Selling High-End Speakers

You'll get more detailed responses than mine but I would start with a subscription to Audiogon Audio Bluebook to establish your price. Then, write your ad and wait for a buyer, or at least an offer. I wouldn't waste time on an auction. People lose interest waiting for the auction to end. Personally, I never even look at auctions. Why would I want to wait to find out if I'm the lucky "winner" of an auction? Is the used audio equipment business really a seller's market? Really? Anyway, I would offer a brief audition for interested parties, and also state that pickup is preferred due to the size of these pieces. If you offer to ship, be sure to charge something for your time. Lastly, let potential buyers know that sales are "as is" just due to the age of the items. Just my opinion. Best of luck!

sell'em locally or local pickup only.
no matter how expensive they are you'll need to go down south to cope with shipping that can be even more expensive than speakers.
you may research the sold items you're selling and refer to these price ranges.
weather they're expensive or not you can always make them cheap if you want to sell them.
regardless of one's opinion, people still bid

"They're all classics, and unfortunately heavy, expensive and coming to a reasonable price is going to be difficult to let them go."

Exactly what are you saying in the above quote, that you have a price in mind that is the minimum that you will take for the speakers, or you have a sentimental attachment to your belongings?

If the former, you can auction them on ebay as pickup only with a reserve that is your minimum price. You can also advertise them here as pickup only at what you believe to be a fair price. Likewise US Audio Mart and Asylum Trader ads for pickup only.

Shipping will certainly broaden the market for these, the Patricians being very well liked in the lucrative Asian market, but it's probably best to let the buyer arrange for shipping if for no other reason than it indemnifies you against responsibility for shipping damage.

Since you are dealing in mega buck items, avoid any use of payments via wire transfers or cashiers checks. Fraud on use of the latter is running wild. Best is the most solid terms of payment - cash. Yes, something that few use today. When getting a cash payment have it delivered, insured via Federal Express overnight. Always required the buyer to get brand new, unused Federal Reserve $100 bills. No other denomination should be accepted. Why new bills, well, most used ones are contaminated by drugs. Handling such could get you arrested. Once you have the new bills go to your bank and have them deposited to your account and ask that all the bills be checked for being counterfeit. Then, and only then should you ship the goods. This type of sale will stay 'closed'.