Yeah, I don't get why people are over-reacting about the new base plate options. Several folks were already asking about removing the base plates, either so that they could reduce the height of the sub, or so that they could re-orient the driver to a forward-firing position.
Now, with the price/performance ratio offered by these subs, one had to know that the price was going to be sensitive to changes in input costs. And we all know that input costs rise over time, right? It's a fact of life. PSA can't just eat that cost and still remain viable. Tom and Jim still need to make a profit, right? Because if they don't, they go out of business and then there are no more PSA subs for anyone.
Now, the simple and easy solution would have been to just raise prices across the board and call it a day, but they didn't do that. They turned a challenge into an opportunity. They offered the subs without base plates, because some customers were looking for that anyway. Also, the reduction in materials and weight of the sub, while leaving performance the same (or perhaps slightly better), represents an increase in efficiency.
Let's not forget that the base plate remains an option
I have an appreciation for the challenges faced by small businesses. Making it work is HARD. All businesses face challenges, and rising costs is the most common one. Turning a challenge into an opportunity is a special skill. I, for one, think Tom and Jim are to be congratulated on the ingenuity and business savvy they have shown here.
There. Now I'll get down off my soap box and let you return to your regularly scheduled programming.