QSC Temporarily Pauses Orders on Over 200 Products Amid Tariff Pressures

QSC has temporarily paused orders on more than 200 products. In a letter sent to AV dealers, the company stated that “due to the current tariff climate, [we] are issuing a temporary order pause on specific QSC Audio and Q-SYS products.”

The letter included a list of over 200 affected products, including amplifiers, speakers, cameras, and control systems. QSC clarified that “inventory currently held in our U.S. warehouses will not be affected by this temporary pause.” Notably, none of the Q-SYS Core processors were included in the list.

Impact of QSC Pause

If you’re currently working on projects that include QSC or Q-SYS products, your first step should be to contact your dealer. They will have access to the complete product list and can help determine whether your project will be impacted by the pause.

This marks the first such action from an AV manufacturer in response to the current tariff landscape. A significant portion of AV products originate from manufacturing facilities in China. Even when finished goods aren’t assembled there, many components—such as chipsets and internal hardware—are sourced from Chinese suppliers and may be affected by the ongoing tariff increases.

Strategically, pausing shipments from China may help QSC avoid the 125% tariff rate currently in place. While this might make long-term financial sense, it presents immediate challenges for dealers and integrators in the midst of ongoing projects or procurement cycles. Several manufacturers have already communicated between 5 and 15% “tariff surcharges,” either in the U.S. specifically or globally.

The U.S. administration has allowed for some product category exemptions from the highest tariff tiers. These exclusions currently apply to items such as computers and accessories, telecommunications equipment, monitors, projectors, and recorded media. The tariff situation will allow AV manufacturers to benefit from these exclusions. 
View the full exemption list here.

The tariff environment—and how AV manufacturers respond—is evolving rapidly. Stay connected with AVNation for continued updates, and check in with your preferred dealers to track any changes to product availability or tariff-related surcharges.