Corona impact on hi end audio

[thedudeabides]

Given the massive social and economic impact this virus has had to date (and the end is nowhere in sight), I wonder what this might do to the hi end industry. I know it has certainly changed my plans for the remainder of the year. I cancelled flying back east this May to visit family and it will likely cause me to not attend RMAF. And I will likely not upgrade my Pulsar speakers this summer.

 

[BlueFox]

Since people will be staying home I would expect them to listen to their stereos more. Assuming people don’t lose their job sales of gear should increase.

 

[Steve Williams]

I just read that $7.3 trillion has been lost in the market in the past 3 weeks

 

[analogsa]

sales of gear should increase.

Perhaps on Audiogon. Don't see the high end market not taking a massive hit in new sales.

 

[PeterA]

I just cancelled a planned trip to Vienna. I was to sit in closed rehearsals at the Musikverein for four days and meet Zubin Mehta. I was planning to take five LPs for him to sign. The VPO and the State Opera just shut down completely. The Austrian govt. owns these two institutions and will be reimbursing all ticket holders. Reservations and tickets are often bought a year in advance. Musicians will be paid. It is all a real bummer. Boston is still operating, but I suspect audiences will start to decline rapidly.

I am waiting for my inspected vdH Colibri Master Signature to be sent back after its 200 hour checkup, but shipping is being delayed now. Another bummer. My SME V-12 needs to go back to SME for internal wiring repair. I am going to postpone that repair as I have a second tonearm now.

I suspect many of us here in US will soon be quarantining ourselves. My kids are coming home from schools, so there will be lots of time for music.

It is all very troubling and life has certainly changed.

 

[PeterA]

Perhaps on Audiogon. Don't see the high end market not taking a massive hit in new sales.

Don't know what shipping will be like as this crisis worsens. It may grind to a halt, though I have no idea.

 

[spiritofmusic]

Wasn't the US govt v quick to correct Trump's statement that cargo and goods would be impacted by the Schengen travel ban?

Words in effect to say commerce unaffected, just people.

 

[PeterA]

Wasn't the US govt v quick to correct Trump's statement that cargo and goods would be impacted by the Schengen travel ban?

Words in effect to say commerce unaffected, just people.

Yes, for now. I was told this morning that my cartridge shipping has been affected. It is being delayed and I was told they are figuring out how to try to get it to me. Not so simple. Unanswered questions.

Amazon home deliveries are fine until employees aren't stocking items, drivers aren't delivering items, and supply chains are disrupted. This is early.

 

[Elliot G.]

There is no way in hell that any of this is good for the Audio business. PERIOD.

 

[ack]

Yeah I don't see any good in this. The US, at least, is shutting down and the stock market is cratering; layoffs are happening. The impact outside the medical field and government jobs will be quite significant. Why would anyone spend money on non-essential things right now and for the next few months.

 

[caesar]

It's not a question of how far down it goes. Markets bounce up and down all the time.

The bigger concern is how long it will stay down.

 

[Rhapsody]

I am amazed as I have four separate large shipments coming, one from Hungary two from Italy and one from Spain. All four shipments were picked up by DB Schenker on schedule on Wednesday, yesterday and today. Each shipment may be delayed a few days until they get scheduled on a flight but all are in the process of shipping.

Actually the shipment that was picked up from Bayz (Counterpoints) in Hungary on Wednesday are being delivered this afternoon.

Two days ago I though all shipment pick ups from the manufacturers would not occur. Quite surprised that all four shipments at this time seem like they are traveling in a normal timeframe. Go figure.

 

[Gregadd]

Some positve impact for retail as shelves are being picked clean.

 

[spiritofmusic]

I'd love to have bought shares in toilet paper and pasta. UK consumers have, locust-like, stripped bare whole shelves of these.

 

[Folsom]

I'm comparing this to Y2K a bit. Y2K wasn't crash, but it brought a lot of uncertainty. Generator sellers made out like bandits.

I consulted my stereo, it said don't even bother with hand sanitizer as it doesn't fear any viruses being analog and all.

IMO this is money making time. But it also depends on what you did early on with the news.

 

[bonzo75]

This is the time to sell all your hifi gear and invest into the markets to make money on the rise so that you can then sell and buy more expensive hifi

 

[nonesup]

My new Shunyata Denali 6000 / V2, should have arrived yesterday. So far it has not left the USA, as my dealer told me an hour ago. I expect the worst.

 

[spiritofmusic]

I'm SO glad my music at home is so satisfying. Small incremental tweaks purchases only. Maybe one major component upgrade, but not for 12-18 months. My only focus now is keeping my two clinics running, and keeping my associate sweet. I'm finding honesty is the best policy, formally talking about Corona to my patients.

 

[astrotoy]

Huge impact on artists and concert promoters (including many non-profit organization for classical music) as well as music venues as concerts are being cancelled and refunds given. We go to a lot of concerts and all of them in the Bay Area have been cancelled for the the next month at least. I don't know whether artists will get paid for cancelled concerts, but we are adding to our contributions to these series to help them in this very difficult time.

Larry

 

[Folsom]

I'm missing a concert this month I was looking forward to with the symphony.