Audio price hikes - Covid-19 or what?

[KEW]

I was looking at Outlaw's pricing. I had read that there prices were up, but was a bit shocked when I actually saw some pricing of known items:
The RR2160 Stereo Receiver is now $1,000 (I'm thinking it was something like $650 or $700 at the start of the year).
The X-13 Ultra is $2,000 (up from $1600, IIRC)
The 2200 monoblock is listed as out of stock.
The 5000 is $650, I can't remember if it was $550 or $600 or $650 before!
Should we be expecting the same from other companies?
If an item is still at its old prices, should we jump on it?
Their ATI amps are also up quite a bit, but I don't remember the old pricing on them! Because they are made in the USA, this is not just a China/USA trade issue (unless it is falling back to the parts bought from China and assembled here.

 

[Pogre]

The 2200s have been oos for at least a month now, tho I believe longer.

I've been having that mentality. If I want something, I'd better get it while it's still gettable... and affordable. It was part of my reasoning for ordering those towers. Who knows how much longer RAAL tweets are going to be affordable, or even available.

I know nothing, I have no insider insight or anything. Just a feeling that the stuff we all love and enjoy about this hobby is going skyrocket in price.

 

[Speedskater]

It might be hard to get some pieces and parts from China right now.

 

[TheWarrior]

People are at home, demand goes up!

 

[Movie2099]

I was looking at Outlaw's pricing. I had read that there prices were up, but was a bit shocked when I actually saw some pricing of known items:
The RR2160 Stereo Receiver is now $1,000 (I'm thinking it was something like $650 or $700 at the start of the year).
The X-13 Ultra is $2,000 (up from $1600, IIRC)
The 2200 monoblock is listed as out of stock.
The 5000 is $650, I can't remember if it was $550 or $600 or $650 before!
Should we be expecting the same from other companies?
If an item is still at its old prices, should we jump on it?
Their ATI amps are also up quite a bit, but I don't remember the old pricing on them! Because they are made in the USA, this is not just a China/USA trade issue (unless it is falling back to the parts bought from China and assembled here.

The Outlaw 5000 price hike happened last year well before any of this stuff happened. It's been $650 for awhile. If you're lucky you can find a gently used one for under $500 like I did. Found one on Audiogon for $450 and it works amazing. The Mono 2200's were on super sale earlier in the year. I think they were just cleaning house. Not sure if they're revamping that product, but they should be back in stock in the next month or two.

 

[ryanosaur]

I think some of Outlaws gear was undervalued, to be fair. However, I would never have bought the X-13 at those costs. SVS PB/PC4000 or Rythmik.

I'm hoping this is just an anomaly to help them survive in a very lean stretch. but we shall see. Afterall, another month or so should see the release of all the new gadgets!

 

[ryanosaur]

The Mono 2200's were on super sale earlier in the year. I think they were just cleaning house. Not sure if they're revamping that product, but they should be back in stock in the next month or two.

I concur! That 3-fer was awesome. I almost did it just to have them on hand.

I do hope somehow that they (or Mono/Mono) team up with ATI for a budget Hypex class D mono!

 

[Movie2099]

I concur! That 3-fer was awesome. I almost did it just to have them on hand.

I do hope somehow that they (or Mono/Mono) team up with ATI for a budget Hypex class D mono!

I too would like to see more Hypex N Core Class D amps out there. I don't think ATI has them priced too high, but if they could make a version with Outlaw or Monoprice for a few hundred less, I would be ok with that.

I wish Anthem would clean house and freshen up their lineup. Specifically their MCA lineup. I do like that they have them on sale. I wish they would add more to their P series and lower the price. I feel like they are priced way to high on the P series. And their Class D M1 is way over priced in my opinion.

 

[KEW]

People are at home, demand goes up!

I spoke with a speaker distributor around the first week of April and they said they were not moving much product. I suspect that is a reflection of the awareness of loss of income.
That was early on and I think there probably has since been some thought about how to improve the "shelter at home" experience. I know that some of the home exercise equipment companies have been doing very well!

 

[KEW]

@Matthew J Poes , you seem to have some "ins" with Outlaw. Any insights on what this is about? A lot of the increases are on the order of 25% which is pretty stiff for a typical inflation-related increase.
I was assuming it responded to influences from Covid 19, but apparently it preceded the virus.

 

[highfigh]

It might be hard to get some pieces and parts from China right now.

It's hard to get EVERYTHING from China. I was at a computer store last week and they have no computers to sell- they sell complete computers and build laptops & desktops to suit- parts, completed units- nothing to stock.

