Bose
They were it for personal home theater, but like every compnay, they gained huge 'brand" awareness, then sell out...kinda.
If you are a fan of Pioneer or Sony, they have done the same thing. They sell two lines of products, the cheap Wal-Mart and even BestBuy grade, then they sell their good stuff. Because it's Sony, people pay a premium for overpriced plastic junk.
Bose has moved most of their operations to Mexico. They have introduced an inferior line of products, you may have seen the POS speakers advertied at Fry's or other places for $29 a speaker. There is no way to make a quality speaker for $29. I checked it ou, weighs about 1/4 lb and has a cardboard like speaker.
Even their little satilite speakers seem cheaper these days. I've been to audio stores and seen the inside of those satilites, they have really cut back on costs, but not price.
They still have some sweet stuff they sell in audio stores, but it seems over-priced still.
If I were Bose, I'd do the exact same thing! If people keep buying, keep overcharging.