Should listings include the age of the item?

Elizabeth, just to be clear, you think the only people here are original owners or flippers? I'd have to disagree.

The amp I currently own is 19 years old, I bought it used, not from the original owner. My preamp is around 7 years old, I bought it used, not from it's original owner. The same can also be said for my speakers and turntable. I am not a flipper, I have owned this gear for over a year. I am not the original owner, nor did I buy used from the original owner. I hardly believe that I am in the minority here on Audiogon.

I can try my best to approximate the age of gear I posess, some I can ID by the serial number. Sometimes however, one just does not know how old a piece of gear is. If I do not know the age of an item, does that mean that I can not sell it? I think not, that's just illogical.

I do agree that there are much fewer pure hobbyists here today than there were years ago, but economic turmoils have been reflected in all facets of our society, not simply on Audiogon. Buyer Beware is more imporatant now than ever before, but I suspect it will only get worse until the bottom finally falls out.

This is a flipper, get yer facts straight!

Who are so-called "flippers" harming? Are "they" inflating prices or somehow hoarding rare gear? No, due to readily available market info they can't. "They" do however provide a "feel good" benefit to Serious Audiophiles who are insecure enough to need to invent a less worthy sub group of "people who often sell things to other people and maybe make money from the transaction." The need to establish one's self as a "Taste Meister" based on hanging on to your precious hifi because you like it seems silly...I've owned certain vintage guitars or amps for 40 years or more, or newer hifi things I found didn't suit my tastes, and from time to time wanted to move a few on to somebody else to fund something different for myself...some things have surprising "market based" increased value, and man did those guitars become pricey! YEAH. However, the new owner is likely happy happy happy. Nothing is sacred and the "Flippers" keep the FREE market supplied with things...although my taste and hands-on musical skills do actually make MY gear opinions Extremely Important...so there's that. With so many variables in used hifi gear market there is no specific or even general "bottom" to be falling out.

Elizabeth,

I'm not sure that I understand your derisive tone with regard to your comment about "flippers". I buy, restore and sell classic turntables, I am often offered items in trade for turntables or other gear, or if I decide to sell a piece of gear when I acquire another piece of gear; do these activities qualify me as a "flipper"?

I have no problem with your comments, but this seems a strange place to post this particular rant. Audiogon is, primarily, a marketplace for the buying and selling of used gear. Hence we are all "flippers", or at least we empower and encourage flipping through our forum discussions.

Bill