100% second hand. Like others have said, no way I’d have been able to afford what I’ve got new when it was released.
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I’ve only ever bought two pre loved pieces of kit, everything else has been brand new. The first was a Naim SNAPS to go with my 42.5/110 way back around the mid 1980’s. It was later replaced with a new HICAP. The second was a 140 power amp to power the rear surround channels in our DVD5/AV2 set-up that we had back then, around 2006 I think. Both were purchased from a dealer.
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Generally new as I tend to p/ex my old Naim gear. My NAC552 was a ex demo from my dealer traded in my 253.
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A mix. nd5xs2 and nait 50 were new, as well as phoenix net and zenith.
Some items were not on my radar as new ones. E.g. nd555 was never in focus, until an offer came up, same with 552 - with 500 I was also in discussions buying new, but a nice offer came up at the right time.
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My system is very much a mix of used and new. My Orbe was bought new (it’s the AC motor) but the SME V was used. My Hegel Viking was bought new as were the Michael Fidler MC phono and Michael Fidler headphone amp. Speakers were bought used but the Epic X cables were new, both REL subs were bought used. The 282 and 250DR were bought used as were the 2 HiCap DR’s. All the Vertere Redline interconnects were bought new but all the Redline power cables were bought used. Buying in this way has got me a top flight system for less than half the cost of buying new. To give you an example, the pair of Sopra N2’s cost me £5,700 and were just one year old when i bought them. New at the time would have set me back £16,000. Plus of course they were already well run in (especially the tweeters). I don’t see me changing my buying pattern moving into the future either.
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Similar to many posters here, both.
Approximately 6 years ago, the whole system was new from a great dealer. I have enjoyed it tremendously since then however I have started to make some serious tweaks recently.
All the power cables I have recently bought, together with the Shunyata Denali have been bought used, as new condition and at a considerable discount from list price.
I’m currently auditioning a set of YG Acoustics Talus speakers together with a full loom of Cardas Clear Reflection.
The speaker are ex demo, as good as new condition and hardly used since manufacture.
From what I heard yesterday and so far this morning, it looks like they are going nowhere 
Fortunately, at a serious price reduction from list.
If you do your research and buy used from reputable dealers and sellers, it’s a great way to get items and save.
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Most of stuff was bought new on retirement. I have bought some new pieces in the last few years also. I’m not averse to second hand but have difficulty identifying availability of pieces around southern Portugal. One downside of living in the sun. 
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I mostly buy ex-demo kit from a Naim dealer these days. Without doing so i’d never be able to afford the kit i currently now own. All of my kit has been absolutely faultless, and long may these ex-demo dealer discounts continue.
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Both:
Esoteric pre: 2nd hand, bought from dealer
Naim amp: ex-display
Kudos speakers: ex-display
Esoteric DAC/streamer: new, reasonable discount
Esoteric power supply: 2nd hand, bought from dealer
Rega turntable: new, reasonable discount
Esoteric phono: ex-display
Shelter cartridge: new, bought from Japan at 1/2 price vs buying here
Perlisten sub: new, 50% discount
Manley headphone amp: new, cost price (bought when I worked hi-fi retail many years ago)
Yamaha headphones: new, bought from Japan at 1/2 price vs buying here
HiFiMan headphones: new, almost half-off
ZMF headphones + upgraded cable: new, manufacturer direct
Lavri headphone cable: new, manufacturer direct
Shunyata XLR cable: new, reasonable discount
AV Options XLR cable: new, manufacturer direct
Atlas XLR cable: second hand, from owner
Tellurium Q speaker cable: second hand, from owner
Crystal Cable RCA cable: new, 50% discount
Shunyata power distributor: ex-display
Shunyata power cables: new, reasonable discount
Siltech power cable: new, 50% discount
Crystal Cable power cables: new, 50% discount
Atlas power cable: 2nd hand, bought from dealer
Innuous server: ex-display
Network Acoustics ethernet system: new, manufacturer direct
I think that’s pretty much everything of note. Most things I got at very good prices otherwise I wouldn’t have the gear in the first place.
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That’s a mighty impressive list.
Sometimes opportunities arise and it’s ’right place and time’
Great system you have there.
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I generally prefer to buy new, but am pretty good at hunting down/negotiating deals. Right now everything but my Atom (which was acquired from someone I knew and was only a couple of years old & absolutely mint) was bought new.
Comparing list prices to what I paid I managed to save 37.5%, which is pretty decent.
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My setup is mostly all preloved except the Turntable.
Technics SL-1200gr2 > Rega Aria > CDX > XPS > NDX2 > Supernait 2 > HiCap DR > Rega RS5’s.
When I’m due for retiring I’ll probably treat myself to something new, but I have done a lot of box switching etc. I’ll probably upgrade the NDX-2 with a pre loved PSU quite soon.
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For me it depends and it has changed over time. Buying second hand or ex- demonstration from a Naim dealer had gotten me some good prices with no worries about resale value dropping the moment the sale completes. With extensive demonstration and confidence I will own a product for a long time then I became more comfortable buying new. I doubt I would ever buy a turntable second hand.
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Nap250 and NSC222 bought as Grade A Naim refurbished at half list price.
Kudos 606s bought from reputable dealer at half price.
Best deal however was NPX300 bought from a dealer in Oz brand new for under £2.5k.
As a rule I never buy new as I suffer from upgradeitis but the last bit of kit was too good to miss!
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