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  3. 135539-76532

High End is Dead?

Browsing used audio sites such as Audiogon and the Marts, high end gear ads are dominated by several dealers. Non-dealer ads are usually people trying to push 15+ year old off-brand junk at 60-70% of MSRP (when they were new). They don't sell anything. You could slash Wilsons, Magicos, etc, 50% off retail and no one will buy them.

No one buys if it costs more than 1k. It's not that they're not interested -- the ads get plenty of views. It's that the asking prices are just way over the ability of buyers to pay. Fact is, if you see a high end piece for sale it's probably by a dealer, often times trying to push it at 15% off retail because its a trade in, but also often they are taking a good chunk off the price 30, 40 sometimes 50% off. They can be famous brands with a million positive reviews. No buyers.

Are we just poor, and that's all there is to it? 
madavid0
craigl59
307 posts
 
flescher
42,000 records and CDs! How do you store and access them? Only have about 2500 CDs and find it is necessary to spend some time with organization -- even though they are all ripped in JRiver. Hardly ever need to access the original source.
You must have a warehouse somewhere. Or, perhaps, some hired musicologists to help you with playback.
fleschler
2,021 posts
 
I built my house with a dedicated music room 25' X 23' with an 8' X 6' equipment alcove.  Unfortunately, I kept buying records and CDs since 1993 when I moved in.  I built in seismic reinforced shelving along most of three walls (worked great in the 1994 Northridge earthquake), I have 10 drawers from CAN-AM for CD storage and several racks on the walls for additional storage (overage).  I also have about 2,500 LPs and 2,000 78s in a storage building I installed in 1998.  So, yes, I have several 1000s too many records.  I sold 18,000 records in the past.  I have a rule for myself, if I don't potentially want to hear a recording three times annually, out it goes.  Those 2,000 78s are for sale for $1,000.  They weigh a ton.

As to knowing where my recordings are, over 75% are in alphabetical and/or label order by music type (rock, opera, vocalists, pop, jazz, instrumentalists, etc).  Also, about 70% are listed alphabetically on computer files in order per music type.  Now that I have so many business responsibilities, I have less time to edit my computer files.  I just spend 1.5 hours nightly listening to music and whenever I can grab more time, such as on weekends.

Actually, I have friends who have warehouses filled with records.  Tom Null (owner Varese Sarabande/Newport Classics) has over a million stored nearby, the late Rod Mckuen (who hired a staff for his huge collection), the late Music Man Murray and another late collector-seller in San Bernardino had over a million records each (their collections were purchased by the Brazillian collector who has at least 8 million records). 

My friends who are mastering engineers Kevin Gray, Steve Hoffman and Robert Pincus should keep at least a carton of each of their remasterings in a warehouse.  It would have made them rich if they did-note the prices of DCC LPs and CDs alone. 
craigl59
307 posts
 
Fascinating. Great to hear a behind-the-scenes inventory. Myself, enjoy the capability of taking my entire collection from summer to winter places on a Crucial 2tb drive. But we all must be a little envious of your hoard.
craigl59
307 posts
 

flescher:

Meant to add that you can add your own categories in JRiver in order to organize your collection (called a Library here). So, I define each rip with the qualifiers "genre" and "period" and can then use the advanced menu creation ability to search on these items nested in any order.

So, if you are in a mood for romantic music, you go to that menu then choose from the subheadings for "Orchestral," "Choral," et al. The picture of the albums available then appears with all of the track info.

Works great for large collections and allows you to custom tailor your collection according to your particular listening habits. No matter how orderly my CDs are grouped, I still could not access them in this friendly a fashion.

fleschler
2,021 posts
 
I cannot spend time ripping my LPs and 78s.  I have a life other than audio.  I could rip my 7,000 CDs but I don't want to bother doing that either.  I have friends who primarily play only digital hi-res rips and streaming.  One has over 350,000 music files and sells high end audio.  Thanks for your advice but I really enjoy holding the LP/78/CD in my hands and reading CD booklets.  For younger people with smaller collections ripping to a digital file can be rewarding in simplicity in finding music and portability. 
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