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Nashville’s Auratone fights Trump’s tariffs in Supreme Court battle

A legendary studio speaker brand faces extinction under shifting trade policies. The Supreme Court’s ruling could rewrite the rules for small manufacturers—or push them overseas.

,   and  Administrator
2 min read
In this image there is a conference in which there are people sitting in chair and listening to the...
In this image there is a conference in which there are people sitting in chair and listening to the people who are on the stage. It seems like an event in which there is a conversation between the media people and the owners. At the background there is a big hoarding and the wall beside it.

Nashville’s Auratone fights Trump’s tariffs in Supreme Court battle

A small Nashville speaker company, Auratone, is challenging the unpredictability of Trump’s tariffs. Known for its iconic 5C Super Sound Cube, Auratone has joined a lawsuit against the former president’s trade policies. The Supreme Court is now reviewing whether these tariffs were lawfully imposed under emergency powers.

Auratone has manufactured its loudspeakers in the US for 66 years, including the 5C Super Sound Cube—a studio staple used by Michael Jackson’s team on Thriller and by artists like Taylor Swift. But President Donald Trump’s tariffs, adjusted nearly 40 times between early 2021 and mid-October, have disrupted the company’s operations. Over 60% of Auratone’s clients are overseas, and the shifting costs have made long-term planning nearly impossible.

In September 2021, the Supreme Court agreed to hear a case brought by Auratone and other small businesses. They argue that Trump’s tariffs, imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), lacked proper legal justification. A decision is expected by June 2022. The uncertainty has already forced changes. Alex Jacobsen, Auratone’s president, announced plans to move some production abroad by 2026—the first time in the company’s history. The shift aims to cut tariff exposure, though Auratone’s annual revenue of around $400,000 and its two part-time staff in Nashville mean the transition will be a major adjustment. Jacobsen has said he hopes the Supreme Court ruling will finally bring stability. Without clearer rules, he warns, small manufacturers like Auratone will continue to struggle under the weight of unpredictable trade policies.

The case could set a precedent for how future tariffs are applied under emergency powers. For Auratone, the outcome may determine whether its speakers—once a fixture in US recording studios—stay in Nashville or join the growing list of products made overseas. The company’s move abroad, set for 2026, marks the end of an era for a brand long tied to American manufacturing.

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