I love how whenever this topic comes up, 99% of the comments have nothing at all to do with the topic. So let's talk about clone sound. I picked up a super cheap Naim NAP 200 copy from AliExpress. These are all over the place. They don't copy the case, but claim to be a copy of the circuit. I've never heard the legit NAP 200. The sound was actually very nice...as long as it doesn't get complex / busy, then it falls apart (sonically).
I also got a no-name CD transport from Queenway store (AliExpress seller, has many clones) which claims to copy a Wadia circuit and has a spring-mounted CD tray. It does sound better than my other Chinese CD player used as a transport. They don't have that version anymore and seem to sell an updated version with a better clock. Mine also has an issue of overheating / glitching where it'll stop playing and error itself out after a long period of playing. I managed to break a cable harness trying to remove the cover, and the seller actually sent me a replacement harness for just $1. But the case was cut with basically 0 tolerance so now I can't get it back on, I'd have to file some of it down I think. This is what you end up paying for I guess.
There's an Accusphase clone I'm interested in as well as FM amp which they claim to have copied 1:1 including the proprietary modules. They also have matching preamp clones too. There's many Pass clones too.
I recently purchased several cable clones. Today I received a copy of the Nordost Odin 2 Supreme Reference RCA interconnects. The cable conductors look just like the real article (and are constructed just like them if you believe the images they have up on AliExpress). These also have the original Nordost-looking plugs "Holo-Plug", but I thought mine were kind of dirty / dull and I doubt a legit Nordost would be like that. Initial listen I didn't notice any major difference over my Audio Envy interconnects, but then they need to burn in so that's what they're doing now.
Also coming is a copy -- maybe a gray market legit product -- Audioquest FireBird biwire and WEL Signature interconnects. They look exactly the same as the legit items, including the DBA modules. The reason why I said maybe a gray market product is because Audioquest cables are made in China and just assembled in the US. Since these things look exactly like the original based on images they could be off the books factory runs assembled and sold out the back door. Of course the proof will be in the hearing, if I just end up with a set of expensive audio jewelry than oh well I deserve it :)
The only other cable I got from them was a Transparent Audio Wave Ultra MM2 power cable which is also burning in. It's a heavy and stiff cable, but it wouldn't surprise me at all to find that the center network box has nothing but epoxy in it.
Interesting I note that there's also SIltech cables which really do look like the originals and that Siltech started using a identity verification tool using a smartphone app to scan tags to validate legitimate Siltech products. It would be "funny" if Siltech is actually selling the same cables that China sells grey market for a fraction of the price.
I also got a no-name CD transport from Queenway store (AliExpress seller, has many clones) which claims to copy a Wadia circuit and has a spring-mounted CD tray. It does sound better than my other Chinese CD player used as a transport. They don't have that version anymore and seem to sell an updated version with a better clock. Mine also has an issue of overheating / glitching where it'll stop playing and error itself out after a long period of playing. I managed to break a cable harness trying to remove the cover, and the seller actually sent me a replacement harness for just $1. But the case was cut with basically 0 tolerance so now I can't get it back on, I'd have to file some of it down I think. This is what you end up paying for I guess.
There's an Accusphase clone I'm interested in as well as FM amp which they claim to have copied 1:1 including the proprietary modules. They also have matching preamp clones too. There's many Pass clones too.
I recently purchased several cable clones. Today I received a copy of the Nordost Odin 2 Supreme Reference RCA interconnects. The cable conductors look just like the real article (and are constructed just like them if you believe the images they have up on AliExpress). These also have the original Nordost-looking plugs "Holo-Plug", but I thought mine were kind of dirty / dull and I doubt a legit Nordost would be like that. Initial listen I didn't notice any major difference over my Audio Envy interconnects, but then they need to burn in so that's what they're doing now.
Also coming is a copy -- maybe a gray market legit product -- Audioquest FireBird biwire and WEL Signature interconnects. They look exactly the same as the legit items, including the DBA modules. The reason why I said maybe a gray market product is because Audioquest cables are made in China and just assembled in the US. Since these things look exactly like the original based on images they could be off the books factory runs assembled and sold out the back door. Of course the proof will be in the hearing, if I just end up with a set of expensive audio jewelry than oh well I deserve it :)
The only other cable I got from them was a Transparent Audio Wave Ultra MM2 power cable which is also burning in. It's a heavy and stiff cable, but it wouldn't surprise me at all to find that the center network box has nothing but epoxy in it.
Interesting I note that there's also SIltech cables which really do look like the originals and that Siltech started using a identity verification tool using a smartphone app to scan tags to validate legitimate Siltech products. It would be "funny" if Siltech is actually selling the same cables that China sells grey market for a fraction of the price.