Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion Meridian - Systems Are we doing ourselves 'no favours' re: S/H M Equipment ?

I have just seen Richard Kroll's G91DH for sale, at a very reduced price, elsewhere.

This prompts me to ask :~
~~~~ Have we, at HHG2M, financially discounted Meridian equipment too heavily ? ~~~~

This by disscussion, quite openly and at great length, on this forum.
Apparently, in our own minds, we are now no longer prepared to buy (pre-owned) Meridian equipment for a what would normally be considered a fair price ?

It would seem that we (here) will only buy a sellers equipment if it is in a mint condition and comes at the minimal cost, to ourselves.
Looking through the 'Equipment Restaurant' I see only 15 reported sales in 98 threads, dating back to Sept. '06. Of those 15 sales, 5 were cable sales in one thread and not all of the rest were internal sales.

It is said, 'Price is whatever the market will bear'.
However this does not appear to be the case here on the HHG2M. The proof, from my personal experience, is that the open market, apart from a dip mid '06, has far more to offer than here on our own forum.

Remember, we all may be sellers one of these days.

The conclusions that I have come to are purely my own.
I expect to get flamed here but feel free to chip in with your own comments.


Holtz'.

Hi Holtz, a good thought there.

I think its a spin off from the percieved rate of new technology.

We all want to be future-proofed in a way that just isn't possible.

As a result, very good equipment looks, perhaps a little 'old hat' compared to what we think is just around the corner.

We only have to read reviews of older equipment to remind us of what was thought of them at the time.

I for one, have taken full advantage of the low 2nd hand prices. I just cant believe my luck!

I also think SD through my 596 is fantastic.

From what I read here, some people would rather have their eyes poked out with a stick than be forced to live with such low quality video.

Personaly, I dont know what they are talking about. (What is the Chroma Bug)? I have never seen it, will it make a good pet?

It will be interesting to re-read the over-enthusiasm for HD/Bluray in 5 years time compared to whats available then.

Perhaps then my 596 will be seen as a good old Classic.

It's just the times we live in, biult in obsolecance is just somthing we have to get used to.

Enough Rambling I think, Cheers, Chris

Chris :

I'd have staked money we would hear from you.
Well done, you've taken it in the right spirit.

Look at the fuss and demand some made for the arrival of DVD-A,
and what do they think of it now ?


Holtz'.

Holtz

We do sometimes talk ourselves out of expectation of realistic values for example:

I have a G91 which is basically used as a CD/DVD player/upscaler outputting on MHR to a G68. There have been many posts on the 'advantages & benefits' of using music servers and predominately Squeezebox outlets. I myself have now bought into the MS route and ordered 2 SB3's and a NAS because it seems as though the audio reproduction running something like FLAC lossless is very close to straight CD output from the G91. This being so I can save considerably on CD storage (WAF won't allow rubbish storage facilities) and the pure convenience factor of having all music 'to hand'
Given this what future for CD's /players and what is the realistic value of such a spinner?

Rod

Thats the Dilema Rod.

Personaly, I would never get rid of my beloved discs, even if some sort of server solution was available that suited me.

I like a Library, I like a product to hold.

Hard drives crash, so you have to back it all up.

I will always want a spinner.

If I want random, I will listen to the Radio.

Try 'Thejazz' on Dab. Its run by the people at Classic FM. Fantastic sound even at fairly low bitrate.

So it all depends on how you look at the world.

One Man's Meat is another Man's poison.

Go on, Sell it to me cheap.lol

Always happy to oblige Holtz.

Cheers, Chris

i think you're looking at the problem from the wrong direction.

the fact is that the s/h Meridian market has been exceptionally fragmented over time. i remember looking for used equipment back in 1999/2000. there was none on eBay to speak of. this site wasn't a factor. audiogon probably existed, but was tiny. and so on and so forth.

generally, the authorized dealers were the market, driven by trade-ins for upgrades. many didn't even have web pages back then (some still don't).

but like all markets eventually do, this one got a lot more efficient over the last few years. this site is a factor. now there's a ton of equipment on audiogon regularly. lots more on eBay too. and so on and so forth.

it's not that we've done anything twice-too-cute to negatively impact ourselves, it's that the values were previously unnaturally inflated due to an inefficient market.

doody.

And some of yesterday's technology really isn't holding up well today. Particularly the newer players.

I couldn't agree more Chris, browsing our collection that way is more fun.

Rodders :
You make valid points with everything that you say, regarding CD/DVD players. My original post was in reference to Meridian values in general and our own tendancy to talk the prices down.

The complete transfer to centralised media, hi-fi/movies/internet/telephonics, ( single box home entertainment or the total computerised home ) is inevitable.
However, once it does happen then, newer models will start coming thick and fast and, although expensive at first will eventually drop away in price and in build quality. They may become even more troublesome with so many parts having to interact with one another. Most things will be 'blade' type plug-ins, built-in obsolescence, thus tying you to one particular brand and operating system. Hmmm, sounds familiar,seems we are going round and around to finally disappear up our own serial port.

I'm rambling now and well and truely 'Off Thread'.


Holtz'.

Doody :

You have been your usual pragmatic self and all you say is valued.
My point was that this forum has talked down the prices of its own equipment.

Items here in the UK will generally still sell for more on eBay than in our own restaurant and my example is proof of that.
Sure the man in the street is far more knowledgeable today, come the internet, than he was just a few years ago but he knows what is fair and what he wants to, and will, pay.

Retailer keep prices high because they have to make a profit, whereas, sellers of their own (once new) equipment can only make a loss.

Here 40% of retail is seen as excessive for something still current, yet only 2/3 years old.
So, if that is true ( 40% ) wouldn't it indicate the fault lays elsewhere ? ie. In the retail price. I think not. We will still want to buy M's latest, upto date and beyond, offering regardless of price - should it meet all of our requirements.


Holtz'.

I sold my Meridian DVD player for what ever the market will bear, period. It was bought by someone that does not know anything about this forum and I got what I got. I got $1250.00 for a 598 and he had me REMOVE the SDI to save $150.00.

Personally, I think high-end DVD-Players are a thing of the past and the market as well as this forum reflects that. I also think High-End CD players are are a thing of the past. Will High-End HD or Blu-Ray make it? Don't know but I'll bet it won't be nearly as successful as it was for DVD. There was lots of tricks to bring DVD up to what Video could provide. There is less that can be done with Blu-Ray and HD-DVD. Also DVD-A is dead.

If anything this site helped keep the price up on high-end DVD players, but it could only stay with it so long.

I don't think you can blame the forum. The hi-fi market has changed significantly over the last 2/3 years. Apple, Microsoft and the various music server makers have made great (and cheap) progress in high end playback (then there's our fav HD war). I would expect to see DVD players deprecating across the board. I know other hikers (myself included) that wouldn't buy a DVD player again because we have digital speakers and processors.

Is it responsible/irresponsible to say that? Is having this thread detrimental to second hand prices? Maybe you can blame the forum!

Cheers
Tom

This is funny and sad. When I go to Best Buy I still see plenty of people buying DVD players, DVD's and CD's. I still buy plenty of DVD's and CD's. More so DVD's. Yet here it sounds like everything is dying or already dead. You guys sound depressing. The high end dealers are still selling high end DVD and CD players. They tend to be selling entire Home Theater system installs more than just separate items from what I'm told and business is pretty darn good where I visit from time to time.

George I just saw a 596 sell on audiogon for almost the same price you sold your 598.

You guys scare me. Doom and gloom! Who cares about the prices...I just enjoy my setup and I'm happy. I can enjoy an SD DVD just as much as an HD movie.

Ron