2. speakers
  3. 140974-154

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
johnk's avatar
johnk
1,973 posts
 
Only those who care little about money can afford to buy something that loses equity at such a massive rate as high end audio. Thus not much interest in heavily discounted but still greatly over priced high end kit. Today most are cash strapped and 1000s in easily spent income is just not available. I have friends who sell motorcycles they say the market for anything over 4k is near gone and most want 1500-2500 used MC. With used audio I notice the same under 3k might sell over good luck.
inna
7,132 posts
 
Question is what is big now ?
lhasaguy's avatar
lhasaguy
329 posts
 
I think 7K for a pair of used 20.7 Maggies is about right.   

As to those who complain about used value, I bought a pair of McIntosh MC501 amps used 0 years ago for 6K, could sell tjem tomorrow for the same money.

It is all about choices.

FYI, I would buy the 20.7s, but am down sizing to a smaller home.  And yes, the 10.7 was a typo in my earlier post.
michaelgreenaudio's avatar
michaelgreenaudio
1,019 posts
 

Sound or Gear?

Most audiophiles have left the building and are enjoying their music collections not feeding their equipment closets anymore. J Gordon is gone and so is Harry. Dave is gone and the others are in their 70's and 80's. The discrete HEA equipment era is winding down and we shouldn't be surprised, or sad about it. 

Raise your hands, how many of you still want to go out and spend 40-100k on something that is obsolete? I'm not asking what you did spend, I'm asking, going to spend?

It's like being in the store past closing and the announcements are coming over the PA "please finish making your selections and bring them to the counter". Then there's the guys still trying to sell 80 pound toaster ovens to folks looking at the latest and more efficient cookers.

Look around guys. There are threads on here talking about if one thinks a soundstage is important, and guess what, most are answering as if they've never been able to create a stage. That same guy is going to once again spend the big bucks one more time? I don't think so. Seeing that wall of components in ones living room doesn't hold the same status as it did. Again the serious audiophile for the most part has either left the building or gotten serious about their sound.

Used speaker market above 6k? I would imagine there are stock piles upon stock piles. I would even imagine it won't be long before you can't give them away.

Michael

inna
7,132 posts
 
In fact, $6k for excellent speakers is not much if you keep them for a long time. We pay more for cell phones and cable. I personally am just not in the mood to finance audiophile purchases, and credit card rates are not good. 
I do think that audiophile pool, perhaps outside Michael's flock or herd, whichever he prefers, has been shrinking.
My question was rhetorical - nothing is big these days.
More to discover