When is used used up?

Players with motors can wear out, like turntables and CD players. Plus, CD players have lasers that, like light bulbs, eventually burn out and need replacement. Electrolytic caps in amplifiers can dry out, though modern ones are much better than in days of old. The key to these is if they have been kept in use so as retain their form; amps which have been stored a long time without use are more prone to cap problems than are those that have seen regular use so I always check on this point. Resistors can drift off value, zener diodes can crap out. Speakers are a mixed bunch; I've heard 40 year old speakers that sound fine, their cones and surrounds are still intact. I have also experienced a complete dust bowl blow out when a ten year old speaker was fired up that was working fine a day ago. Perhaps cables are more dependable components simply because they have the fewer "moving parts."

Rant: old crap listed "AS NEW". One problem with buying used is knowledge. If you do not know when a product was manufactured, you are blind.
Finding out, or knowing is very important when shopping used electronics. When I see an ad for a product, and i know it is 25 years old, I just have to laugh at the seller making comments like.. hardly used, or, like new. The best, most recent ad that makes me barf was for an Aiwa cassette deck. The model in question was made around 1982/1984. So this item up for sale is over 25 years old. If it was sitting around, it is junk, if it was used all that time, it is worn out! no way are parts available, and no way is any of the rubber stuff, belts gonna work more than a few days.
So this item is really just junk.
Or any product.. It seems finding out how old the item is can be difficult, and often the seller just makes stuff up. I bought a Furman, the seller said it was only about 18 months old. Inside it has a manufacture date, FIVE and a half years old. It is just human nature to bend the truth. but when the bending is ten years.. twenty years.
Way too many items are things like this. Ten years old and eight owners.. found it in a rummage sale, it came from a hurricane, got washed off, dried out and hey! it works.
So the quality of the seller is just as important as the item, if you want to get a fair deal, and not a mistake. I try to buy from folks who post, besides just buy and sell. That is why AudiogoN is so much better that eBay. You can get a glimpse of the seller.. sometimes. At least heree on the goN'.

If it was sitting around, it is junk, if it was used all that time, it is worn out!
Elizabeth (Threads | Answers)

I'm just curious for your opinion on a Yamaha cassette deck I've had since I purchased it new in mid 1980s (I'd have to do some research to get the exact year).

It was hardly used in the past ten years, but it did work perfectly. It has been boxed up for the past five years.

Would you say this unit is junk?

If so, would you explain why you have this opinion?

Thanks.

TVAD-- I defer to the responses of Elizabeth and Stevecham.

TVAD-- I defer to the responses of Elizabeth and Stevecham.
Garn509 (Answers)

No deferral necessary. I was asking Elizabeth.