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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 2 responses by theothergreg

theothergreg
222 posts
 
I live in the San Francisco Bay Area and we have a lot of dynamics which are affecting the high-end market. That $72k average household income does not go very far here. The high cost of living means that people have less disposable income. Here are a couple of recent examples (and, unfortunately, these stories no longer surprise those of us who live here):

https://www.mercurynews.com/2018/04/19/burned-shell-of-a-home-sells-for-more-than-900000-in-san-jose...

https://www.mercurynews.com/2018/04/16/condemned-house-sells-for-1-2-million-fremont/

Also, because of the cost of living, it’s not unheard of people have 2 hour commutes to work. Once they get to work, most people are working extended hours to keep up with their peers and also avoid peak commuting traffic. Those who choose to live closer to employment centers typically have less space to accommodate a large audio system and have shared walls which limit the volume at which you can play a system.

Time for shopping is also compromised. If you go to brick and mortar retails stores or malls, you don’t see a lot of shoppers walking around. People tend to buy online (convenience) and try to save money (comparison shop, free shipping and no tax).

One thing we do have is nice weather and plenty of ways to enjoy it. On weekends, a lot people tend to go outside and pursue some other activity. The roads and trails are filled with bikers and hikers, and parks are busy with people playing soccer and baseball or just lounging on grass enjoying the weather.

All this equates to less time, money and desire to buy a high-end system. The premium is on low cost, convenience and portability. The result is that a store that opened in 1950 just closed a couple of weeks ago and would not be surprised if others are close behind.


theothergreg
222 posts
 
@acman3

That's great that you helped your SIL to get his system going. Introducing the next generation to the capabilities of HEA is the way to keep it alive.

My youngest son loves music and has a pretty nice setup in his bedroom with a Parasound HINT and Rega RP6 with a Clearaudio Maestro V2 cart.  As a teenager, he has around 75 of his own albums and access to my collection, as well.  His favorites to listen to are The Beatles, Billy Joel, David Bowie, Dire Straits and other classics.  Though his mom often tells him to turn down his music when it gets a little loud, it just makes me smile.
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