what should I do?

[ubertar]

I saw this mic that looked interesting on ebay.
It's an AMR (audio media research) analyser mic,
ERO-10. In the ad, they said it had flat
response, which makes sense if it's a reference
mic.

I figured it must be an electret condenser, since
that's what's usually used that way. But it was
listed under the dynamic category, and I know
some dynamic mics have a fairly flat response (EV
RE-50).

So I emailed the seller, and he insisted it was a
dynamic mic and needed no phantom power or
battery. Later he put that in the listing itself.


The listing is here:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... %3AIT&rd=1

I won it and paid for it, but poking around the
web, I finally found some info on it. AMR is a
now defunct part of Peavey. At the Peavey site, I
found out that the ERO-10 is the same as the
PVR-1 and the spec sheet for the PVR-1 says it's
an electret condenser and needs phantom power.

I don't think I would have bid on it if I had
known this. I already have some decent electret
condensers. On the other hand, it's better than
the ones I have, and $50 for a mic that
originally sold for $200 isn't too bad. My
question is this: am I entitled to get some of
the money back if I want to keep the mic?

[marqueemoon]

My question is this: am I entitled to get some of
the money back if I want to keep the mic?

This is between you and the seller.

[industrystandard]

it's probably a take it or leave it kind of thing, unless you work out an outside of ebay deal.

you do have a good reason to refuse to buy it, though.

[marqueemoon]

it's probably a take it or leave it kind of thing, unless you work out an outside of ebay deal.

you do have a good reason to refuse to buy it, though.

That's what I was trying to say. You said it much better though.

[ubertar]

Thanks guys. That's pretty much what I thought. What I mean to ask is, not whether under ebay's rules or the law or whatnot am I entitled to anything, but do you think I'm justified in asking for something? If so, how much?
I know, ultimately, it's between me and the seller. I just want your opinion, so I don't make off the wall demands or not ask for enough.

[marqueemoon]

Thanks guys. That's pretty much what I thought. What I mean to ask is, not whether under ebay's rules or the law or whatnot am I entitled to anything, but do you think I'm justified in asking for something? If so, how much?
I know, ultimately, it's between me and the seller. I just want your opinion, so I don't make off the wall demands or not ask for enough.

Well I think under ebay's rules you would be entitled to bail on the transaction (or send the mic back for your money back if you already have it). The rest really is up to you because anything else you do falls outside of ebay's authority.

I would use the price of the Behringer ECM8000 as a starting point and tell the dude that if you wanted an electret omni condenser for cheap you could have bought one of those for 36 clams and see what he says.

[housepig]

I have to say, the time for research and questions is before you bid, not after.

As a seller, I do what I can to make sure something is accurate, and if I don't know something I will say so - but after the bidding is done, it's done.

You can't say for sure if the guy just didn't know what he was selling, or intentionally deceieved you (unless you see a previous example of the seller listing the same item with a correct description). If he's just clueless, I don't see a reason to cut you a deal - you did have the choice not to bid on it, or not to bid as much...

[ubertar]

That's true, but part of my research was asking the seller questions. There's not much info out there on this mic, it took quite a bit of digging to find anything, and why shouldn't I believe the guy when he says it's a dynamic? He could have said, "I think it's a dynamic" or "Shit, I don't know" and he'd be off the hook, but that's not what he said.
It's right there in the ad "dynamic, no battery or phantom power is required". I really don't think this guy was trying to be deceptive, but don't say something if you really don't know.
I guess I'll just tell him what I found out and see what he's willing to do.
It's a little ambiguous, but from the spec sheet it seems like it only needs phantom power for high impedance, but that doesn't make sense. Any condenser is going to need power. If it really doesn't, then I see how he could think it was a dynamic. Well, I'll find out when it gets here.

[ubertar]

Turns out he hasn't sent it yet, so he's sending me a refund check, less half of the listing fee (couple bucks). So it's all good.
Thanks, everyone who posted to this thread.

[housepig]

ubertar -

in between reading your post and replying, my brain must have hiccuped - I forgot the part about adding incorrect info to the listing.

so that would change it, IMO - you should get a refund, and balls to paying for his listing fee - if I knowingly put incorrect information on an auction and got called out for it, I'd refund the dough, no questions.

[ubertar]

Too late. I already agreed to it. Just two bucks, no big deal.