Are Sales Down

Overall, trends seem away from large home systems, fewer big floorstander speakers, more small standmounts with or without subwoofer reinforcement, fewer multi-box amplification installations and more integrated products that are room-friendly. Generally, there is less interest in high-dollar audio shrine construction with multiple plinths for speakers and amplifiers. People have less room they want to devote to the hobby. Apartment-dwellers settle for headphones and small installations that don't disturb the neighbors. Buyers want gear that delivers good sound they can live with without having it dominate their living spaces. The dedicated hobbyist that seeks esoteric products and designs is sadly become a distant outlier. (I think of the talented and dedicated English gentleman living and working at his farmhouse in France, meticulously reproducing Western Electric horns in solid wood.)

During Covid, I was able to sell a lot of components and cables very quickly.  In the last year, I have had no luck selling anything, even with really good equipment.  For example, I have had an Inakustic 3500P Power Conditioner on multiple sights, including USAudio, without success.

Combine that with the people who make you an offer and you accept it and then they go silent prior to making the payment.  Why do people bother making an offer if they are not going to buy?  Frustrating!!!!!

The Editorial in the current issue of Stereophile discusses a slow down for the entire industry 

Seems like the consensus is things have slowed down. I did manage to sell some of my gear, but it wasn't on here. Some of it was because I gave a couple younger guys breaks and sold it to them dirt cheap. Still have the big amp, I may just box it and and bury it in a closet until Fall and we'll see if things are picking up at all...

I have seen audio manufacturing prices go double digit on some gear that is new over the last three years. The nearest Ford, Dodge, GM  dealers think 80k pickups are normal after their market adjustment of another 10k fee. Madness!! You can raise the price as much as you think the market can bear. But, I as a consumer can not purchase it.So, Yea, I am now strictly used, maybe demo. But I am  just a middle class working man. But when the price  goes twice, then in a few years three times on the original, I just wont buy because of price,value consideration. Is the 3 percent better sound worth a lot more investment than it was three years ago? Probably not for me. But other might feel different. The economy is going to get worse till the election year shakeout.Some consumers on here dont care about this because they just have the ability to pass it on to someone else. But I punch a clock so, the inflation really hurts. So, hopefully, the inflation will ease.