The Sindex: Price of Audio Equipment Rises 12 Percent Under Trump Tariffs
The Reason Sindex tracks the price of vice: smoking, drinking, snacking, traveling, and more.
(Photos: iStock)
Going to any public events soon? You might have a harder time hearing the speakers than you once did. While annual inflation through August 2025 came in at 2.9 percent, the price of audio equipment like new speakers had risen 12.2 percent. "They're some of the few electronics not exempt from tariffs (most smartphones/computers are still tariff-free)," as Apricitas Economics writer Joey Politano posted on X. The price of those tariff-free computers, by the way, is down 2 percent over the same timeframe, though still up 2.4 percent from January 2025 at the start of the Trump administration.
| Category | Change since January 2025 | Change since August 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Alcoholic beverages at home | 0.4% | 0.3% |
| Alcoholic beverages away from home | 2.3% | 3.8% |
| Tobacco and smoking products | 4.3% | 6.3% |
| Cable, satellite, and livestreaming services | -0.4% | 1.7% |
| Medicinal drugs | -0.6% | -0.2% |
| Audio equipment | 13.9% | 12.2% |
| Televisions | -2.4% | -5.6% |
| Airline fares | -5.4% | 3.3% |
| Gasoline, unleaded regular | -7.1% | -9.3% |
| Cigarettes | 5.1% | 7.7% |
| Prescription drugs | -1.0% | 0.9% |
| Sugar & sweets | 2.5% | 5.3% |
| Meats | 5.3% | 7.2% |
| Alcoholic beverages | 1.4% | 1.9% |
This article originally appeared in print under the headline "Speak Up."
