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

When the time approaches, I will not "go gentle into that good night".  I will enjoy my over-engineered, tube-burning two-channel system with unrestrained satisfaction. I will avail myself of excellent, used gear whenever the desire take me, and I will do so without distraction of current "trends".  "Rage, rage against the dying of the light" and drive those deeply discounted vintage mono-blocks into the good night.

While all of the responses have a real foundation, I believe a key reality is missing from them.  Just as the used car market and dollar store sales/stock goes up in tough times/recession, with a corresponding drop in New car sales and designer store sales, such as bed bath and beyond....the same is true across markets.  We are in relatively good times compared to the recession.  During the recession, used products took on greater value as people held onto whatever money they had, avoiding new hi cost purchases.  Now that times are better in comparison, used sales are less robust, as people are more inclined to buy what they want new, with a strong dab of price shopping and caution.  Ofcourse, the caveat here, is that audio is not a necessity, especially where family concerns come into play.  The best time to sell your older gear and buy new replacement, may well be on the cusp of, or tail end of recession, for these reasons.

  I am a person who has loved music for many years. My present system gives me great listening pleasure. I own a BAT-VK500,Krell CDplayer, KEF speakers,Basis Ovation turntable,McIntosh tuner,Nightigale cartridge,DaCapo cartridge, Cardas cable,DCCA cable,Purist Audio cable,HiFi tuning fuses , and a Krell  KRC-HR preamp, a very huge CD and  vinyl collection.
   At this stage of my life,I have every intention to enjoy, what I have,and not look to change,just because something is new. In the higher end systems,the bang for the buck is very small.

  

 Reality sucks. Like when you don’t get what you think is a fair price. Here or on eBay. Then the question turns to sell it or keep it for a second system? Of course it depends. 

How can we determine a fair price? Is the auction method a better way?