Every now and then, we get an extraordinary product pop up in our pre-owned department…
…and what better example than this pair of Focal Grande Utopia 111 EM speakers. When we sold this pair in 2009, they retailed for $295,000. The current version, the Grande Utopia EM EVO‘s, will set you back a cool $450,000. So, this pair, in mint condition, priced at only $135,000, is a relative bargain!
Len Wallis Audio has always accepted trade-ins when clients are upgrading their systems. This is a win-win situation. Firstly, the client updating their system does not have to worry about disposing of their equipment, and the price they receive as a trade-in lessens the financial burden of their new upgrade. And Second, it allows someone else access to perfectly good equipment they may not have been able to afford if purchasing new equipment. And the savings can be substantial – for example, save $315,000 on a pair of Focal Grande Utopia’s!
There are also other benefits of our preloved department, and one of those is environmental. I don’t particularly appreciate seeing good equipment, with plenty of life left in it, sitting on the footpath waiting on council cleanup. We send enough stuff to landfill without adding equipment that could still provide someone with years of enjoyment. To be honest, a twenty-year-old amplifier will still sound much the same as it did 20 years ago and is no worse than many of the amps built today.
This distaste of seeing good equipment scrapped has led to yet another positive. While we encourage people to trade back their existing equipment, we know that there are situations where the individual involved is not investing in anything new. Again, we say, please don’t throw it out. You can donate it at Len Wallis Audio; we will test, service if necessary and then on-sell your unneeded equipment and donate the proceeds, after deducting a small percentage to cover warranties etc., to charity. This has proven to be a fantastic incentive. It helps keep good equipment out of landfill, it provides good quality gear to people who may not have been able to afford it, but most importantly, the money goes to those that can really use it. Our charities of choice are Variety, the Children’s Charity, and the Wayside Chapel in Potts Point. For example, during the last few years alone, we have contributed $35k in donations to Wayside (our heartfelt thanks to those that have already contributed to this cause).
The Focal speakers mentioned above are an extreme example of what comes through our door. We carry around 100 pieces of preloved pieces at any time, ranging from the very affordable to uber impressive pieces such as the Focals. All have been checked, all are in working order (unfortunately, we do have to send equipment to recycling if it is irreparable, but that is still better than ending up in a landfill), and it all comes with a warranty.
With pre-owned, there are always great opportunities to upgrade old equipment or purchase that much-wanted hero component (or speakers) at an affordable price.
I didn’t know about your charity work.
I am super impressed by your initiative. Another reason why Len Wallis Audio is at the top of their game. Well done guys.