What's going on with the audio market?


Recent retail sales reports are very bad and I am hearing that sales for audio equipment have been nonexistent over the past few months.  I also see more dealers putting items up for sale here and on other outlets.  Even items that have traditionally sold quickly here are expiring without being sold. 

To what would you attribute the slowdown?  Have you changed your buying habits for audio equipment and, if so, why? 
theothergreg
Yup Obama is too blame for the bad audio market the last 8 years. It always comes back to Obama.  No Obama no audio problem.  Anyway. Make higher quality better priced gear and it could grow again. 
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Fixate on audio. Politics has nothing to do with it. Anyway. This hobby takes your time and money. I think the prices are so high it becomes Benz or audio.  House or audio.  College tuition or audio.  It is insane. I say it now but I was in the spin cycle.   I'm done 
55, 30, ?

I can get by on a lot less these days and that pertains to audio as well.  At most, audio is only an 8-9 month hobby out of the year.  In summer, I don't want to sit on my rear and listen to music, only when I'm couped up during the winter and colder months.  

Also, it's more about nostalgic gear than anything else.  I don't care about new gear, or even gear that is less than 10 years old.  If I see something cool from my youth, then I think it would be cool to obtain it.  I'm definitely still stuck in the 80's when it comes to audio purchases.  My Oppo dvd player (used for CDs) is my newest gear, everything else is vintage more or less.  

The hobby is just not that important these days.  That feeling has come and gone thru the years, next year, I might be more into audio than I am right now, and that is just fine.  Thanks for reading.
I’m 62 years old. I bought my first new "good" equipment in 1974 at a PX in SE Asia. In the 80's I bought black box stuff, then found vintage vacuum tube. Had fun with that but the sound is lacking.
Last fall I spent under $15,000.00 on new Harbeth (deeply discounted) speakers a used like new VAC integrated amp some used cables and Entreq Audio tweaks. My Garrard 301 is going out for a total rebuild Friday. I have a wonderful set up that I enjoy very much. I am happy! And done.
I have no idea why the used market is so bad now. The economy the ongoing hateful elections and home theater.