Is High End Audio Market in Recession?

[Joel27]

Is there a car audio aftermarket anymore? The shops seem to be Best Buy (oh the horror) or shops that do tint 50% of the time. The old days of 80s and 90s and pull-out HUs are gone, which brings us full circle. The smart High-End Brands are getting in on the OEM Audio gravy train. Burmeister, McIntosh, Naim, B&W, B&O to name a few. It's an effective way of advertising.

Car audio is certainly still alive but it's not at all like it was pre 2010. Best Buy is slowly downsizing all of their car audio departments. Specialty shops such as myself have to have multiple revenue streams these days.

 

[tima]

Still buying records.

 

[spiritofmusic]

You can buy a garden shed for her, so that you can sit in the living room listening to audio

Ked, it's *men* who go in garden sheds, not women.
Keep up.

 

[PeterA]

You can buy a garden shed for her, so that you can sit in the living room listening to audio

I have a friend who built his wife a she shed near the sea shore. Inside, she happily writes poetry and paints.

 

[PeterA]

Ked, it's *men* who go in garden sheds, not women.
Keep up.

Here we call those the dog house.

 

[Tangram]

I am too busy enjoying what I have. Sounds fantastic. The hifi binge reminds of the golfing boom during Covid. Many clubs have returned to pre covid levels in terms of tee time demands and membership requests.

Not ours. Our waiting list has never been bigger and we just raised the initiation fee for the first time in years. The interesting part for me is that it’s a nine-hole course, a rarity. But it’s right in town, less than 10 minutes away from home for many members. The number of golfers who want to commit six hours of their day to a round seems to be declining in favor of two-and-a-half hours door-to club-to door.

Now back to our regular programming

 

[spiritofmusic]

I have a friend who built his wife a she shed near the sea shore. Inside, she happily writes poetry and paints.

"She sketches sea shells in the shed near the sea shore".
Try saying that fast over and over again while setting up a cartridge, lol.

 

[spiritofmusic]

Here we call those the dog house.

Bad doggie!

 

[Lagonda]

I never bought anything during COVID, I just enjoyed what I had.
I was never one for buying new stuff every 5 minutes anyway, I do my research listen to everything I buy before I get anything new. Since I do my research well, I tend to buy and keep for a long time. The last thing I bought is my speakers back in December 2023, and that replaced my old speakers which I have owned for more than 10 years.

I am happy with my system and the only real big improvements I am doing now is my room treatment, It does not matter how good your system is if your room is not good enough you will never ear the extra money you spend on gear. Most people probably have not heard how good their system can sound because their room is not up to it, but they still chase after new gear.

What is the big deal about the new Jag ad, in the UK we all know Jag is an old person’s car. Looks like they are trying to attract new and maybe younger audience, good luck to them.

Hey, what do you mean Jag is only a old people's car ! I take offense !

 

[Lagonda]

I have a friend who built his wife a she shed near the sea shore. Inside, she happily writes poetry and paints.

Leif built a extra "garden house" not a shed for his wife just before a major audio upgrade, he is my hero !

 

[spiritofmusic]

Hey, what do you mean Jag is only a old people's car ! I take offense ! View attachment 140351View attachment 140352

How were the electrics on the Lagonda, Lagonda?

 

[Mr. Miyagi]

Data point from a US dealer- Since September we have sold 5 pairs of Alsyvox in the US (1 pair Botticelli X, 2 pair Caravaggio XX, 2 pair Rafaello), 1 pair of Magico M9 (will be installed in the next 2-3 weeks), 4 Taiko Olympus servers. Pretty much none of these buyers other than one buyer is on WBF.

<$50K type sales/gear =0 sales.

People with $$$ and there are a LOT of them are spending, other than that it's abysmal regarding the middle class.

This makes perfect sense to me. I would add a few reflections.

Alsyvox is one of the best speakers in the world so doesn’t surprise me it continues to resonate.

