The Economy.. will hi end audio mfgs lower prices?

It is worth considering who is the weakest link in the HiFi chain of Manufacturer, distributor, retailer. It seems to me, everyone has options, but the retailer, the least.
The manufacturer can reduce costs and increase margins by selling direct. An option open to the little guy, not to the Sony's, Conrad Johnsons of this world. They can rationalise product lines too.
The distributor can also go for direct sales, cutting out his retail chain, that is happening already in the UK.
The retailer can only cut fixed costs and that is staff and premises. Many again in the UK are going back to working from home, alone, perhaps with a lock up industrial unit for dems, not an expensive main street shop.
There are options at all levels of the chain then. The ones going out of business will be the ones who do'nt respond with a change in business plan. The little guy can be in the best position to weather the storm. The weakest would be anyone with a chain of main steet shops, they really have few options short of shutting a percentage of outlets.

I agree that expensive items may not be price sensitive, they will be in quantity. I am sure fewer units will be solved, equally a problem for manufacturers.

Jimaxp, I agree there are real risks for main street hiFi stores, but there is a model for how to survive. The clue, bricks and mortar. In the UK, nearly all the independents have closed their stores and operate from home, or a small lock up industrial unit. Stores mean fixed costs, requiring a certain turnover. Get rid of that and you get of a lot of your problems, you do'nt need a minimum turnover to cover costs, you still need a turnover to eat of course.
The remaining cost is mainly dem stock and that is becoming a problem. The dealers/distributors are'nt getting in Dem gear in the current environment. For example I am looking at the Coincident Super victory, partly from the Stereo Mojo review. The UK distribtor does work from home and wants to get a super victory in, in the current environment, he does'nt feel he can justify that. I want to hear the speaker, he can not be sure I want to buy it. I spoke to another UK distributor recentlty of many famous brands, one of the biggest in the UK, he says business is down 65%. He will survive by hunckering down, trying to keep ticking over and avoiding unnecessary costs.
Dealers and distributors, survive like any other business, by reducing costs, staff etc and waiting out the storm. The problem then is, how long will the storm last. It will be longer than most recessions in the last 30 years. Ultimately, that will be the killer.