Hi fi junk vs great art and musical instruments

[morricab]

One only has to look at how the prices of yesterday’s high priced DACs have crashed to see the incredible uselessness of most hifi. DACs that were $80K a few years ago now sell for under $10K. In a few years they’ll clutter up some landfill. While a good Steinway piano holds its value and even greatly appreciates over decades, high priced DACs, speakers etc. are just junk in a few years. They hold no aesthetic or musical value. A cynic might look at a Van Gogh painting and say it’s just a dab of paint on canvas, but it holds enormous cultural and artistic value, not to mention monetary value. France regards paintings by its great masters as a national heritage. No country regards hifi artifacts as national heritage. It’s just like an old vacuum cleaner that gets thrown out.

Price inflation is another topic but germane to the steep price drops seen in a lot of recently used gear. Some old DACs hold there value quite well. A mid 90s ML No. 30 DAC still costs several thousand and still sounds very good. Even my 2011 Ayon SKYLLA DAC goes used for around 1/3 rd the new price and will probably not go much lower because it now has a reputation of being a very good sounding DAC.

 

[morricab]

Don’t forget this one (by Banksy)

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Love_is_in_the_Bin#:~:text=According%20to%20Sotheby's%2C%20it%20is,Love%20is%20in%20the%20Bin.

As for Stradivarii, they are no longer owned, but loaned. A deep pockets benefactor buys the violin from like kind, and then loans it to the artist whom the benefactor decides could use it best, sometimes for a literal lifetime. It is a true patronage.

Can you imagine a HiFi component increasing in value until only a few hyperwealthy people could afford it … and then it would be bought by one, and loaned out to the so-called Golden Ear who could most benefit from listening to it?

I am kidding on the level.

My ex benefitted from such arrangements where she had a Strad on loan for 9 months to do a Paganini Caprice concert series. It was worth about $4M in early 2000s.

 

[audiopro92]

Why are the great hifi components from yesteryear just junk today? Here’s a picture of hifi junk that I’m throwing out today. Martin Logan CLS stats from 30 years ago is just junk today. Add non-working solid state components from Primare and Tact. All are consigned to the dustbin of history. Electronic garbage.

In contrast, if you lived 300 years ago and purchased one of Antonio Stradivarius’ violins for a few lira, today it’s worth in the tens of millions of dollars. Or if you lived in Paris during the time when Vincent Van Gogh was peddling his masterpieces in street cafes for a few francs, you’d have a painting worth a hundred million dollars today. Why is great art and musical instruments worth so much more than 30-year old hifi junk? What does that say about audiophiles?

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Only a bunch of top-tier manufacturers produced superior vintage audio equipment. And among them, it was only their flagship products that hold significance against modern stuff. Audio gear - Has it's own intrinsic value for audiophiles and pro audio. The market appeal for home entertainment in the 1980s and 1990s was catered more towards couples or families. Instead of watching a movie or TV, the members of the household could enjoy music from a set of high-quality HiFi speakers. The couch potato revolution began around 1997 - and scores of people started gaming and watching DVDs. By year 2000, most of the world had forgetten about Hi-Fi audio equipment. Then came the mp3 revolution with the first ipod just a year later in 2001! Costly art, like our hobby - audio, belongs to a niche audience. And because audio equipment doesn't hold historical or cultural significance to most people; being an audio equipment enthusiast is seen as an obscure or pointless hobby today.

- DMK

 

[rgmd11]

Even the Q series Leicas that I own hold their value well.

Just bought a Q3 along with a Oberwerth half case and bag, next will be a nice strap, initial impressions is it's most certaingly a stunning piece of kit...

 

[thedudeabides]

I paid $5K for my Pass Labs X250.5. 15 years later, should be able to get at least $3K. Paid $6K for my CJ ET5 pre ten years ago. Again, I think it will sell for $3K+. Maybe I am lucky. Who knows?

Having said that and IMHO, there are other reasons, not yet mentioned, for the typical "dollar value drop" phenomena.

One example is certain manufacturers that offer "new and improved" products on a two to three year cycle with no upgrade path to the owner of the previous unit. Another is manufacturer advertising, audio reviews and those who sell the gear. And then there is the "must have the latest, greatest" mentally driven attitude amongst some consumers. And finally, the exhorbitant price structure that is so often prevalent in hi end gear. I am not saying all of the above are applicable to all parties in the hi end audio universe or that new tech and tricle down improvements do not exist. But I often wonder and speculate what fuels this "market reality".

The new models are usually identified by numeric or alphabetic iterations and typically result in a signicant depreciated price for the previous model in the used marketplace. I personally believe this is, in part, intentionally driven to maximize corporate profitability. And by purchasing the latest model, consumers have "enabled" this cycle to continue.

To me, the solution is intuitive and obvious but like many other products made, most audio gear has sadly become just another "disposable" item. Sometimes, less is more. Best.

 

[XV-1]

Both my Pioneer Exclusive P3 and Technics SP10MK3 have appreciated in value since they were released in 1979 and 1981 respectively.
That they sound competitive now is testament to world class engineering at then excellent pricing.

Compared to the ridiculous high end pricing these days, they are absolute bargins.