What's going on with the audio market?

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The hi-end audio business has ALWAYS been lame.   You've got a market depending on anal-retentive people with too much money and who are never satisfied, no matter how good it sounds.  That and those who have too much money and just KNOW they are entitled to "the best" in whatever it is they own.

Then there's the rest of us mere mortals who are careful as we can be in trying to get value for our limited audio dollars.  

The biggest problem hi-end audio has is not only are brands competing with each other, they're also competing with themselves.   That Rowland Research amp which sold for $10,000 20 years ago is still every bit as good as the day it was new and you can get it on the used market today for $3000 instead of buying the current model which is $18000.

I love the sound of Avalon loudspeakers.  Their top-line floor standing loudspeaker a few years ago sold for something like $25,000.   That same speaker today can be had on the used market for $10,000 or less, whereas the current top-line floor standing loudspeaker is selling at nearly $50,000.  You can't tell me it's $40,000 better.

Russbutton: But if it weren't for those "anal-rententive people with too much money... [who] KNOW they are entitled..." you wouldn't benefit from the trickle down in the used market, would you?
I've benefitted, as you have, from the used high-end market. But, no need to be angry with those who have money or spend it carelessly (in your estimation). There's always somebody richer, better looking, etc. I've made peace with that. 

There's another category --- me. I'm almost 69 years old (August). I bought my first system in 1973 and I will only buy anything again if it means recapture of funds or significant compactualization of the physical setup. Why? Because I don't have much interest in listening to music in a trance like I did for so many years. The new stuff mostly doesn't interest me and the older stuff is little more than an infrequent exercise in nostalgia. Plus, it has been overplayed in elevators, supermarkets, classic rock stations, movie background, etc. Enough already.
I listen to KVNF out of Paonia, Colorado. They have good taste, no screaming car dealer/cell phone/tanning salon/whatever ads screaming at me, and the element of surprise. When I play music, I know what is coming. When I let them do it, each selection surprises me. I'm an old hippie who likes the radio medium when well done. Everyone reading this has a computer which means all of you can stream thousands of radio stations from all over the world. Give it a try. It can be fun and it is free. Sonics will please everyone who isn't bound by the dissatisfaction that negates so much beauty. 
Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good.

"The high end market started to fade in the DC metro area I’d say about 1985 when Excaliber in Alexandria shut it’s doors, followed by Myer Emco, Audio Associates, Paragon of Sound (in MD), a few in Maryland suburbs the names of which escape me. AFAIK there are only two left, Deja Vu and Gifted Listener Audio, both in VA. Did I miss any?"
  
geoffkait, JS Audio, Command Performance and Well Pleased A/V are 3 you missed. I worked at Excalibur from the start, miss it.

Macrojack, very well said!