"You would think a company of that size would have serialized cables, especially at the higher end, but then that might help the second hand market, which is not in AQ's interest."
Its just the opposite. Having a good used market has a huge effect on the new market. Most people don't have unlimited resources. If they can't sell their old cables, they probably won't be buying new cables. There's more than enough examples of this. Look at companies that make other types of audio components that are not counterfeited. The most successful companies always have a very strong used market. It adds a tremendous amount of value to the brand. A perfect example is Bryston. Do you really think that having a 20 year transferable warranty costs the company money? After all, a warranty like that will definitely help the used market for their goods. Who wants to buy something you can't get rid of? Honda cars have the highest resale value, Chrysler does not. Do you think Fiat could have bought Honda instead of Chrysler? A healthy used market for a companies products directly effects the overall health of the company.
Its just the opposite. Having a good used market has a huge effect on the new market. Most people don't have unlimited resources. If they can't sell their old cables, they probably won't be buying new cables. There's more than enough examples of this. Look at companies that make other types of audio components that are not counterfeited. The most successful companies always have a very strong used market. It adds a tremendous amount of value to the brand. A perfect example is Bryston. Do you really think that having a 20 year transferable warranty costs the company money? After all, a warranty like that will definitely help the used market for their goods. Who wants to buy something you can't get rid of? Honda cars have the highest resale value, Chrysler does not. Do you think Fiat could have bought Honda instead of Chrysler? A healthy used market for a companies products directly effects the overall health of the company.