What's happened to the used high end market recently?? Sales are tough....:0(

I have 17 year old teen-age twins--both spin records. One owns 3 crates of records, the other owns 4 crates. Importantly, they were each gifted their first crate by a great friend of mine who used to be a college radio DJ. Steve is the man! In Dallas, several new record shops opened up in the last couple of years even as the largest CD shop, CD Source, shut down. Josey Records (which has a few locations) is mostly average used records, a serviceable amount of new records, some CDs, and a section that sells audio gear. The audio gear is pretty much entry level. The place is fairly busy and has a young crowd (teens and 20 somethings) and the Agon aged crowd (old guys). Very few people in the 30s and 40s crowd. Since most of us started with entry level gear (that is a sensible place to start IMO) HEA might simply need to wait for its up and coming customers to work their way towards higher end equipment over time. And we probably need to acknowledge that uber-expensive gear, like an uber-expensive car, is an ultra-luxury item. Not necessary for enjoying the audio journey: but a great ride when the chance to experience it comes along.

@jimman2 Thanks for this post. Well, at least they are spending hundreds of bucks in your shop! My boys are using a Music Hall 2.2MMF TT with the stock cartridge. They got it for Christmas several years back after asking me to drag out some vintage components I had in storage. Anyway, the path I'm seeing among their friends is they come over and hear my boys' setup. Most like it but aren't going to to do anything other than listen to free music through their laptop and earbuds. But, one friend, after hearing separates, cut a deal with his dad to work for half and his dad would cover the other half--he bought some entry level separates and an audiophile is born. That family has financial means. Another friend heard my boys' system and went home and dug out his grandfather's all-in-one record player. That family has limited means. But another audiophile is born. A glimmer of hope is out there!    

@daveyf I agree my previous 2 post didn't directly address your OP and instead responded to something else on the thread. Sorry about that. Please accept my apology. I think that there is an existing age, aging and income gap that is softening the used HEA market. I agree with points 1-4 above of @tutetibiimperes post. They seem spot on and are making the used market softer than what may have previously seemed normal. In order to have a robust used market you first need demand in the new market. The generation behind me isn't that interested in either new or used HEA equipment. Unless it is new headphones. The generation ahead of me is getting older (I'm 54yo), downsizing, and not buying as much new equipment it seems. The new market drives the used market. If we're not buying new stuff, then we're holding on to the old stuff and not replacing it with other used stuff either. This is the new normal. I will also point out that newer technology will continue to gut used prices, especially in the DAC category. The folks who paid for ultra-high end DACs appear to be struggling to get 50 cents on the dollar because those DACs SQ is being challenged at a much lower price points in the new DAC market.