Max Fair Price for Mint Pair of RSIIbs?

[Maxamillion]

After my very positive experience with my flea market RS5bs, I am looking for a pair of some RSIIbs (as those are the biggest that pass the WAF test), and am wondering what the Infinity experts feel is the most you would pay for a pair in perfect condition (no foam rot, no nicks, no dings, no burnt mids/tweets, perfect grills and fully functioning EQ unit).
I'm thinking $1500 - agree or disagree?

[Tedrick]

That's about right, although I might go a tad higher for truly perfect condition.

[Maxamillion]

I notice you have both an RSIIb and what looks like an RSIIIb in your avatar. I was wondering: how would you compare the sound from the two? I expect the RSIIb is "better" but how exactly?

[Manuel64]

I saw an RS IIb listed for $1895 on CL a few weeks ago. These looked like they were in perfect condition. I was seriously considering buying these, as I would like either a pair of RS IIb's or Renaissance 90's for a dedicated listening room that I plan to make soon; either model would nicely complement my Crescendo CS-3009's that I use in my home theater setup. My wife and I are planning on purchasing a larger house this coming year and I thought that I could keep the RS IIb's in my garage until we had the extra room; but being that my garage is already full of stuff, my wife did not like the idea of another large pair of speakers taking up space. The RS IIb's are probably the largest speakers that my wife will accept(in a seperate and hopefully unseen room of course). In her mind, anything bigger than bookshelf size, is too big. Hopefully, one of these two excellent models is available at a decent price this coming Spring.

[Tedrick]

I notice you have both an RSIIb and what looks like an RSIIIb in your avatar. I was wondering: how would you compare the sound from the two? I expect the RSIIb is "better" but how exactly?
You are correct, those are IIb's and IIIb's in my avatar.

The IIb's, as you'd expect, do most things better than the IIIb's: the bass is deeper and more extended and the soundstage is bigger. The biggest difference is in the mids. With three planar midrange drivers compared to one dome mid in the IIIb's, the midrange presence and richness is much nicer on the IIb's. But that's not meant to downplay the IIIb's, as they are fantastic speakers in their own right, and I've no plans to move mine on any time soon.

[Tedrick]

I saw an RS IIb listed for $1895 on CL a few weeks ago. These looked like they were in perfect condition.

Yes, there's been a pair listed on the Tampa CL for the last several weeks.

[Manuel64]

Yes, there's been a pair listed on the Tampa CL for the last several weeks.

Yes, that's the pair that I was looking at. I live nearby to Tampa, so it would have been an easy pickup. I haven't seen them listed lately, so they may have been sold. I'm pretty sure that whoever purchased them, probably didn't pay $1895 for them. I would have offered $1600 to $1700. I saw a pair of original Kappa 9's for $1500 a couple of days ago on CL, but the Kappas are not on my list of desired speakers, since they do not use Emims. My wife would probably prefer that I find a Renaissance 90, since it's smaller than the RS IIb. I'm willing to wait a bit longer for my listening room speakers, since anything that I buy now would be put in storage for several months anyway. Of course, if the right deal comes around this Winter, I'll be on it.

[Maxamillion]

but to ship those to me would be minimum $700 by ground, and they are a bit high for 25 year old speakers, I think.

Which brings up a question: if I wanted to ship something like those speakers several hundred miles, what carrier would you guys recommend (UPS, Fed-Ex, DHL, etc.) and is ground OK or is air preferred. I've heard many horror stories about shippers - is there a general consensus as to which is the least horrifying?

[RichPA]

As a value question, this has to go here, in Dollars and Sense.

[himm37]

but to ship those to me would be minimum $700 by ground, and they are a bit high for 25 year old speakers, I think.

Which brings up a question: if I wanted to ship something like those speakers several hundred miles, what carrier would you guys recommend (UPS, Fed-Ex, DHL, etc.) and is ground OK or is air preferred. I've heard many horror stories about shippers - is there a general consensus as to which is the least horrifying?

I don't know the size and weight on those, FedEx Ground goes up to 150 lbs, and a fairly large size limit. BUT by the time you pay someone to pack them correctly, and pay the oversize rate on 2 boxes, it probably won't be (much) less the FedEx Freight, on one pallet, MUCH safer! If you know the specs, you can rate it both ways at their site.