Do you buy new, used or new or used gear?

Used. 99.999 percent of the time. In 40 years in this hobby I’ve only purchased 2 new items ever. They were a dac, and a cd transport. Purchases have mainly been, rec.audio.marketplace, 1990 to 1996, Audiogon, 96 to 2004, and USAM since 2004. Only had one issue, on AG when someone listed a brand new amplifier. Problem was he sold it to me, and then sold the same item to 12 other people. No one ended up with the amp. Completely fraudulent ad using fake ID. Every other purchase went off without a hitch. I must have purchased some 300 plus different components over 40 years. What can I say, other than clean living. 

I typically purchase used equipment, mostly in-state but have been known to take a road trip to pick up something. I've been lucky over the years using AGON / USAM and never had issues with fraud but a few with shipping.

I used to refer to myself as cheap, as I've matured, I would now classify myself as frugal.

I think that 90% of my stereo equipment was bought used. I'm my opinion you get more bang for your buck that way.

In the `70's & `80's I bought new or discounted new and some discontinued.  Since then my desires have gone further up the ladder than my budget so I buy used now.  

Unfortunately, there’s a lot of sameness in the answers, but I’ll add a little reasoning. I’m not afraid of pre-owned equipment. The bottom line is this, you never really know what it sounds like until it meets its brothers and sisters along the chain.

Why would I pay full price to find myself unhappy with the results as I have a number of times through the years and end up taking a beating making my mistake somebody else’s discounted Nirvana?

I can sell the pre-owned piece I just bought for pretty much the same I paid for it ( or take a little beating) and I can keep it moving.

What kind of schmuck would lose money when you don’t have to?

Because, unfortunately, there are not a lot of audio salons around me to audition or borrow a component anymore- and 8 out of 10 times, I’m now going on reviews I’ve read from reviewers that I happen to like and trust, for whatever reason. That can be all nice, however, while the piece they described worked really well with their $60,000 speakers and pretty perfect rooms - with my $4,000 speakers, the component sounded bright... or muddy or whatever.

Buying pre-owned gives you a little breathing room when you haven’t or couldn’t audition something that’s hot, say like..Klipsch Cornwall IV’s.

You might win, you might need to sell them. Get the best price and do the best you can.