What's happened to the used high end market recently?? Sales are tough....:0(

@ghasley 

Everything you said in your above post makes some sense. However, I personally have NEVER stated that HEA is dead. The industry is certainly changing and is certainly contracting, at least in comparison to what it was in its hey day. ( Probably in the late 80's or early 90's) 
The fact is that there are certainly some VERY overpriced pieces for sale on all of these web sites...and in the B&M outlets. OTOH, I also notice that if something is considered well priced, its marketing time is usually fairly short. The lower priced items definitely have a larger market demographic than the higher priced items ( generally regardless of the discount from new pricing). 
My OP was asking what happened to the USED high end market and ....recently.

Agreed John. This is not a matter of argument and just a statement of the facts as they are.  High end is changing and for the good in my estimation.  Now is paying $10,000 for $40,000 speakers that reviewed very highly is a fair market price? Those that say so are just saying the fair market price is now in the tank.  We agree on that.  Perhaps we are all saying the same thing. 

@jmcgrogan2 

I would concede your points that some dealers use Audiogon today as a fully inflated classifieds listing rather than the clearinghouse for gear we all once experienced here. Much like the starting price in an auto negotiation rather than a congenial swap meet style pricing seen at audio clubs back in the day.

Sometimes I wish I wasn't so analytical. I deal with data.  My entire career has been trying to separate real facts from human perceptions in order to accurately predict consumer behavior. When I hear a group of 60 year olds discussing the gradual demise of Howard Johnsons, Steak & Ale and today the decline of Applebees or TGI Fridays I just chuckle. I close my eyes and think of an industry that once sold convenience and time rather than food and nourishment like the consumer base believed at the time.  Home meal replacement was a long trend that has reversed radically in that space.  The same goes for the IT industry.  Anyone remember Compaq, Sperry, DEC? Every kid in a Starbucks carries more computing power in their smartphone than utilized to put a man on the moon. In electronics...the list goes forever, Fisher, Marantz, Bozak, McIntosh, Klipsch and GE all were dominant players is audio making well though of products.....only McIntosh and Klipsch have remained relevant and they have done so quite differently.

So, please forgive me when I hear that an industry is dying or suffering that I immediately go into analysis mode. Is the industry dying, changing or being displaced. The answer is absolutely, all three apply and apply every day to every industry.  The energy business isn't dying because out of work coal miners say it is, manufacturing isn't dying because someone in one part of the world can manufacture steel more efficiently.  Commerce always dictates change, it always has and always will. Technological change has been happening since the the beginning of time, its happening right now.

Does music exist to serve audio equipment or is audio equipment there to serve the music?

See those prices ! You can buy a Mecedes Bens or a Audi 5 down payment on a house get back your money down the road