This is the reason the rest of the world needs to stop using one country as the origin for all of their goods. Not only are we screwed because of the pandemic, if China gets a bug up its ass and decides to stop shipping to us for political/diplomatic reasons, we're just as screwed.

 

[highfigh]

@Matthew J Poes , you seem to have some "ins" with Outlaw. Any insights on what this is about? A lot of the increases are on the order of 25% which is pretty stiff for a typical inflation-related increase.
I was assuming it responded to influences from Covid 19, but apparently it preceded the virus.

Just about everyone uses 'Just In Time' ordering for what they need, whether it's to sell or build. With no supply, the old Supply And Demand curve kicks in, or they just want to raise prices just because they can.

 

[slipperybidness]

Just about everyone uses 'Just In Time' ordering for what they need, whether it's to sell or build. With no supply, the old Supply And Demand curve kicks in, or they just want to raise prices just because they can.

Yup, just in time is a key component of Lean Manufacturing Principles. It does make a lot of sense, and does save a lot of $ for the manufacturer, and it does work great.....until it doesn't!

 

[KEW]

The Outlaw 5000 price hike happened last year well before any of this stuff happened. It's been $650 for awhile. If you're lucky you can find a gently used one for under $500 like I did. Found one on Audiogon for $450 and it works amazing. The Mono 2200's were on super sale earlier in the year. I think they were just cleaning house. Not sure if they're revamping that product, but they should be back in stock in the next month or two.

Do you know when it happened last year? I'm not exactly sure when the virus was first effecting China, but a mid-late December price increase could be related if Outlaw has good connections with their suppliers in China! That kind of seems like a stretch, but such increases in pricing generally suggest a big change somewhere in the pipeline (or new management)!

 

[KEW]

It's hard to get EVERYTHING from China. I was at a computer store last week and they have no computers to sell- they sell complete computers and build laptops & desktops to suit- parts, completed units- nothing to stock.

This is the reason the rest of the world needs to stop using one country as the origin for all of their goods. Not only are we screwed because of the pandemic, if China gets a bug up its ass and decides to stop shipping to us for political/diplomatic reasons, we're just as screwed.

Yeah, it will be interesting to see if and to what extent supply chains change in response to this!

 

[afterlife2]

It's hard to get EVERYTHING from China.

Very true.

 

[Movie2099]

Do you know when it happened last year? I'm not exactly sure when the virus was first effecting China, but a mid-late December price increase could be related if Outlaw has good connections with their suppliers in China! That kind of seems like a stretch, but such increases in pricing generally suggest a big change somewhere in the pipeline (or new management)!

The price hike was due to the tariff's at that time. I was going to purchase their 5000 back in Sept./Oct time frame but then saw the price hike. I was able to get a gently used one on Audiogon for $450 which included shipping. I know if you try and purchase at the new price shipping adds another $60+.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

If Outlaw significantly increased the prices of those ATI-made amps due to COVID, then it would make sense that ATI would also significantly increased the prices. I think ATI increased the price by about $200 in 2019. I did not see a price increase in 2020.

 

[TLS Guy]

My hunch is that electronic goods from China and the Far East will become virtually unobtainable soon, and get very expensive, probably 100% price rises before this is over. Quality and reliability are going to be king now, which will also drive prices, as I see a push to aviation and military specs for this sophisticated equipment too prone to failure.

In order to reopen western economies I see a forcing of return to home manufacture for multiple reasons.

We are just at the beginning of this round of price rises.

 

[Matthew J Poes]

@Matthew J Poes , you seem to have some "ins" with Outlaw. Any insights on what this is about? A lot of the increases are on the order of 25% which is pretty stiff for a typical inflation-related increase.
I was assuming it responded to influences from Covid 19, but apparently it preceded the virus.

I know what’s going on but I can’t talk about it.

read my article on the impact of COVID-19 and I explains a lot of what is happening to the industry. Basically everything I said in that article has come to pass and worse and we aren’t even at the peak problem yet.

a lot of manufacturers will need to make tough decisions in the short term in order to survive. The small parts, or beans, are scarce. Some are completely unavailable. Even those manufacturing in America were not spared. At best their problems were delayed. At the end of the day many of their parts came from China. Even if that weren’t true, it’s not like our own manufacturing is any better.

eventually everything will settle into a new normal but for now we are probably looking at a solid year of pain in the industry. The bigger the company, the less they will be impacted. They get first dibs.