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Nature of the current used speaker market

What do you think of the current market for used speakers above the $6,000 price point?  It seems to me like the market is soft, really soft, since I keep seeing the same speakers posted for sale over and over again by the same seller.  And these are top flight speakers from solid manufacturers such as Focal, B&W, Rockport, Sonus Faber, etc.  Does this mean the number of audiophiles and audio enthusiasts is on the wane, or is there just a glut of used speakers for sale out there? 
mtrot
jhills
613 posts
 
As an aging audiophile, who over the years, has been more interested in building a well thought and cost coherent system that could produce an engaging performance, rather than spending ridiculous amounts of $$$ buying expensive gear to make other expensive gear sound listenable.
After moving into a smaller space, I downsized from my quads to (after many hours of auditioning) a set of small 2 way floor standing gems, whose big open detailed, but musical sound defied their reasonable cost.
Recently, after moving back into a larger space, I decided maybe time to upgrade. One of the rather pricey ($12.5K) book shelf sized speakers on dedicated fancy stands, that I auditioned, had a great deal of hype regarding how detailed and spectacular they sound. At first I was impressed with their detailed and aggressive sound, but after about ten minuets of listening, at a quite moderate level, my head hurt and I thought my ears were going to bleed. I thought - Wow, if I just spend $10K or $20K on cables, $10K on a magic wall cord and another $30K or $40K on a better amp - maybe I could tame these speakers to sound something like music.
Looking at the featured ads on A-gon and Audiomart and seeing most of the used speakers and electronics, listing for tens of thousands of $$$ - little wonder people are loosing interest....Jim

tinear123
241 posts
 

Really interesting conversation.  I was in collage when the HEA bloomed in the late 80's and have been in and out of the hobby multiple times as my priorities & residences have changed over the years.  I have found myself lately building a new lower middle class system PSA BHK front end & DAC with Klipsch La Scala Heritage back end.  Yes I'm working on the Amp equation at present BUT the point is that each & every day I ask myself why I am doing this, and is this a sane use of money?  Who will want it when I'm gone (55 at present) and why am I not just buying a good pair of headphones 5-7% of the system cost that the kids might actually want some day. 

I travel a lot for my work and have lived in Asia and Central EU for a number of years.  The paradigm of "status stuff at home" or even the "status home" is quickly going where EU went 20 years ago.  There you as an individual are "your brand" inclusive of how you dress and accessorize not the homestead.  Speed, Mobility, and group fun are the drivers not listening sessions. Migration from "stuff" to "shared experiences" may be my best shot at description with my limited
engineering vocabulary.

jhills
613 posts
 
@tinear123
I share your feelings.
In my upper mid 60s, and having a grown son and grandchildren who don't particularly share my love for HEA. My son is a builder, a doer and an avid outdoors-man and has little interest in setting still long enough to listen to stationary music and my grandson's idea of fine music is earbuds hooked to an I phone - I doubt there will be much interest in inheriting a nice audio system. 
Myself and wife (like many others) have other, somewhat expensive, interests and activities, i.e. motorcycles, boats, etc, etc, to share expenditures on and I sometimes question my own good sense in spending more and more $ on audio gear. When I see the ridicules prices posted on much of the, both new and used, HEA gear, I gotta wonder where it's all going to end.....Jim
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