"The State of Our Hobby in 2018 and Beyond" or "You Want How Much For That AR"?

[superdog]

I don't really search stuff out any more. Not too interested in vintage receivers. I don't have time or the inclination to do repairs. I have been picking up some really nice speakers lately for next to nothing. Also, some great A/V receivers are starting to come through the thrifts. Like I said, I don't really collect these days, but if a pair of Athena Technology or M-Audio speakers pop up for 10 or 15 bucks, I grab them. That's fun to me. Spending a boatload on a nice vintage piece isn't any fun for me these days. I have my good gear and a few rare pieces, so I'm good.

Of course, as happened to me back in the early days in this hobby, I now have as many sets of speakers sitting on the floor as I have on the stands and shelves. I'm mainly grabbing smaller ones, so they don't take up as much room. I got smarter over the years.

I think the days of ever finding really great stuff like we used to is over. I know guys still find them, but they were everywhere 15-20 years ago. I picked up 7 or 8 R2R decks from a thrift one time for like 30 bucks. I found my TD-124 in a junk shop for 25 bucks. I remember I had to run across town to borrow 15 bucks from a buddy. Still have the Thorens and the buddy. Those were the days. It was a given you would come home with something. Ar-Xa's, TD-145's, 70's Sansui's, L-100's, HK turntables or receivers. Lots of stuff was, if not common, not uncommon.

Those days are over. Ebay and Craigslist ruined it, at least as far as collecting local goes.

I still look but not as hard.Its a hard habit to break.AVRs (some pretty decent) are what I see now but none that will surpass my Yamahas and they are a tough sell so I struggle to leave them behind.70s receivers are almost non existent anymore.If and thats a big IF they show up they have to be working or dirt cheap.Like you I have no desire to spend money on a vintage receiver anymore.Speakers still show up occasionally."Those were the days".I remember the days you speak of...Bringing home something nice almost weekly.We were fortunate to be there at that time period.Man it was a blast.

 

[PabloX]

As far as the collectible aspect of this hobby goes, I see pretty much the same trend going on with classic cars.

In the 70s, classic Ferraris from the previous decade could be purchased for what a new Cadillac would have cost. Certainly that was a lot of money, but now those same cars (like the 250 GTO) sell for $50 million or more. Nick Mason from Pink Floyd owns one and paid £37,000 for it in 1977. That's the pinnacle of the market though.

In the last 10 years, the same dynamic has happened to the lower end of the market. 13 years ago, I seriously considered buying a Porsche 912 from the late 60s. A pristine example would have been about $10k. Now the same car is close to $40k. Classic American cars have also gone up and even older Japanese cars have their fans.

It also seems that classic rock is becoming more popular and to me, it really seems these are all interrelated somehow.

 

[Arthur Smith]

Is anyone familiar with that financial concept called inflation?

 

[PabloX]

Is anyone familiar with that financial concept called inflation?

It's not inflation when one particular market segment, especially for collectible items, increases in price at a rate well beyond the general price index.

 

[Arthur Smith]

I buy my audio components to listen to, not to collect.

 

[PabloX]

I buy my audio components to listen to, not to collect.

That's good, but the OP was largely about how much prices on vintage gear has gone up, which is a result of demand beyond just inflation.

 

[Arthur Smith]

What can be done about it? Not a single thing.

 

[PabloX]

What can be done about it? Not a single thing.

Other than join in, I agree.

 

[fernarias]

What is interesting is how comparatively inexpensive used high-end gear from the 80s and 90s is. Naturally, stuff like Audio Research and Levinson is still a little expensive, but look at what B&K, Hafler, and NAD are going for. They were high-quality pieces, easy to work on, and built to last a long time.

Need a turntable? A 90s VPI can be picked up for $500-800, depending on the arm. They will run forever, and you can get parts.

Speakers? There are thousands of choices - look at 80-90s KEF, B&W, Vandersteen, ProAc, Polk. Large, heavy speakers can be dirt cheap if you show up with a truck and haul them away.

80s and 90s gear are cheaper because they can't be repaired(or it's very difficult). Too many ICs that can break without a replacement, no replacement tweeters, midranges, dead turntables everywhere without repair options (even in the high end). I just got a preamp and it's full of ICs, there are more ICs than capacitors. It was cheap of course.

 

[tubed]

Is anyone familiar with that financial concept called inflation?

It's what happens when the Fed raises interest rates.

 

[kirk57]

It's what happens when the Fed raises interest rates.

Inflation was occurring long before the Fed ever existed.

 

[Arthur Smith]

If anyone thinks they have a magic formula to this, go at it. Until then, it is what it is.

 

[mr_light]

There are still bargains on local sales of large speakers on CL and the "bay" due to shipping costs. It helps if you live in a metropolitan area... Many bargains on TOTL AVRs if bang for your buck is a primary criterion. My DENON AVR-5800 (65lbs, 160wpc) for $100 sounds pretty great to me... I also see deals on "broken" turntables that are mostly easily fixed, especially technics. The truly collectible iconic components are so easily spotted on ebay and CL with automated searches that you just aren't going to find any of them flying under the radar unnoticed by a thousand others.

 

[soundmotor]

Classic, iconic, collectible, and valuable gear is still out there. You aren't likely to find it on craigslist though and it will only be found by, accident, luck, or cleverness.

Things you want were made from WW2 until the early 80s, maybe a bit beyond. They were made every day of every week for decades. There is a lot still around.

/carry on...

 

[Ron13a]

Several factors came together to create this situation.
1. Millennials are joining us Gen-Xers and the Boomers in a love for vintage gear.

2. The "new" stuff is either super expensive or it's low end department store crap. You
are MUCH better off with a $50 Japanese Technics 1980's turntable from a garage sale than a $500 Chinese piece of crap.

2. Vintage gear is headed to Asia via eBay.

Okay, I showed my hand there. I believe that vintage gear is superior in general to new gear. The words "in general" are important. Sure there's great stuff made now, but it's very expensive! This is why people love vintage gear. It's why Audiokarma exists. We buy vintage gear and ask for other's experiences on repairs and restorations of our finds.

Consider this:
$1000 In a high end store will get you a pair of cables.
$1000 On Craigslist will get you a nice pair of Infinity speakers, a good receiver, a Thorens TD-Something, a CD player and some records.

That's why the old stuff is "better". A "properly" set up Thorens TD-150 for $500 is better than anything new for under $2000.