What's going on with the used audio gear market?

The answer is patience. In general, I don’t scour the used market for areas of need, but for opportunities to acquire interesting stuff at a bargain price.

Sure, you can focus on amps when you need one, etc., but in general, I have a slush fund budget for used gear when a good opportunity arises. Craigslist is great for that if you are in a big enough metro area. In the Chicago area, in a decade I’ve built, traded, sold, and rebuilt systems for less than half retail/new.

True, sometimes you get mistreated gear, Investigate first, and don’t buy or bargain downwards if so. A guy on Craigslist had a Nakamichi PA-7 for something like $450 and I negotiated it down to something like $325 but a prior owner had drilled big circular holes in the top cover. Still sounds great. Just got a pair of KEF R11s for $1850. Still available new for $6000. Live with the warts, enjoy the sound!

I have been in A/V retail for 30 plus years and I can tell you in the absolute truth that prices in audio, excluding tv's, have risen 30 to 50% in 2 years. A Marantz receiver that sold for 799.99 in 2020 is $1499.99 now & B&W 704's, the smallest 700 series floorstanders, were $2499.99 a pair in 2020 are now $3500.00. So it stands to reason, like cars, the used market prices have increased. Supply chain or  greed only time will tell: Not sure the reasoning anymore but price increases have put the brakes on mid fi audio in my area. 

@hilde45 

Your points "d", "e" and "f" are valid points and certainly validate the intangible elements of financial transactions.  

Under your "probably a bunch of other reasons" listing, items could include:

- dissolution of marriage.  Just get the stuff out of the house.

- estate sales -- where there is a complete emotional disconnect from the equpment and 10 cents on the dollar beats 0 cents on the dollar.

Used market is very slow right now.  I am seeing some very attractive prices also.  Don’t sense it is skewed on the high side.  

hilde45:

Did I step on your, or a friend's toes?

Your Wiki "greed" blurb includes money in the definition, and your rebuttal makes ZERO sense (to me).

Yes, it's apparent from your posts (in this thread) that we do not share the same sense of logic.

DeKay