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Used stuff can be very good if you shop carefully. Christie AW3 platters and MUTs are very reliable and easy to rebuild and maintain. Same is true for Century projectors.

I usually have to buy my Dolby and DTS out of "B-Stock" which is factory refurbished product. They can't legally sell them as "new" even though they only use new parts to replace the defective components. The only used processors I ever bought were Dolby CP-50's and they are still working flawlessly. I changed a fuse in one of them about a week ago. That's the only "emergency" I have ever had with one of them (and it was because a card was installed upside down when we were resetting the levels).

Oh...I did get some used processors by Smart. They worked fine but I just didn't like them (Mod IIB and IIC). I love their music distribution amplifier, though (DA-226).

I only buy JBL loudspeakers and I only buy new ones.

Lenses - I used to buy used, but I'm rethinking that now. Especially scope lenses. I don't think I'll ever trust used lenses again.

Amplifiers - Most of my QSC 1400s are used and I've never had a problem with any of them.

My automations are always brand new because I like the Christie/Pennywise CA-21 and there aren't too many used ones on the market. However, I'll bet you could find some really nice used ones by Strong. (I buy new Component Engineering cue detector/failsafes FM-35).

However - Get MATCHING consoles, projectors, platters, etc so you only have to keep one spare parts inventory and also it makes it easier to train new projectionists if there is a general similarity across the systems.

You could buy out an entire setup from a cinema that closes down and then modify it to suit your particular needs and/or tastes.

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I agree. Lenses are one place that "oldies are not goodies". If used lenses are contemplated, be sure to test them in your theatre using the SMPTE 35-PA (RP 40) test film. IMHO, with today's "state-of-the-art" lenses, there is no excuse not to achieve the most critical resolution classification specified by SMPTE Engineering Guideline EG5 "Projected Image Quality of 70-, 35-, and 16-mm Motion-Picture Projection Systems". For "large appearing screen images" EG5 specifies a resolution of 80 lines/mm in the center, 56 lines/mm at the sides, and 48 lines/mm in the corners of the image. Old, used lenses may also have higher levels of flare than modern designs having better anti-reflection coatings.

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Adam Fraser www.pinestheatre.com