It's driven by the spending power of aging boomers. When they run out of spending power and move into fixed incomes, or the prices get beyond what they want to spend, or they learn to be happy in age instead of wanting to be young again, it will burst. Because that is what happens with all nostalgia driven hobbies (just look at model trains and kids that grew up in the '40s for a trend). There's no way it will go on forever because it's largely driven by the nostalgia of an aging demographic trying to recapture the things that made them happy or that they lusted after in youth. Can't be with the football cheerleaders anymore but dammit you can buy the stereo you wanted for cheap. Even the younger people into it are riding the nostalgia bubble, lusting after the rose-tinted romanticizing of a time they were too young to remember, like the kids in my high school in 1992 wishing they'd grown up in '72 to be there when Zeppelin was playing out. When in reality it was probably a lot more "You Light up my Life" on the airwaves than Robert Plant.
-
Please note that there are a few updates and clarifications made in the Audiokarma Rules, mostly relating to advertising and the addition of the new "Paying it Forward" & "Giving back" forums in the AudioKarma Audio Marketplace section.
when does the vintage electronic bubble burst?
- Thread starter Kneedeepinit
- Start date
noogies
My Favorite Woofers.
It has. Check auction prices on any popular vintage muscle car for this year vs. 2007 and you'll see that many of them are off as much as 20% from their salad days.
retrodude
Well-Known Member
It's not going to burst anytime soon. Why? Look @ the ages of many of the new AK members. They're kids! This just isn't for boomers anymore, there's a whole new breed.
What I see as a problem with this is that some folks now think a 90's plastic rack system (Pioneer, Kenwood, whatever) is a quality vintage system. That could artificially drive up prices for real vintage stuff, which could cause a burst sometime down the road.
What I see as a problem with this is that some folks now think a 90's plastic rack system (Pioneer, Kenwood, whatever) is a quality vintage system. That could artificially drive up prices for real vintage stuff, which could cause a burst sometime down the road.
Outside of AK and the global audience of ebay, the desire for vintage gear is not anywhere near what it is made out to be here. This is from in person, on the ground, observation of hi-fi stores that sell it, knowing the managers of those stores, trying to sell things myself, and knowing several flippers who try to eek out a living by selling it. It is NOT some huge population-spanning fad and most vintage gear does not demand that big of a premium. Even the most sought-after vintage gear commands little compared to some other collectibles markets.
Stephen J
Suum Cuique
Last edited:
fowlerclone
Active Member
Hopefully not any time soon.
I'm content with my "black plastic crap."
I'm content with my "black plastic crap."
Kneedeepinit
Super Member
baseball cards, most comics, PEZ distributors, Beanie Babies, POGs, hockey cards
at one time, these all had value to speculators. Now they are, for the most part, very low value. To the true collectors, these are still in demand but the prices have come back to reality.
I collect vintage electronics to be enjoyed, not to make a profit. My frustration with the current "vintage" craze is that the speculators have made us collectors work a lot harder.
at one time, these all had value to speculators. Now they are, for the most part, very low value. To the true collectors, these are still in demand but the prices have come back to reality.
I collect vintage electronics to be enjoyed, not to make a profit. My frustration with the current "vintage" craze is that the speculators have made us collectors work a lot harder.
canuckaudiog
On a quest for high fidelity
I joined this hobby a year ago and I would say that would be right in the prime of this surge in the market.
Personally, for me what it has come down to is doing more specific research into pieces I really want, rather than just taking whatever I can in because the price is low. This means buying fewer, but more preferable pieces for me and I have zero problem paying market price for something I desire. In fact if its something I really want and it's rare, I'll be happy to even pay over market for it.
Plus this has given me the opportunity to find "scores" in other places, such as looking at 80s and 90s gear. It's amazing how many bargains are out there, you just have to look harder.
Personally, for me what it has come down to is doing more specific research into pieces I really want, rather than just taking whatever I can in because the price is low. This means buying fewer, but more preferable pieces for me and I have zero problem paying market price for something I desire. In fact if its something I really want and it's rare, I'll be happy to even pay over market for it.
