On April 18th of 2007 I started a thread for discussing the future of A10x amps since they were no longer dropping. The market has gone through some turmoil since that time, including a huge upswing in prices, and an inevidable adjustment afterwards. here is the data I originally posted:
"Current available quantities at auction and prices:
A101:9:+18
A102:3:+22
A103:14:+11
A104:15:+62
A105:1:+600
A106:0:Charts are useless, well over +2000"
On July 27, 2007 I posted this update:
A101:6:+43
A102:4:+64
A103:17:+26
A104:7:+106
A105:2:+785
A106:0:No current information.
Current data today:
A101:5:+85
A102:3:+85
A103:4:+55
A104:2:+280
A105:0:+1700
A106:1:+4100
I discussed the likelyhood that amp prices would continue to increase, and it appears that my target numbers were not really much off the mark. In less than a year the prices have skyrocketed well beyond most peoples expectations.
A101's will always be a staple for eco-Opalo hunters. The economy of this combo is really hard to beat, and although hunters eventually move on to larger weapons, few get rid of thier A101/Opalo combo.
A102's are in much lower supply, and very useful for beginner (L) weapons.
A103's are by far the largest in supply, yet now they are the largest amp affordable by the majority of players. This amp fits nicely into a variety of mid-range weapons, boosting thier economy and saving lots of PEDs in the long haul.
A104's are rising fast because the A105 and A106 are in the stratosphere. Even a JMKII can benefit from the A104, as well as most of the higher-end (L) weapons. (L) amps of this level start to have some nasty markups, forcing the A104 to a position once held by the A105.
A105's are just plain uncommon to begin with. The fit perfectly into the JMKII which used to be a great mid-range combo. Unfortunately, with both the JMKII prices rising and the already astrinomical cost of the A105, this combo can more likely be percieved now as upper-middle class.
A106's are now ancient uber equipment. Rifles without an A106 are not that great of a deal. You pretty much need the A106 to move from Carbines to Rifles to establish yourself as an upper-level player. It is here that many players either give up altogether or move to BLP. Getting to Rifles and an A106 is the final pinacle of Laser skill. It will now cost you significantly.
Projections: I expect the trend to continue with minor corrections each way. I doubt you will be able to buy any A10x amp next year for less than +200, and forget about getting an A104 or better unless you have really deep pockets. Over the last year, the best investment would have been A101's, they have had the greatest percentage increase. A103's were obviosly a close second. A106's appeared to be the worst, merely doubling in value in a year. Percentage gains year over year appear relatively stable.
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