High End Amp Price Collapse musings

Most Audiophiles who know the difference between class A and D , etc, will pay a premium for their preference. The used prices will stay steady, imo, until the people who demand such dies off. If enough new audiophiles who care keep "sprouting up" through the years, expect steady pricing.

The general buyer who buys a Pioneer Elite receiver and streams "lossy" music from their phone to various rooms in their house will care less about amp class.

The thing about many of those big, heavy older Class A amps is that they were made so good. Think about it. Many people still have 1960’s and 70's McIntoshes at the heart of their system. That really says a lot.

We are in the digital age and innovation has already given us phones, computers, iPads, etc... that are smaller, more lightweight, and much more powerful in their usefulness. This is also happening in audio and is inevitable. It will take time, but the early adopters are now giving way to early majority. It is happening right now before our eyes! The life cycle has already started. There will always be laggards that will not give up what they know and love, but make no mistake the cycle is well underway.

As has already been pointed out, most manufactures are now making Class D and digital amps. These were not available from most of these manufacturers just 10 years ago. The cat is out of the bag and much effort, R&D, and general resource funds are being poured into improving the technology. This is not a fad, rather it is disruptive in nature and will reach wide scale usage in the future. Yes it will take time, but in the big picture 10-15 years is not very long.

@grannyring , Bill, how is this digital amp revolution different from the digital source revolution of the 80's? 
I mean it's not like CDP's killed vinyl. Maybe they did for a while, but there has been a resurgence in vinyl in the last 15-20 years.

While I'm sure that Class D technology will improve over the next decade or so, I don't see it affecting the market for Class A SS amps and tube amps that much. Certainly not enough to where folks are dumping their $20K amps for pennies on the dollar.

Good question John. It has hurt and will continue to hurt vinyl. The latest hipster fad for turntables is a fad and will fade away. Steaming, Tidal, Roon, one box digital solutions etc... are absolutely eating away from vinyl, cds and the like. No doubt about it.

I am not saying folks are dumping their amps, though many of us have, but I am saying they will be replaced with these new generation of amps over the next 10-15 years. Except for the laggers as it is with all real innovation and change.

I am a tube amp lover and will always have one. I love building and modifying tube gear, but it is a hobby and interest of mine. In terms of sound my digital amp/pre/dac/room correction unit simply sounds better than my pride and joy tube amp build. I have more emotional investment in it, but I know it does not sound as good in terms of fidelity.