The US consumer is in decent shape though inflation and mortgage refi risk is pending as all the refis done around Covid at generationally low rates will start coming due next 4 years. People are planning.

China is a complete disaster and gov is having to subsidize but I have heard the market is basically null set. Zero sales.

Europe economy broadly is not growing nor in good shape.

US equity markets on a tear and the wealthy have seen huge wealth gains (30% alone this year in S&P).

My own perspective is people with substantial wealth can afford to get the best or what they want and feel solid.

The used market is also in free fall and items repricing sub 50 cents on dollar and approaching 30 cents. So, too many used options for great gear.

Combine that with ludicrous price gauging on new gear - certain new items contributes to perfect storm.

Reset likely coming in process. Too many brands , enormous price increases and not enough buyers to absorb = reset.

 

[ssfas]

ssfas, I take your point entirely, but my Blue Note, Stravinsky and Rush albums come between us and one single shared audio/listening space.
Luckily we both have a shared passion for classical concerts, b&w British movies on Blu Ray, real ale, and walking on the Norfolk coast, so we certainly "connect" a lot of the time.
Luckily I only work away from home two days a week.
I think she quite likes me out of the way a lot of the time.
More seriously, I genuinely can't justify major extra gear spends in light of how COVID turned my business model upside down, and the cost of vinyl today.
Something had to give, and that was thoughts of a pricey new TT etc.
Value added has been my ethos for a few years now, getting the most out of my core gear without the Groundhog Day merry go round of escalating spending.
TT plinth/mat and motor upgrades, SETs surgery and superior tubes, Airblades addition to Zus, room acoustics and dedicated circuit breakers changes, have provided transformation for a fraction of the cost of new gear all round.

I've been listening to Blue Note most of the day, but now Hiroshi Yoshimura. Saw Pina Bauch's version Rite of Spring last week. Never heard of Rush. Burnham Overy Staithe is our favourite walk, after regular visits to Houghton Hall. Classical Indian music tonight.

Here in Covid I felt retailers had to change things and became more accomodating to home loans, and some I spoke to said it was a boom business time.

We built a new music room in 2021, speakers purchased in December 2020. I went from Devialet simplicity to a component system over a period of 3 years. I finally went for the totally unnecessary new turntable because I had it in mind for about 10 years and I have absolutely no regrets. Doing it through Classic Turntables cost me about one third of what it would’ve cost through Artis an Fidelity, so I’m not surprised that they export so many to the USA and elsewhere. i’m hoping when sold that my old turntable and Luxman integrated will cover most of the cost of a Gryphon integrated bought about four or five months ago. Someone bought that machine a year earlier for £24,500 and I paid £9500 for it with a manufacturer’s warranty. The previous owner traded it in for the new version at a cost of £31,500. Doing a deal like that makes me realise I really have no idea what goes through the brains of people who have the constant need to upgrade irrespective of the cost.

 

[AudioHR]

Data point from a US dealer- Since September we have sold 5 pairs of Alsyvox in the US (1 pair Botticelli X, 2 pair Caravaggio XX, 2 pair Rafaello), 1 pair of Magico M9 (will be installed in the next 2-3 weeks), 4 Taiko Olympus servers. Pretty much none of these buyers other than one buyer is on WBF.

<$50K type sales/gear =0 sales.

People with $$$ and there are a LOT of them are spending, other than that it's abysmal regarding the middle class.

Well good to hear that the high end is moving. The fact that sales are abysmal to the middle class should be disturbing as far as the future of the industry!

 

[Lagonda]

How were the electrics on the Lagonda, Lagonda?

Wonderful, my mechanic loved my taste in cars, had him on speed dial and he came for dinner and to the clubs with us !

 

[spiritofmusic]

I've been listening to Blue Note most of the day, but now Hiroshi Yoshimura. Saw Pina Bauch's version Rite of Spring last week. Never heard of Rush. Burnham Overy Staithe is our favourite walk, after regular visits to Houghton Hall. Classical Indian music tonight.

