Prices continue to rise

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Across the board (all countries / regions) - or just the USA?

I only know about the USA.

 

[hole46]

Across the board (all countries / regions) - or just the USA?

Just the USA


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[PhilCohen]

Will European and Asian consumers be able to keep the audio Industry alive until Trump's career ends?

 

[dlaloum]

Will European and Asian consumers be able to keep the audio Industry alive until Trump's career ends?

It starts to be a brand by brand (and location by location) issue - as an example... Voxx is (was) a US company (now taken over by Gentex also a US company) - it owns a range of brands, including as an example... Magnat

Magnat is a well regarded speaker company with good market penetration in Europe... but basically unknown in North America.

Trump's economic blundering, is unlikely to affect Magnat
Klipsch is primarily North American - with the Heritage speakers mostly made in USA... but for their more mass market ranges, much is (was?) manufactured in China - penetration of Klipsch into European or Asian markets is patchy...

So there we have two speaker brands, owned by the same group - with very different exposure to Trumpism.

USA brands, which moved most of their manufacturing offshore, are the most exposed, followed by Non-USA brands for whom the US market is a critical % of their sales.
Brands like Quad - who have never had substantive US market penetration, are probably completely unaffected.

Having said that - the economic mayhem driven by Trump has broader implications, including the potential for a global recession or even depression - and if that happens, then consumer/luxury goods (like our hobby) - will suffer badly, as we will all put away our pocketbooks and hunker down.

 

[PhilCohen]

Also, though not made in China (It's made in Malaysia), Technics has increased the price of their $20,000 turntable to $25,000. They can shove it. I presently use an SL-1210,Mk.2 from 1995 and I'm happy with it, and my roomful of spare equipment stockpiled for possible future use includes a limited numbered edition SL-1210GAE. I'll get by quite nicely. I'm not trying to keep up with the Joneses. Who are these Joneses anyhow? I know only 3 people in the neighborhood and not very well. I might stop and say hello to them if I 'm walking down the street. I've never been into their homes,so I don't know if these people have any audio equipment. Even if my existing audio/video system isn't the best system in the neighborhood, the entire spare set of equipment that I've stockpiled in "Museum Grade Condition" could very well (if I ever set it up) be the best system in my neighborhood. Therefore,as far as I'm concerned, there are no Joneses to keep up with. And if there were any Joneses in my neighborhood, I say "Hooray For The Joneses!"

 

[dlaloum]

Also, though not made in China (It's made in Malaysia), Technics has increased the price of their $20,000 turntable to $25,000. They can shove it. I presently use an SL-1210,Mk.2 from 1995 and I'm happy with it, and my roomful of spare equipment stockpiled for possible future use includes a limited numbered edition SL-1210GAE. I'll get by quite nicely. I'm not trying to keep up with the Joneses. Who are these Joneses anyhow? I know only 3 people in the neighborhood and not very well. I might stop and say hello to them if I 'm walking down the street. I've never been into their homes,so I don't know if these people have any audio equipment. Even if my existing audio/video system isn't the best system in the neighborhood, the entire spare set of equipment that I've stockpiled in "Museum Grade Condition" could very well (if I ever set it up) be the best system in my neighborhood. Therefore,as far as I'm concerned, there are no Joneses to keep up with. And if there were any Joneses in my neighborhood, I say "Hooray For The Joneses!"

The best TT's of the 1970's and 1980's are superb by any standard.... and affordably priced compared to what the new prices are! (even with the price of vintage audio gear climbing)

I doubt I would even consider a new TT nowadays, if I wanted another TT - I would hunt for a nicely maintained classic or a refurbished classic.... lots of superb examples available, with performance on a par with the $25k technics, at 1/10th the price (and often a lot less)