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Have you seen Ebay? Would you pay $3000 - 4000 for a Sansui 9090db?

J

jamiecantar

Well-Known Member
Just wondering if you've noticed the price of gear lately. Have you seen Ebay? Would you pay $3000 - 4000 for a Sansui 9090db?

- A Thorens TD-124 with SME 3009 turntable $5000???
- A Pioneer SX-1280 $3000 - 4000???

Is nostalgia and hype now over riding the value of these units?

Would you pay that?
 
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Vintage gear prices in general are going crazy. The going rate for a Pioneer SX-950 seems to be 2.5 to 3 times what I paid for mine in 2018...

Since you mention both Thorens and Pioneer, there's definitely a trickle down effect going on with how high the TOTL units are getting. The TD-124 has been a rather pricey unit for a while now, but now the TD-125s w/SME's are creeping into older Linn LP12/Ittok territory. Even stock TD-160's seem to be creeping ever-so closer to that $1K threshold in my local market.
 
I sold mine for $250 about 10 years ago. Sold my non-DB 9090 for $900 a couple years ago and thought that was more than they were worth.
 
jamiecantar said:
Just wondering if you've noticed the price of gear lately. Have you seen Ebay? Would you pay $3000 - 4000 for a Sansui 9090db?

- A Thorens TD-124 with SME 3009 turntable $5000???
- A Pioneer SX-1280 $3000 - 4000???

Is nostalgia and hype now over riding the value of these units?

Would you pay that?
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I think A lot of the crazy prices are people who really aren’t trying to sell unless someone’s crazy enough to pay that much ! I see that sometimes on Craigslist ! Those people are scum trying to rip off people who really care about and enjoy good vintage equipment
 
ernieb1536 said:
I think A lot of the crazy prices are people who really aren’t trying to sell unless someone’s crazy enough to pay that much ! I see that sometimes on Craigslist ! Those people are scum trying to rip off people who really care about and enjoy good vintage equipment
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Lets tone down the charged language, ok?
So nope - they are not scum - the market is what people are willing to pay. So if people are WILLING to pay that price, its not a rip off, is it?
Would I pay that price?
No - but I am a discerning buyer (read frugal), as are most of the AKers here in this thread.
 
hjames said:
Lets tone down the charged language, ok?
So nope - they are not scum - the market is what people are willing to pay. So if people are WILLING to pay that price, its not a rip off, is it?
Would I pay that price?
No - but I am a discerning buyer (read frugal), as are most of the AKers here in this thread.
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Sorry didn’t mean to offend but people do tend to take advantage !
 
There was a UK show we used to watch, Hustle, with Robert Vaughn and a crew of younger actors.
The basic premise was there was a con man or grifter that needed to be knocked down a peg, and they would set up a long con to do so.
The concept being that you can't cheat an honest man - but someone looking to make a killing on a quick cheat deserved to be cheated in return.

So yep none of us is likely to pay over the top for a clean Thorens or Marantz - but someone will - someone with more spare cash than you or I!
 
I guess I’m old school when I have sold equipment it’s at a fair price not the the most I can get ! And sometimes I’ve let items go to for less to really interested friends this is a great hobby and sometimes I get upset when I see people being pushed out of the market by people out to get the most money ! Is it legal yes but that doesn’t make it right to each his own I guess
 
Asking price may not be the selling price. The $3k-$4k ask on Ebay makes the $1.5k - $2k units on Craigslist look like a bargain ;) Pump and dump?

I think of these as "lotto" prices, If someone is willing to pay it, the seller has hit the lotto And if the buyer is happy...good for them :)
 
All collectable markets mature over time, with peaks and troughs. Soon much of this 'vintage' equipment will be 'antique' I've seen stuff from the early 2000's described as 'retro' now, access to the internet has created more demand, just look at the difference in valve, and vinyl prices since the end of the 90's and now. I remember my brother going to electronics fares, and comming back with boxes of NOS valves that he'd brought with his pocket money lol
 
I'm glad I bought stuff years ago when things seemed reasonable. and am lucky I have a bit of everything. All the juicy stuff. For guys just getting into this hobby they have to settle with the lower models and under the raider stuff. or pay the piper :-)
 
AudioAvarice said:
All collectable markets mature over time, with peaks and troughs. Soon much of this 'vintage' equipment will be 'antique' I've seen stuff from the early 2000's described as 'retro' now, access to the internet has created more demand, just look at the difference in valve, and vinyl prices since the end of the 90's and now. I remember my brother going to electronics fares, and comming back with boxes of NOS valves that he'd brought with his pocket money lol
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Yes I seen this with cars when I was young a lot of poeple could afford classic cars I had a 73 Gran Torino fastback picked up $800 had a 71 Monte $1500 74 Pontiac grand prix 455 $900 the point was average person could afford it !do to over speculation a lot of people can’t and that’s a shame ! Is this heading in the same direction sure looks that way should I be happy my gear is worth more or sad that in a few years less people will be able to enjoy this hobby?
 
I've come to think of it as a good thing, imo, as it means these units will be more likely to be well looked after, and less 'bodge job' repairs. Hopefully the worth of these units will prevent some of them simply being thrown away, which was the prevalent mindset for old electronics. Just look at how 'rare' some units are, many of them were best sellers in they're time, the only reason some of them are so rare now, is because the majority of them ended up in landfill.
 
AudioAvarice said:
I've come to think of it as a good thing, imo, as it means these units will be more likely to be well looked after, and less 'bodge job' repairs. Hopefully the worth of these units will prevent some of them simply being thrown away, which was the prevalent mindset for old electronics. Just look at how 'rare' some units are, many of them were best sellers in they're time, the only reason some of them are so rare now, is because the majority of them ended up in landfill.
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I guess if I had to Choose I’d rather see them overpriced than in a landfill !
 
So….When vintage stuff is rivaling the cost of nice new stuff and price is off the table (especially when the 40 year old stuff is not reconditioned), what are the benefits of owning vintage? Here is my list:
  • Classic looks
  • Quality construction
  • Repairable
Still pretty compelling, but without a price advantage, I will look at newer stuff, too.

Any other thoughts about benefits of vintage?
 
I sold a 9090 (non-db) a while back (well restored) cab needing a little TLC (not bad, I chip or 2 in veneer) . I thought it one of the best sounding receivers i've heard. I can't see 3-4k being right though. As Heather said, its whatever the market says it is. Also asking and getting aren't quite the same thing.
 
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