Sonic Frontiers, what is going on??

I just purchased a new Anthem Amp-1 through Audiogon for maybe 60% of retail. I also picked up a returned Pre 2L that had been exchanged for a new Line-2 for around 50%. The dealer was able to transfer the Pre's warranty into my name with SFI. My amp was ordered. It would appear that there is definitely some discounting going on either directly from the factory or via distibutor(s) very close to it. While this doesn't concern me as a consumer, it probably causes some strife between Sonic and their "full-price" retailers. Last year a dealer I visited referred to some dumping by Sonic in order to raise cash in a hurry. While this might have been temporary, the fact that we are having new equipment ordered for us for 60% of retail indicates that either SFI is still dumping product or there is top-level distributor with a BIG warehouse full of it. I'm not worried as a consumer, but I would be leery of dealing with them if I were a 'bricks and mortar' HiFi shop. One more thing to consider is the difficulty that Canadian SFI encounters trying to maintain stable prices in US dollars due to the (currently) VERY favorable exchange rate for Americans. It's very easy for Canadians to sell goods to Americans right now, but hard to get top US dollar for them.

i was considering purchasing a sonic frontier line-3 recently (went w/something else), and all "bricks-n-mortar" dealers were willing to meet the *sell-from-home* dealer's price except one. *that* dealer actually got very nasty w/me - one more dealer scratched from my list of potential vendors. doug

As a dealer, I can tell you they are doing real well. Since they were bought by Paradigm they have more resouces than most anybody. Their new AVM2 surround piece is selling at a rate much higher than I would ever guess a product in that price range could. . . . . . Don't look a gift horse in the mouth. At $4995 full retail the 73 lb (packed) Line 3 makes most competitors look cheap inside. At the prices they are available at, it's a no-brainer. And though they have been out for a while the whole line is competetive with anything.

I think it must be very difficult for companies to continue building product when so much of us deal strictly in the used market (us includes me). Although I occasionally will purchase new, prices of high end products keep the "middle class"folk out of the game, unless we are willing to finance a lot of cash.