Plus this has given me the opportunity to find "scores" in other places, such as looking at 80s and 90s gear. It's amazing how many bargains are out there, you just have to look harder.
Stephen J
Suum Cuique
I looked up Pez dispensers the other day.......some are still going for crazy prices.
Beanie babies....not so much.
eddantes
Drone, Sector 7-G
Somethings are very expensive, maybe too much so (mid end Marantzes and big Pioneers) but other stuff - not so much. I have a minty 60s tubed receiver I tried to sell locally. It's completely recapped. I priced it about 1/3 less than eBay prices. Hardly a nibble. I also have a big Pioneer (not for sale) that keeps getting offers, big ones... So... one needs to look and see where the bargains are. If buying to listen - there's lots of stuff out there that will please the ears for very little money. If buying to make money - you'll need to earn it; the low hanging fruit has been picked. Either learn to fix broken stuff or learn to be "first on the scene" or both.
It has a lot to do with functionality. Baseball cards can only be collected, and are only of interest in North America. Almost anything post-1973 hit its peak a decade ago and has been in decline since. Earlier stuff, if rare and in great condition is still chugging along.
Most of the other items listed above are in the same category, just a collectible.
Audio gear is a little different, since when it is functional it can bring musical near-perfection to the owner. That drives valuation. And when you see (or worst yet hear) the new gear, at virtually every price point you can get something vintage that sounds better, or has a "cooler" history and the same sound quality.
Millennials (under 30) are all about the experience. That is why fast food places like McDonalds are so concerned. Milenials will pay a bit more for that up-scale experience. And that includes leaving behind I-buds for high quality audio. Both my 20-something sons have progressed to real mid-fi systems, and are aspiring to get audiophile gear.
Asians are the same. They built much of our great gear for export. Now they can afford it. There is still a strong market for vintage gear, and it has spread well beyond the lust for WE. And that market is at least 5 times the size of the North American market.
This.
True, as always.
Quality always counts. Scarcity always counts. What was expensive back then never sold in large quantities, and will be desirable today.
I've done the 15-thrifts-in-a-day run and the 8-hours-at-an-auction for one old mid-level receiver with a flipper friend. That would be one tedious show with very little glamor...
slowpat
Slowly but surely....
Except on the show, the camera would follow the flipper to the shelf full of BPC's at the thrift store, and wait, what's that behind the pile, wow..."fill in the blank", for $19.95 and it's a 50% off day!! SCROE...
Aldo
Show me the silver!!
....let me complete that sentence for you......
Wait, what's behind the pile, WOW...a pair of Panasonic Thrusters with ripped grille cloth, and a Yorx all in one bedroom system in hot pink covered in unicorn stickers !!! SCORE !!!!!!!!
This, as long as good looking, well working gear is available. Like I said, I am noticing more interest from those that didn't grow up with it and I'm seeing more. Watch the commercials and shows closely. Check out the latest cover of Hammacher $chlemmer (yeah, I know, it targets rich fools with overpirced junk, but its a TT!). There are inexpensive NEW TTs available and vinyl hasn't been mass produced for how long? Companies don't tool up for tiny limited markets and have a price point under $200.
....let me complete that sentence for you......
Wait, what's behind the pile, WOW...a pair of Panasonic Thrusters with ripped grille cloth, and a Yorx all in one bedroom system in hot pink covered in unicorn stickers !!! SCORE !!!!!!!!
That's exactly what it's like. On my all-day-flipper-run we netted a pair of Wharfedale W40s. And I bought a wind-up Zeppelin and 2 coffee mugs. This for a day's work. The Wharfedales probably didn't cover the gas money.
There's NOT a ton of money in flipping vintage audio gear.
Aldo
Show me the silver!!
You're right....once upon a time, say 10 years ago, a day of cruising yard sales and my back seat and trunk was loaded down with many examples of audio greatness, I played with it for a while, and basically sold it off for what I paid....had I hoarded this stuff that I used to find, I could have retired in an expensive villa somewhere under palm trees.....:scratch2:
This hobby is still lots of fun, if you can keep the right frame of mind and think it's all about the experience of different gear and systems....if you're in it for making money, I do feel a little sorry for you.....
"all-day-flipper-run" that's a classic