far between - so far). |
AudiogoN gives us each other. You can't ask for more than that! |
Audiogon has improved the site significantly just since I started coming here, about 2 years ago (to browse and buy - I only started posting later). The site still has a few minor quirks and a couple of functions that could be added or made better, but overall I'm extremely comfortable using it (I sometimes suspect too much for my own good!). And of course lots of helpful, worthwhile members - that's what makes a web community, so give yourselves a pat on the back.
Here's a couple of features I would like to see: 1) The ability to re-post a running classified ad back on the New Today page at any time for the usual charge; 2) A feedback system that calculates total ratings by unique posters only, instead of a simple aggregate - especially since, unlike a primarily auction-based, transactor-mediated site like ebay, the classified transactions that make up the bulk of A'gon trading are not verifiable, and anybody (even, in theory, somebody you haven't actually comsumated any business with) is free to access the feedback feature and post as many times as they like.
I would also like to see a catagory for Music Reviews!
A'gon's the best, and still my only - Hear Hear! |
I second Zaikesman, I would like to see something beyond the MUSIC discussion forum in the way of music reviews.
Let each member assemble a virtual library to go along with their virtual system. Let it contain reviews in a well structured format that includes comments, a personalized wish list assembled from other people's reviews, a print feature for trips to the audio store, and a link feature for purchasing on line.
Add the special interactive features that make the virtual system feature so enjoyable to use. |
I love this site. My petty recommendations would be to search classfieds by price range, indicate new discussion forum posts in such a way that would indicate if any new posts were added since last visit before opening, placing the Wanted To Buy section after the classifieds and before the discussion forums as I find myself in a very different mind set going from buying and selling to discussions, adding a rating scale for manufacturers, dealers and distributors regarding customer service and reliability issues, creating a suggested template for reviews (then current state of reviews is wanting) and adding a serial # field to the classifieds. |
I second Matty. It would be great to search the classifieds by price range.
This is the only site I frequent. Everything and, more importantly, everybody is here. Other sites are tough to navigate and use. Bravo!
For anyone reading this who has not joined into any discussions yet, jump on in! The water's fine. |
This site is great, coming from the standpoint of an audiophile. When I first discovered it I was addicted, every day for hours, answering threads starting them. Ive bought several things. Posted stuff for sale. It would be nice to go to browse, click category, and then click manufacturer, Say speakers,B&W, then all B&W speakers for sale would come up. Same for amps or anything else. This is good if your looking for a particular brand.
Also It would be great if Audiogon had a live chat room, so all audiophiles could get instant answers to questions and sellers and buyers could do quicker business. If it was based like the MSN chat rooms, that would be great. Speaker chat, amp chat, etc What do you think? |
It would be nice to be able to pull up "new 2 days" listings and then re-order them according to price high to low or vice-versa. |
I like the forums. In the olden days we would hang out at stores and talk audio with fellow 'philes, dealers, manufacturers' reps etc. Colorful characters and interesting ideas. Now, although I'm not necessarily persona non grata, I feel a little sheepish about visiting dealers since I do most of my shopping online. Audiogon has become a surrogate for this activity. Although it is a little impersonal you can't beat its operating hours. Perhaps pics of frequent contributors would be helpful!
From offline discussions I know that the regular posters, as good as they are, represent only the tip of the knowledge base iceberg that visits the site. Then as now, I mostly absorb the collected wisdom (with a grain of salt) but occasionally burp something out like this. I wish more people would post. |
Don't know why my post was deleted. I'll try again in case it was a mistake. If it was removed on purpose maybe Audiogon could tell me why.
I would like to see better ways to search the thread archives. Like by author and between certain dates as well as just key words. |
If you ask my wife, she'll tell you that AudiogoN is responsible for the "revolving door UPS policy" at our house, and why we now give "Mr. John" the UPS driver, a Christmas present every year.
On the right side, AudiogoN members have been informative, helpful and enlightening. I have had many an intersting exchange on these boards. I discovered Signal Cable products and Virtual Dynamics here, along with some GREAT DIY and tweaks. The down side is the need to fight the urge to buy into the "flavor-of-the-month" mentality with regards to digital gear and loudspeakers; as well as avoiding equipment bashing in order to justify what we are using. I have noticed this trend with regard to amplification. |
It would be nice to have a next 50 click at the top of the list not just the bottom, Would make things easier. |
Slipknot1, it appears a lot of people have discovered V-D here :-) |
I'd like to see the results of the disputes that many of us participate in.
I think this site is by far the easiest to navigate.
I still cant figure the Asylum out!
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Have a section with pictures and have an icon when pictures are included with the classified, Didnt they used to have that? |
