Inventory’s drying up fast, and once it’s gone, it might not come back.
FiiO, one of the most popular names in budget-friendly audiophile gear, has warned that it may hit pause on U.S. sales. The reason? A perfect storm of fast-moving tariff changes and pricing chaos that’s making it nearly impossible to keep up across its distribution channels.
With limited stock in the U.S. and margins getting squeezed hard, FiiO is encouraging fans to grab what they need now—just in case the shelves go empty for a while.
Get It Now, or Maybe Not at All
FiiO has issued a blunt warning to its U.S. customers: if trade conditions keep shifting the way they have been, the company might hit pause on sales in the U.S. entirely.
The announcement follows a wave of new tariffs and policy uncertainty that has made it nearly impossible for brands running on thin margins to operate sustainably. And FiiO—known for packing solid engineering into affordable gear—has always leaned on a high-volume, low-margin model to keep prices competitive. That approach is starting to crack under pressure.
The company laid it all out in a Facebook post, pointing to fast-moving policy changes that make it next to impossible to update pricing across every retail and online channel in real time. In other words, even if they wanted to raise prices to stay afloat, the system doesn’t let them do it fast enough.
They also noted that inventory in the U.S. is limited, so once it’s gone—it might really be gone, at least for a while.
It’s a tough spot: raise prices and risk backlash, or stay the course and sell at a loss. Neither option is great, which is why FiiO’s message to customers is basically this—if there’s something you’ve been eyeing, now might be the time to grab it.
Tariff Shockwaves
The situation isn’t just affecting FiiO. A wave of rising import duties and the loss of key trade exemptions is hitting nearly every corner of the consumer audio world—especially brands that build their gear in China.
One big change landed in May 2025, when the U.S. government closed the de minimis loophole. That rule had been a quiet lifeline for years, letting Americans import small packages—anything under $800—without getting hit by tariffs.
We’re already seeing the fallout. Back in February, Andrew and Taron Lissimore at Headphones.com sent out an email breaking down what was coming. Prices on Moondrop and Truthear gear were going up—some by a little, some by a lot. It was the first clear sign of how this policy shift would ripple through real-world product pricing.
Here’s a quick look at what changed:
- Moondrop Variations: $520 → $599
- Moondrop Blessing 3: $319.99 → $359.99
- Moondrop Cosmo: $899 → $999
- Moondrop Edge: $79.99 → $89.99
- Moondrop Aria 2: $89.99 → $99.99
- Truthear Nova: $149.99 → $172.99
- Truthear Hexa: $79.99 → $91.99
- Truthear Zero:RED: $54.99 → $63.99
These are the kinds of products that built their reputation on solid sound without wrecking your budget. Now, with 15–20% hikes across the board, they’re inching closer to what most folks would call mid-tier or even entry-level premium. It’s not catastrophic—but it definitely changes how far your dollar goes.
Industry-Wide Consequences
FiiO, Moondrop, and Truthear are getting most of the attention right now, but the pressure from rising costs is spreading throughout the audio world. Even U.S.-based names like Schiit Audio, ZMF, and Abyss are likely not immune—despite assembling their gear stateside.
It doesn’t take a lot, either. Just one key component slapped with a 25% or 35% duty can throw off the entire cost structure. Stack that on top of manufacturing, logistics, and distribution, and suddenly prices are creeping up whether anyone likes it or not.
Now manufacturers are left making some hard calls.
So some are starting to trim their lineups, focus on fewer models, or lean into boutique, higher-margin gear where the numbers still work out. It’s a shift—not necessarily dramatic yet, but definitely one to watch.
What’s Next for FiiO and the Chi-Fi Market?
FiiO’s future in the U.S. is hanging in the balance, and it all comes down to where trade policy lands in the next few months.
Brands like Shanling, HiFiMAN, and Topping are likely weighing their options too. They’ve built their reputation on offering great gear at aggressive prices, but that low-margin, high-volume model starts to crack when tariffs start stacking up.
It’s a different story in Canada, at least for now. Without the same sweeping electronics tariffs, Canadian buyers are still picking up Chi-Fi gear without the sticker shock that’s creeping into the U.S. market. How long that lasts is anyone’s guess, but for now, it’s a pretty good time to be a Canadian audiophile.
Across the board, the vibe is shifting.
The days of snagging high-performance gear at budget-friendly prices might be fading in the U.S.—at least for a while. For anyone who’s relied on Chi-Fi brands to build a serious setup without breaking the bank, it might be time to rethink the wishlist… or start hunting for used deals while they’re still around.