I See Inflation At Crutchfield

[Jim Creek]

Six years ago Crutchfield was discontinuing the Monitor Audio Silver 100 G6 because the new Generation 7 had just been released. At that time the G6 was being discounted from $1000 to $800. That’s when I bought my G6 Silver 100. The price of the G7 Silver 100 went up to $1200 but eventually got jacked up to $1500.

After cruising the pages at Crutchfield today I noticed the price of the G7 Silver 100 on Crutchfield got jacked up again to $1650. That seems too much when compared to other competitively priced speakers. The G7 is now double the price of the discounted G6, which is essentially the same speaker.

My main point is that the tariffs plus inflation are hitting audio equipment hard.

 

[tw 2022]

Yep....it's a regressive tax , the poorer the consumer the worse it hurts..

 

[PGansz]

This has been going on for a year. Two Christmas's ago you could get Wharfedale Elysian 3's with stands for $4500. Today they're $8000 without stands.

There are examples all over the place of the ludicrous price increases.

 

[sam_adams]

Try visiting your local supermarket . . .

 

[1066]

I keep looking for the USA consumer price index % expected rise but maybe it has not filtered through supply chain from tariffs quite yet?

Effect may show in next couple of months.

Then the USA statisticians will get fired and replaced by the Orange One.

Source: https://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/cpi.pdf

 

[Timcognito]

You need a bigger window and it is a compounding number. So for this decade if the 2025 number holds, 23% over 5 yrs strait line and 27% compounded, using the ave to calculate.

 

[JeffS7444]

Here's how the USA CPI-U is weighted. I guess that Consumer Electronics would be part of the 2.9% for Other Goods and Services, and that computers, mobile devices and the like would dominate the category. So even a steep price increase for an amplifier or a set of speakers is likely to have no significant impact on the whole.

Source: Statista.

 

[Power Pop 23]

I have noticed increases in prices for refurbished audio gear at Accessories For Less dot com. The Denon AVR-S760H AVR was replaced by the AVR-S770H in July 2023. Refurbished '760's' sold for $299 in early 2025. The current price is $449. I would be surprised if a sample of the Denon AVR-S760H was subject to a tariff.

 

[xanalog]

If you have not stocked up on goods -especially, audio goodies- already... you been down-graded to a "coulda, woulda, shoulda" casualty!

 

[mhardy6647]

View attachment 470316
You need a bigger window and it is a compounding number. So for this decade if the 2025 number holds, 23% over 5 yrs strait line and 27% compounded, using the ave to calculate.

FWIW, this was what I got when I looked at the magic of inflation (US CPI data) as is, back in August 2024.
I looked back a little further - using 2013 as my basis.

 

[1066]

FWIW, this was what I got when I looked at the magic of inflation (US CPI data) as is, back in August 2024.
I looked back a little further - using 2013 as my basis.
View attachment 470329

What is the vertical impact axis measured in?

 

[mhardy6647]

What is the vertical impact axis measured in?

it's essentially year on year cumulative inflation in percent. Start with 100 USD in 2013, multiply by 2014 CPI and add that increment to 100 to get the 2014 datapoint. Repeat annually. Brute force but 'realistic' if one considers the CPI to be representative of anything useful.

 

[test1223]

A lot of companies have to raise prices or close the business. Everything is getting more expensive labor, material, rent and so on.

Don't blame the companies blame politics and vote for less taxes, less government debt, less national quota and less regulations. Unproductive sectors which are feed by government money or government regulations getting bigger and bigger every year at least in Europe. The companies and the costumers pay all of this with taxes and inflation.

 

[Power Pop 23]

If you have not stocked up on goods -especially, audio goodies- already... you been down-graded to a "coulda, woulda, shoulda" casualty!

New samples of most WiiM devices at Crutchfield have been listed since late March 2025 as 'temporarily out of stock'. OTOH, Amazon has maintained inventory and without an increase in list price (so far).

methinks this thread is heading for a lock down........

 

[Groove01]

I’m just glad it’s transitory…

 

[xanalog]

methinks this thread is heading for a lock down........

NOT as long as we keep out of the political fray...

 

[Ken1951]

I keep looking for the USA consumer price index % expected rise but maybe it has not filtered through supply chain from tariffs quite yet?

Effect may show in next couple of months.

Then the USA statisticians will get fired and replaced by the Orange One.

Source: https://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/cpi.pdf


View attachment 470310

The latest PPI report came in very "hot", making the question when will those higher producer costs be passed through to all of us.

 

[Ellebob]

At my work, we are seeing price increases dues to tariffs from most of our suppliers. It is just starting as most already had some inventory and some waited to ship product until tariff amount was set. Manufacturers, distributors, etc. will not eat the cost of these tariffs. This will get passed on to consumers with higher retail prices. Not being political just how tariffs work.

 

[Jim Creek]

I’m just glad it’s transitory…

What?

 

[tw 2022]

At my work, we are seeing price increases dues to tariffs from most of our suppliers. It is just starting as most already had some inventory and some waited to ship product until tariff amount was set. Manufacturers, distributors, etc. will not eat the cost of these tariffs. This will get passed on to consumers with higher retail prices. Not being political just how tariffs work.

The folks that believe " countries " pay for tariffs need a refresher course in econ....