Is High End Audio Market in Recession?

[PeterA]

It actually is improving!
No quotes needed!

I actually rarely upgrade software packages because I do not find that they have improved or add any features I’m interested in or are useful. I was talking generally about the computer and software industries. I have actually preferred some older CD players to some new ones.

 

[andromedaaudio]

Gotta upgrade when the new and improved version comes out.

I haven’t changed DACs in almost a year now

I heard the Mark Levinson 360S 22 years ago on ML 32 / 432 / Avalon ascendant and this sound got me hooked in high end audio
Still going strong in my system , i ll ( add / replace ) by a Wadax in due time

 

[gleeds]

“I can confidently say that this is the most significant advancement in audio in decades…”

@gleeds As an industry expert, please know that hyperbole like this strain credibility for some humble non-industry experts (i.e. customers).

Thank you for the feedback, Tanagram. You're right; my enthusiasm got the best of me on this one. I will do my best to restrain my enthusiasm in future posts. However, when something genuinely significant comes along, I feel it is important to use my experience and reputation on the forum to point out actual advancements, rare though they are when I experience them. I am a frequent contributor to WBF and hope to get to know you better in the future.

 

[Kingsrule]

Thank you for the feedback, Tanagram. You're right; my enthusiasm got the best of me on this one. I will do my best to restrain my enthusiasm in future posts. However, when something genuinely significant comes along, I feel it is important to use my experience and reputation on the forum to point out actual advancements, rare though they are when I experience them. I am a frequent contributor to WBF and hope to get to know you better in the future.

Gary...Perfect.......

 

[Iamrael]

Jaguar’s ‘Woke’ Ad Sparks Fury. Fans Slam Bold Rebrand

Jaguar faces backlash for its ‘woke’ rebrand featuring bold models, no cars, and a softer logo. Critics slam the brand’s new direction.

motorcyclesports.net

Jaguar facing backlash for 'woke' new ad | Fox News Video

FOX Business' Cheryl Casone joins 'Fox & Friends First' to discuss the backlash in response to Jaguar's 'woke' rebrand.

www.foxnews.com

Google dude.

This might be of interest to some.

JAGUAR - Stops Selling Vehicles

JAGUAR - Stops Selling Vehicles

g80.bimmerpost.com

 

[agisthos]

So this particular forum had a bunch of people that changed high-end audio components as often as normal people change their clothes. They were losing thousands, sometimes tens of thousands, per month from all of their buying new and selling used.

Are you talking about the What’s Best Forum ?

 

[Kingrex]

Restaurant are down in Seattle. Food got crazy expensive here. A croissant and latte is $14.

Dinner out is pushing $120 with 2 glasses wine, no desert.

The hardest hit is junk food. A Chick-fil-A sandwich is $9. A pizza is $40 plus. Families are staying home. Rent, transportation and everything necessary eat your cash.

 

[A-Line]

Are you talking about the What’s Best Forum ?

No. And I'm not going give the name of the forum that I'm referring to either...

 

[andromedaaudio]

The mechanical workshops i visit in europe are all complaining they dont have enough work / business is slowing
In Bilbao where i was last week the food and wine is still very affordable ( and very good ) , Netherlands / belgium less so

Next year 2025 i will put my speakers up for review / do advertising , but i will not be taking big risks / do huge investments ( at least not in the audio bizz )

 

[agisthos]

In Australia all the new audio dealers and manufacturer's i've spoken to (other than one) have said the market here has totally tanked and not much is moving. Second hand sales have also slowed down hugely.

I concur regarding second hand market here in Oz. This started mid year and has now slowed to a crawl and price values have collapsed. A great time to buy if you want a deal though.

 

[T Boost]

I think the audio industry is suffering a bit from uncertainty. If things go smoothly I’d bet audio will carry on fine by spring.

I’m a manufacturer in the audio industry and I’m slow-ish right now, but last January to March was the busiest I’ve ever been in 10 yrs, so I’ll reserve judgement until end of March.

 

[J007B]

I don't know if I would say the audio market is in a recession, though definitely a contraction. I have noticed in the past few days that several high end dacs have hit the secondary market and have sold in the blink of an eye. Starting at the end of 23 and continuing through 2024 I completely upgraded my system, speakers, amps, cables, streamer, racks, turntable, etc... Nothing that I had in my system previously survived. As for 2025 I plan on a number of purchases, starting with a dedicated base for turntable, dedicated circuit, with the largest allocation of funds going to upgrade dac/streamer, and I'm always on the hunt to climb up the ladder in terms of cables. For me, all a recession or contraction means is more bang for the buck....

 

[Another Johnson]

Traditionally in the US all high end hobbies thrive on tax refund season, ie January through April.

There is always a slowdown in Summer, and a small uptick in late Fall.

A salesman who’d pitched me a set of six figure amps once said “It’s July and this is the audio industry. MAKE ME AN OFFER!”

 

[timztunz]

Traditionally in the US all high end hobbies thrive on tax refund season, ie January through April.

There is always a slowdown in Summer, and a small uptick in late Fall.

A salesman who’d pitched me a set of six figure amps once said “It’s July and this is the audio industry. MAKE ME AN OFFER!”

People get tax REFUNDS?

 

[Mr. Miyagi]

I think the audio industry is suffering a bit from uncertainty. If things go smoothly I’d bet audio will carry on fine by spring.

I’m a manufacturer in the audio industry and I’m slow-ish right now, but last January to March was the busiest I’ve ever been in 10 yrs, so I’ll reserve judgement until end of March.

I actually think that is coincidence

The bottom line is the audio market is not going to support ever increasing price and a distribution and margin structure with two layers. If a distributor makes 10-20 points and the dealer 40-55% the manufacturer gets 30% of dollars and the end user retail ask gets silly fast; particularly when very few keep inventory and have working capital issues vs buying when they have order in hand and pass on cash flow

I know of no other successful industry that has these margins and these price levels. For example - a Rolex dealer, one of the best brands in the world that people covet to make a statement about their lifestyle and where supply is proactively controlled is 22% on the dot.And the asset appreciates NOT depreciates.

The industry will restructure and like all things will revert to supply and demand in the long run. In the short term who knows.

 

[Another Johnson]

I actually think that is coincidence

Either a coincidence, or more likely a red herring … a residual artifact of the Canadian spin on US news. There is a lot of confidence and enthusiasm about the future in my neck of the woods.

 

[Mr. Miyagi]

Either a coincidence, or more likely a red herring … a residual artifact of the Canadian spin on US news. There is a lot of confidence and enthusiasm about the future in my neck of the woods.

I am very optimistic about America’s future ; the Canadian dollar might suffer a bit here in the near term.

 

[Republicoftexas69]

This might be of interest to some.

JAGUAR - Stops Selling Vehicles

JAGUAR - Stops Selling Vehicles

g80.bimmerpost.com

Interesting.

 

[PeterA]

I am very optimistic about America’s future ;

SAME!

 

[Another Johnson]

Interesting.

If this report is true, Jaguar is toast. The chutzpah required to launch a whole line of EVs without a conventional power train back up and revenue stream is matched only by their advertising acumen.