What's up with the price of Vintage equipment?

Having heard and sold many large Advents back in the day at Tech Hifi, many including myself preferred Ohm model Ls to the Advents. Those were designed specifically to take on the Advents but in a smaller package.

I still have my Ohm Ls that I refurbed myself a few years back. Also have newer Ohm Walsh and KEFs. Both are better. Have also owned Magnepan, B&W, Boston and others. Each were at least 1 up on the old Advents.

You can still buy upgrades for ohm Ls and most every other Ohm model ever sold since the early 70s. The upgrades take each up several levels to compete better with other more modern designs.

I’m sure armed with the right smarts one could take old Large Advents to a higher level these days as well.

Yes quality of home sound has advanced considerably over the last 50 years or so. Should not come as a surprise.

@mapman 

Yes, I well remember Tech Hi-Fi and the Ohm's - they had several great speakers. It's funny now, but we used to sell Cerwin Vega's against them! They didn't sound better, but the Vega's had a 15 inch woofer and people (teens mostly) thought, well, they HAVE to sound better with a 15 inch woofer! Well, they did sound pretty good with Disco. Live and learn. 

As the OP, I think the consensus is, the old stuff is brought for nostalgia and looks mainly. Perhaps as a second system also? Again, there is some great old stuff, I had some B&K amps and Hafler pre-amps that would give some stuff today a run for their money.

My first "audiophile" amplifier was a Sansui AU-9500 that I purchased in the early 70's. I loved everything about it, right down to the feel of the knobs and switches.

I can't remember what I paid for it. Perhaps around $650 CDN, but today they are selling for around $1,400, up to over $2,000 on some sites.

I haven't heard one since I sold it and I think I will keep it that way. Why spoil a good memory.

@deadhead1000 vintage audio is pre-BPC and digital/cd. most 80s gear isnt considered vintage. 

the prices had been steadily climbin and the past two years they just shot into the stratosphere. 

there were better speakers than large advents in the 70s, and the advents sold like crazy. i think biggest selling speaker ever. 

hey, a lot of vintage gear sounds good, performs well, is serviceable and looks great.  

Price of everything is crazy nowadays product of the times, Covid etc. etc. Second observation and I truly believe this if you bought well engineered well designed very high end in the late 70s 80s it is still relevant by today’s standards. I happen to like vintage because in someways I am vintage. I like the finish the well-made craftsmanship the woodwork it’s like fine furniture, if you pair that with exotic vintage amplification etc. your stil the envy of many…not that that matters, to each his own.