Do speakers EVER depreciate?

[Tarheel_]

For over a year, i've been watching ebay and audiogon for some good/descent deals on a Revel center channel or a pair of monitors.

Well, since then, the line has been replaced with a newer model.

Now, why aren't prices falling on the former models? I don't understand it...can someone explain how these continue to retain their value?

fustrated and confused....

[JSE]

Sucks huh?

On one hand your glad to see your speakers are retaining there value and on the other, you wish they would lose some value for a good purchase price. It's probabyl basic economics. They are in demand so the price stays high. And, you have very nice higher end speakers that were not produced in "large" numbers. It also seems center channels are alway hard to find once discontinued. There always seems to be a rush of people just like you who have the two mains and now that the line is discontinued are trying to find a center channel while they can.

Anyway, good luck with the search.

JSE

[Woochifer]

That would really depend on how in demand they are and how scarce they are. As JSE correctly noted, it's simple economics. Speakers that are only a year or so out are not really considered old, since speakers don't get new features and updates constantly added like receivers and digital sources do. The perception with those products are that when new models get introduced, the old ones are obsolete; that's not the case with speakers.

In fact, a lot of older speakers never lose their value because enough people like the sound of the older speakers and don't like the newer models. Case in point, just look at the resale values for a lot of vintage JBL models. A lot of classic rock was monitored on JBLs, and as such the music can subjectively sound optimal on vintage JBLs. The L65s that I grew up with cost $600 a pair brand new, and resale prices for that model are often more than that. (of course, this is before we factor inflation in) And I've seen some of the vintage L100s going for even more.

[N. Abstentia]

I know what you mean. I've been on the lookout for another pair of Paradigm Active 40's, but I don't think I've ever seen them go for less than $1600. Same with the active center. You'd think some old discontinued speakers would go for cheap!

[Woochifer]

Sucks huh?

On one hand your glad to see your speakers are retaining there value and on the other, you wish they would lose some value for a good purchase price. It's probabyl basic economics. They are in demand so the price stays high. And, you have very nice higher end speakers that were not produced in "large" numbers. It also seems center channels are alway hard to find once discontinued. There always seems to be a rush of people just like you who have the two mains and now that the line is discontinued are trying to find a center channel while they can.

Anyway, good luck with the search.

JSE

Case in point, when the Paradigm Studio v.2 series got discontinued, the first speakers to run out at Paradigm's distribution facility were the center speakers, because that was the one matching model for every other main and surround speaker in that series. Those also seemed to be the ones that dealers weren't as anxious to deal down on to clear space in their backrooms. I picked up the Studio 20s for 20% off, but my dealer was calling all over the place trying to secure a couple of the Studio CCs for his customers.

[RGA]

It will depend on the new version of the speakers and how much they rise in price as well. For instance the Original basic cheap version of the Audio Note AN K in 1992 sold for $550 British Pounds or about $1300.00Cdn. The person had them up for sale - and despite being 12 years old got more than what he paid for them. Granted buying power has decreased since then but still.

A large part of that is that Audio Note's new entry for that speaker is $2250.00US. SO if you want it really bad and you see on used for $600.00Pounds or ~1k US you think it's a better deal than perhaps it really is because they did not look up the original sales price.

Of course IMO the buyer will still be happy and the seller - well he got 12 years out of speaker almost for free. Generally, The higher the price the more the depreciation.