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I was interested in an AP160 at one stage and indeed I was the high bidder on an auction for one (US$14,000)
Unfortunately the person selling it was dodgy and Herb York cancelled the auction when I emailed him with my concerns and banned the guy from the site. He may've been OK but with those sorts of sums involved I wasn't willing to take the risk. I was ripped off once early on from a guy on Astromart. I bought an ST10XME and he gave me all sorts of excuses.It never arrived. I made him pay me back. He paid me back about half over a few years and then stopped. He was a previous bankrupt as well. So its better to be cautious rather than burnt.
The guy selling me the AP160 was in bankruptcy court, the scope was really his father-in law's who did not advertise the scope. The seller did not have possession of the scope - it was at his father inlaw's place. I talked to both on the phone. His father in law had the scope as the bankrupt did not want to have to declare the income to the bankruptcy court. So you can see it was an unstable situation. I thought - well lets see if I can turn the tables on trust - I'm the one with 70 5 star ratings, so I asked him if he would ship it to me and I would pay once it arrived. Oh no - you kidding was his response so it ended there. It was a big ask for someone to ship and then be paid but then he wanted me to pay and hope he ships. I never saw that one advertised again.
I decided my AP140 and reducer fits a certain niche in my imaging, I have the TEC180 which would probably be a better scope than the AP160 (who knows, either way it would be close). Also I know of someone who has an AP160 who isn't that happy with it. AP155 is the one to get. Roland only made the AP160 as he could not get the glass to do the AP155 anymore. So the air spaced AP160 triplet was different glasses and a solution to that problem. Knowing Roland it was an upgrade as well. But you be the judge looking at images.
The absolute best I have seen are the AP155's. Mike's AP152 is also a gem. My AP140 is a gem (its a resized AP155, same tube) and the reducer is the best in the business.
Greg.
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