2. misc-audio
  3. 135539-76532

High End is Dead?

Browsing used audio sites such as Audiogon and the Marts, high end gear ads are dominated by several dealers. Non-dealer ads are usually people trying to push 15+ year old off-brand junk at 60-70% of MSRP (when they were new). They don't sell anything. You could slash Wilsons, Magicos, etc, 50% off retail and no one will buy them.

No one buys if it costs more than 1k. It's not that they're not interested -- the ads get plenty of views. It's that the asking prices are just way over the ability of buyers to pay. Fact is, if you see a high end piece for sale it's probably by a dealer, often times trying to push it at 15% off retail because its a trade in, but also often they are taking a good chunk off the price 30, 40 sometimes 50% off. They can be famous brands with a million positive reviews. No buyers.

Are we just poor, and that's all there is to it? 
madavid0

Showing 1 response by skiroe

skiroe's avatar
skiroe
131 posts
 
I have just moved out of the bay area north 3 hrs or so.  First time home buyer and learned my lesson about not thinning the herd before leaving. Sold my Burgess 2a3  but wound up shipping 20 boxes or so of just hi fi.  6 factory boxes of speakers alone. 
And now checking ebay just to see what the market is bearing on value of Nak RX505 and there are decks going for upwards of $500 ,  $1000's even , if I recall correctly.  Although Im sure the seller who is asking $1k plus for a pristine vintage Nakamichi is going to wait quite awhile .   One deck went for just over 400 and it had an issue  or 2 and cosmetics of 6 .   It depends very much on what is being sold  of course and certainly that we are a sub culture of music afficionados while the majority of the population are listening via disposable  Best Buy systems.    
More to discover