Raynald
Addicted Member
The OP is right, TOTL AVRs have very high depreciation. But as has been mentioned, the value is in the use, not the resale. If you plan to flip often to keep up with all of the latest tech it will cost a lot. Generally people who do that can afford it and don't worry about it so it is no crime. You just have to decide if the hit is worth it for you.
You don't take a loss until you sell it and many people have made they excellent point that you can often keep up without changing everything or just live with the fact you don't have the very latest and enjoy what you have.
I also agree with those who say take advantage of people who do that and pick up nearly latest tech for a fraction of the original price. The latest Yamaha RX-A1070 retails for $1699 with a sell price of $1599 up here. I have already gotten over a year's worth of enjoyment out of my RX-A1020 that I picked up in nearly mint shape, scratched remote, for $250. Sure the new one no doubt has some upgrades but I am 100% happy with this one and I can probably update it a few times over the next few years before I will have spent anything like the price of a new one and my loss on reselling the old ones will be modest. Every gets to chose what they want to do, I am comfortable with this way of doing things. Despite, or maybe because of, having worked in audio for years including the years that saw the birth of HT, I do not feel the need to have the very latest at any price.
Oh, and consumer audio is NOT an investment. It is a luxury good, at least WRT to TOTL units of any kind.
You don't take a loss until you sell it and many people have made they excellent point that you can often keep up without changing everything or just live with the fact you don't have the very latest and enjoy what you have.
I also agree with those who say take advantage of people who do that and pick up nearly latest tech for a fraction of the original price. The latest Yamaha RX-A1070 retails for $1699 with a sell price of $1599 up here. I have already gotten over a year's worth of enjoyment out of my RX-A1020 that I picked up in nearly mint shape, scratched remote, for $250. Sure the new one no doubt has some upgrades but I am 100% happy with this one and I can probably update it a few times over the next few years before I will have spent anything like the price of a new one and my loss on reselling the old ones will be modest. Every gets to chose what they want to do, I am comfortable with this way of doing things. Despite, or maybe because of, having worked in audio for years including the years that saw the birth of HT, I do not feel the need to have the very latest at any price.
Oh, and consumer audio is NOT an investment. It is a luxury good, at least WRT to TOTL units of any kind.