Has Polk Audio gone made with pricing?

[ThatM1key]

Over the years, I noticed Polk Audio has increased there prices ranging from 1.5x to 2.0x+ (USD). Polk T50 used to sell for ~$75 to $100, now for $200. Polk PSW10 used to sell for ~$100 to ~$130, now $180. I remember when the Polk S20 was priced at $300 and would sometimes go on sale for $250. The newer ES20 are always above $320.

T50 Price History:

 

[fubarnow]

First you have T Series Listed, Bottom of the Barrel.
You can still get Very Cheap Polk speakers.
The bread & butter for Polk is probably in their midrange speakers
such as the Signature Series and the Pricer Reserve Series.
If I were buying Polk, it would be the Reserve Series I would go with.
You also have to remember prices have gone way up on things, including audio.
Polk makes good products for what they charge.
You can spend a little or a lot. Quality cost more.

 

[dorakeg]

Not surprising, inflation around the world is driving prices up. Trade war between USA and china only make things worse.

I think budget and maybe some mid-range models are all made in china. It's possible that these units were subjected to additional taxes imposed by us gov.

 

[alex-z]

Like most mainstream brands, Polk has raised prices, often surpassing inflation. But they put on regular sales to entice customers, you just need to treat the sale prices like MSRP, rather than the actual MSRP.

 

[mhardy6647]

But they put on regular sales to entice customers, you just need to treat the sale prices like MSRP, rather than the actual MSRP.

As is the case with so many "commodity" brands.
Pro tip -- "Polk" (i.e., the conglomerate that owns the brand name) does indeed do "friends and family" sales periodically, typically ca. half-off the regular price. At those prices... the "Reserve" series may be a good investment . YMMV, of course, but I am quite happy with the R200s I bought for less than half price when they were first on the market. Polk had a flash sale for 'early adopters' to get some reviews out into cyberspace.

DSC_0027 (2) by Mark Hardy, on Flickr

Even the cosmetically considerably nicer "Legend" series is worth considering when they're half off. I consider them too expensive at their advertised prices (but I am not exactly the most savvy consumer of modern loudspeakers, favoring rather more abstruse loudspeakers for serious listening).