Why is there so much Rowland gear for sale?

On Rowland: if you look at many "hi end" markets, not just audio, you can see this initial erosion in consumer confidence and buying power. For instance, last month wine auctions at ChristiesNY were off considerably on Bordeaux even though bottles submitted for auction were also up precipitously. Certainly, the richest will keep buying the Screaming Eagle Cabernets, but Rowland is not a Japanese AudioNote Kondo SE amp, and the wealthiest discriminate against the difference in terms of cache (which, without commenting on the relative merits of a Kondo vs. a Tenor, can be translated as, what will produce another of my socio-economic stata to covet what I have). Rowland falls in the demographic of upper middle class to upper-upper middle class, as far as price goes. It is this strata that is just beginning to feel the erosion that is moving up from the bottom stratas - even as the upper middle class deny it in default to the droning light ray connected from FOX News to their foreheads.

I can not say for certain that the Rowland situation here is necessarily following this trend, but many other such products are following similar arcs and market weakeness trends on ebay.

If there are any collectors out there with other hobbies, I would like to hear their comments on this.

Ohn: you are a paragon of restraint :0)

Can't speak of other markets but audio has been experiencing attrition for 10 years or more. Some of us have died and others have lost jobs, lost interest or succumbed to divorce, computer or home theater distractions or insufficient funds to continue reinvesting endlessly. When high-end audio was growing the "carrot" proffered by TAS might have cost $20K, more than most of us could afford but within dreaming range. When that "carrot" moved to a point well beyond our mortgages, many of us despaired of ever being able to so much as dream of reaching for it. Some lost interest at that point. Who wants to participate in a game from which they are clearly disqualified.
Since Bush (not Osama) pulled the rug from under Clinton's economy, there are a tremendous number of white collar casualties who have to decide between their kid's tuition and their prized sound system. Or maybe it's health care or mortgage payments that force that decision.
In any case, we are losing brethren by the score and their detritus is beginning to clutter Audiogon with many a glorious piece at ever descending prices. Rowland is only one of many.

Incidentally, I think it unlikely that any of you little boys would want a Harley if it didn't make noise. If not for U.S. government intervention, market forces would have eliminated HD years ago. They can't compete fairly with the Japanese as their products are dollar for dollar vastly inferior. All they are is noise and myth. That said, I will repeat that McIntrash is the perfect corollary in the audio world. Perhaps Crown is the Indian.
No complaints about my reference to the Dead being like Mac and HD?

mac,the dead,harley...all are recession proof enigmas...they all have an intangible that many others don't....rowland is great stuff but at the end of the day its still just another high priced amp without the mythology when it comes time to move on....all myths contain at least a little truth...

jrd -- I agree completely that all myths contain a kernel of truth. In the case of the Dead, Harley and McIntosh those kernels are old and dried up. Rowland is still vital and emerging where the sun has set on the others and only nostalgia or ignorance sustains their vestiges.