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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:

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. 
fleschler
2,021 posts
 
Just met a guy working for Best Buy (computers) who said he ripped his 1500 CDs to a computer drive and sold his CDs.  He hopes to one day purchase LPs and a turntable when he can afford it.   
phantom_av's avatar
phantom_av
326 posts
 
The younger generations just cant justify their money on High End Audio. Most prefer travelling, living luxurious life styles, buying expensive clothing going to parties and expensive nights out etc etc. House Prices are going up, Salaries are not following the middle class is shrinking etc etc. 


orpheus10
8,668 posts
 

Ronald Reagan sold trickle down economics and the rich became richer at the expense of the middle class; now there is no middle class and poverty is working it's way up the ladder of success, but no one is paying any attention until it reaches them.
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