Dennis, it's a difficult question to answer. 4+ years ago, I bought what was then the top of the line Onkyo receiver from an unauthorized dealer. I don't have much money so every dime is important. I was aware of the claim that Onkyo would not honor the warranty if something went wrong but chose to take the gamble. The doggone thing has performed flawlessly.
I've learned a lot more about electronics since then. Like Michael (Homedad) I've purchased refurbished receivers and DVD players, but in my case, from
eCOST.com, which, like Dakmart, is also an authorized dealer. I've heard horror stories about service from both eCOST and Dakmart, but my experiences with eCOST (3 of them) have all been positive.
Refurbs from eCOST are a little less expensive because they only have a 90 day warranty. Dakmart refurbs cost a little more because they provide a 1 year warranty. Since any problems the unit may have had have been addressed and corrected, many of us feel that a refurbished product is no more likely to fail than a new one. If a unit is going to fail, it will
probably do so within the first 90 days and, absent such failure, those of us who've gone this route have been completely satisfied with our refurbished purchase.
You bring up a good point about the reliability of equipment. While I don't disagree with John (Bridgman) about receivers being the most likely electronic to have a problem, in general, I think the percentage of them that fail, is relatively small. Question is, will the one you purchase be in that small percentage?
Today, I'd sooner go with a refurbished unit from an authorized dealer, than go with a new unit from an unauthorized dealer, but let's face it, either route is a gamble. You just have to decide if, to you, the gamble is worth it, and then you have to be willing to live with your decision.
