I have been keeping data on the sale prices of certain headphones in the FS forum from June to November 15 of this year. I will post it, let me know if it's helpful to you.
Methodology: I record the price of each used headphone offered for sale. I do not record brand new in box items or foreign sales. I do not record broken headphones. I do not record modified headphones except if the mods can be easily reversed (Sennheiser HD-580/600/650 cable and grille swaps are a good example). I don't record recabled headphones. I don't record whether the seller listed "sold" or not. Most people sell their headphones and never go back to edit their posts, so there is no way to accurately guage which headphones sold. I record the shipping price as most headphones are priced INCLUDING continental US shipping. Some are not, so I did not add any shipping onto the price. I record the lowest price the seller ever offered the headphone for.
Yes, this study has huge flaws, but any data is better than no data at all. I don't claim this is scientific, but it helps give me a good ballpark estimate of what a headphone will sell for. Yes, I could calculate standard deviation, mode, and other things if I wanted to. But I don't have time for that! And I only calculated the AVERAGE price here. That is the average they have been selling for. I will leave fairness and unfairness up to you to decide.
Models:
Senneheiser HD-600
Average Price: $214.44
Lowest Price:$150
Notes: High demand. Retains value well for such an old headphone.
If you plan on buying: Don't pay over $200. There is no reason to.
If you plan on selling: Don't drop your price,someone will buy it soon.
Sennheiser HD-650
Average Price: $274.37
Lowest Price: $160
Notes: Great value if you can get one under $275. It's possible if you are willing to take an old one with no box.
If you plan on buying: These come up all the time, you can be picky
If you plan on selling: Same as HD-600
Beyerdynamic DT-880 250 Ohm
Average Price: $201.79
Lowest Price: $165
Notes: The DT-880 has a solid demand on Head-Fi. Most are snatched up quickly and the price spread across all used sales is very small.
If you plan on buying: Check the FS forum multiple times per day. These always go FAST. Expect to pay at least $200.
If you plan on selling: Price it high! People like these.
AKG K701
Average Price: $211.23
Lowest Price: $150
Notes: Does not include K702 model. By far the largest number of headphones in my survey are K701s. The $211.23 price seems high because many K701s sold were only a few days or weeks old, so their owners were selling them for above $200. This may reflect that many new buyers either don't like the sound or find they don't have the proper equipment to run a K701. Caveat Emptor! It's a buyer's market for this headphone with many changing hands at well under $200.
If you plan on buying: Be picky, you can get a perfect example with box for $180-200.
If you plan on selling: Good luck, there is a huge glut of these on Head-Fi.
Grado RS-1 (all models except vintage)
Average Price: $495.33
Lowest Price: $400
Notes: Wide range of pricing here. The “i” model brings a higher price, but not much. The lowest price was actually recorded in the sale of an “i” model.
Buying: Don't pay over $500 unless you really want that year/model.
Selling: Don't price it too high. These don't sell very quickly.
Grado RS-2 (all models except vintage)
Average Price: $344.44
Lowest Price: $300
All models selling between $300 and $350.
Buying: Not many sales, so take what you can get
Selling: I don't have any advice for you.
Grado GS-1000 (all models)
Average Price: $645.70
Lowest Price: $450
Notes: Extremely wide range of prices. Possible to get an incredible deal here. A few were sold around $500 or lower.
Buying: Wait for a cheap one, they will come
Selling: Don't price it over $750 unless it's brand new
Denon AH-D2000
Average Price: $187.92
Lowest Price: $130
No Advices
Sennheiser HD-800
Average Price: $1249.40
Lowest Price: $1100
Notes: Very narrow price variance. The average is exactly $1250.
Buying: Act fast, almost all of these sold
Selling: I'd sell it for $1250.
Methodology: I record the price of each used headphone offered for sale. I do not record brand new in box items or foreign sales. I do not record broken headphones. I do not record modified headphones except if the mods can be easily reversed (Sennheiser HD-580/600/650 cable and grille swaps are a good example). I don't record recabled headphones. I don't record whether the seller listed "sold" or not. Most people sell their headphones and never go back to edit their posts, so there is no way to accurately guage which headphones sold. I record the shipping price as most headphones are priced INCLUDING continental US shipping. Some are not, so I did not add any shipping onto the price. I record the lowest price the seller ever offered the headphone for.
Yes, this study has huge flaws, but any data is better than no data at all. I don't claim this is scientific, but it helps give me a good ballpark estimate of what a headphone will sell for. Yes, I could calculate standard deviation, mode, and other things if I wanted to. But I don't have time for that! And I only calculated the AVERAGE price here. That is the average they have been selling for. I will leave fairness and unfairness up to you to decide.
Models:
Senneheiser HD-600
Average Price: $214.44
Lowest Price:$150
Notes: High demand. Retains value well for such an old headphone.
If you plan on buying: Don't pay over $200. There is no reason to.
If you plan on selling: Don't drop your price,someone will buy it soon.
Sennheiser HD-650
Average Price: $274.37
Lowest Price: $160
Notes: Great value if you can get one under $275. It's possible if you are willing to take an old one with no box.
If you plan on buying: These come up all the time, you can be picky
If you plan on selling: Same as HD-600
Beyerdynamic DT-880 250 Ohm
Average Price: $201.79
Lowest Price: $165
Notes: The DT-880 has a solid demand on Head-Fi. Most are snatched up quickly and the price spread across all used sales is very small.
If you plan on buying: Check the FS forum multiple times per day. These always go FAST. Expect to pay at least $200.
If you plan on selling: Price it high! People like these.
AKG K701
Average Price: $211.23
Lowest Price: $150
Notes: Does not include K702 model. By far the largest number of headphones in my survey are K701s. The $211.23 price seems high because many K701s sold were only a few days or weeks old, so their owners were selling them for above $200. This may reflect that many new buyers either don't like the sound or find they don't have the proper equipment to run a K701. Caveat Emptor! It's a buyer's market for this headphone with many changing hands at well under $200.
If you plan on buying: Be picky, you can get a perfect example with box for $180-200.
If you plan on selling: Good luck, there is a huge glut of these on Head-Fi.
Grado RS-1 (all models except vintage)
Average Price: $495.33
Lowest Price: $400
Notes: Wide range of pricing here. The “i” model brings a higher price, but not much. The lowest price was actually recorded in the sale of an “i” model.
Buying: Don't pay over $500 unless you really want that year/model.
Selling: Don't price it too high. These don't sell very quickly.
Grado RS-2 (all models except vintage)
Average Price: $344.44
Lowest Price: $300
All models selling between $300 and $350.
Buying: Not many sales, so take what you can get
Selling: I don't have any advice for you.
Grado GS-1000 (all models)
Average Price: $645.70
Lowest Price: $450
Notes: Extremely wide range of prices. Possible to get an incredible deal here. A few were sold around $500 or lower.
Buying: Wait for a cheap one, they will come
Selling: Don't price it over $750 unless it's brand new
Denon AH-D2000
Average Price: $187.92
Lowest Price: $130
No Advices
Sennheiser HD-800
Average Price: $1249.40
Lowest Price: $1100
Notes: Very narrow price variance. The average is exactly $1250.
Buying: Act fast, almost all of these sold
Selling: I'd sell it for $1250.
