Has anybody bought or heard a Chinese knock off amplifier?

So you think blatant copying is ok? Saying they are copying well respected expensive brands. Same s..t when I lived there. It all sucked.  I think its BS ..

Back to, maybe even Chinese, look-alikes.

What is the deal with Technics SL-1200 turntable and some others that, to me, look quite similar? Pioneer, audio-technica, and maybe some more.

How did that go? Is there some design patent that had expired, or did they buy rights from Technics? I am just making these up. Does anyone know how it actually went?

AT-LP140XP - Direct-Drive Professional DJ Turntable | Audio-Technica (audio-technica.com)

PLX-1000 Professional direct drive turntable (black) - Pioneer DJ

Technics | SL-1200

Glupson, “How many people here have bought a knock-off amplifier from North Korea?”

Is not an argument.

OP requests comments on knock-off amps so calling them a bad idea is in bounds.

Audiogon has built a system of trade in which mutual respect and fairness are valued- even a hint of dishonesty would effectively disqualify a seller. At which borders should that end? Under which conditions should theft be rewarded?

I have been to just two well-known audio manufacturers’ “factories” and each was tiny. They became known for innovations in their product lines but I doubt they had millions set aside for hard times and nothing to combat piracy or IP theft. Just another attack on an industry that is barely surviving.  Grado, Gallo, Rogue, VPI, Berkeley, and many others have created innovations which add to the hobby. Theft gives nothing back. If you want to preserve the hobby, you might want to support companies that contribute to it and not those that erode their viability.

I won’t mention counterfeit N95 masks because that’s not part of this discussion.

manorraul,

My question about North Korea was a comment of sorts to a post that preceded it and which mentioned North Korea, nuclear bombs, and in some convoluted way connected that to China, all supposedly having something to do with amplifiers. There was even more in that post, but it is not worth reading again.

"Grado, Gallo, Rogue, VPI, Berkeley..."

Are these common, if at all, targets of Chinese counterfeiters?

As a food for thought, and I do not know the answer, how much is Mark Levinson (from the OP) losing on counterfeit products that cost much much less? Are these counterfeiters really stealing customers? Does anyone intending to buy Mark Levinson actually pick the fake one? Could it be that people who buy fakes would have never bought the real thing anyway?

I am not defending piracy of any kind, just wondering how much real impact it is in audio world? Are there any lost sales? Is it brand erosion? Or is it brand strengthening?

The "barely surviving" industry have themselves to thank for it. They chose to charge absurd, wild markups and content themselves with super high profit margin but low production. Those that have been trying to serve the lower end market decided to do so by pushing their class D junk.