Here in Covid I felt retailers had to change things and became more accomodating to home loans, and some I spoke to said it was a boom business time.

We built a new music room in 2021, speakers purchased in December 2020. I went from Devialet simplicity to a component system over a period of 3 years. I finally went for the totally unnecessary new turntable because I had it in mind for about 10 years and I have absolutely no regrets. Doing it through Classic Turntables cost me about one third of what it would’ve cost through Artis an Fidelity, so I’m not surprised that they export so many to the USA and elsewhere. i’m hoping when sold that my old turntable and Luxman integrated will cover most of the cost of a Gryphon integrated bought about four or five months ago. Someone bought that machine a year earlier for £24,500 and I paid £9500 for it with a manufacturer’s warranty. The previous owner traded it in for the new version at a cost of £31,500. Doing a deal like that makes me realise I really have no idea what goes through the brains of people who have the constant need to upgrade irrespective of the cost.

I would say check out Rush, but most everyone here will tell you otherwise.
"Moving Pictures" is your starter for ten.
We're big fans of the Blakeney-Cley circular walk, with a handily placed pub, you can go around and around like an LP playing all day.
Our classical music venues are Burnham Overy Staithe/Burnham Market, Wells Maltings, King's Lynn: Corn Exchange, The Minster, St. Nicks, Guildhall, plus West Road Cambridge, Ely Cathedral, South Creake, Binham Priory.
Plenty of variety, and vastly different acousticals.
Re selling gear for peanuts, this has been a critical reason why I've gone for value added on gear (plinth, motor, isolation upgrades on TT, wiring on tonearm, fancy LPS and stylii on Straingauge, internal mods to CDP/amps/Zus, Airblades addition to Zus, acoustical treatments and dedicated breakers), rather than selling up for the next best/new thing.
Thus a fraction of the cost of new gear.
A few items I could sell off, I won't even get 30 pence on the Pound, they're sitting gathering dust as I type. Only my surplus to requirements balanced power transformer would I like shot of, I'll take 25p on the Pound on this one.

 

[AudioHR]

Not ours. Our waiting list has never been bigger and we just raised the initiation fee for the first time in years. The interesting part for me is that it’s a nine-hole course, a rarity. But it’s right in town, less than 10 minutes away from home for many members. The number of golfers who want to commit six hours of their day to a round seems to be declining in favor of two-and-a-half hours door-to club-to door.

Now back to our regular programming

Have to agree on your comment. At my semi private course in western Canada we had a huge increase in play during Covid. Obviously it was a safe activity that both young and old could participate in as so many other things were closed. My course has a 18 hole championship course as well as a 9 hole executive style course, we saw increases in play on both but the 9 hole course was a gold mine. Now a few years later I am pleased to say the 18 hole course has seen an increase in memberships as many that came out during Covid have stayed to play. People do like the concept of a shorter time, less expensive round of golf. The 9 hole course that we have kept at a very reasonable price continues to be extremely popular and our junior membership is on the rise, a real positive for the future of our course. The 9 hole course also continues to feed our 18 hole membership as people rediscover the game of golf.

There is a lesson to be learned here for the hifi industry. Proving a quality product that both young and old can enjoy at a reasonable price can never be wrong. Getting people interested in an activity at a younger age builds a base for the future.

It's fine to have these astronomically priced components for those that can afford it but that alone cannot sustain the hifi industry IMHO. Offering quality entry level products that people can afford should!

 

[PeterA]

How were the electrics on the Lagonda, Lagonda?

Jag is going all electric. Who would have thought given the history?

 

[Republicoftexas69]

Why?

Because they want them?

 

[TooCool4]

Hey, what do you mean Jag is only a old people's car ! I take offense ! View attachment 140351

Is that an Aston Martin Lagonda in the pic, the last time I saw one of those I was still a teenager. That is definitely an old person's car haha