Why the huge increase in the price of Sonus Farber Amanti G5 speakers.

@jetter

I sure hope the next new speaker system doesn’t have 9 of the same drivers in it!  🤣🤣🤣

The price increase was obviously necessary because SF speakers are being upgraded with higher quality Bose speaker drivers and crossovers.

It’s too soon for it to be 20% tariffs.  I have no idea what the current tariffs are on Italy.  I think they’re still at 2.5% on electronics.  The model I am referring to was new maybe a couple years ago and has had no more R&R put into it, so that’s not it.  They’re not a mediocre speaker and if it was, why would raising the price help sell it? As far as I know, the US is the only country affected by the rare earth feud, so that’s not it.
I’m guessing shipping prices have dropped since the pandemic, so I don’t think that’s it.

I still think it’s a good question and I’m going to keep digging.

@kerrybh 

Why do I find the thought of Bose being in control very unsettling?

but I guess Bose knows best

Just talked with my dealer and indeed she said most of the price increase was directly due to tariffs!

Sigh.

I don’t know.  Something’s changed.  Long ago and far away I had a small gaming store ( when D&D was at its peak).  The markup on the things we sold ranged from 20%-37%. I also managed a restaurant when I was in college and the margins there were similar, except for drinks.  If it wasn’t for that cup of coffee or glass of Pepsi, we probably would have gone under.  We started selling wine and beer later on and the profit was crazy good, but not 100%!  I have seen dealer price sheets on hifi gear and the profit margins on some items are as much as 200%!
They’re saying that there’s fewer and fewer young people coming into this hobby.  I bet I can guess one good reason why. ☹️