if you read mind behind written word, you will realize that it's outsourcing to cheap slave labor of China -- therefore there will be gap in production for a small period of time.
when it happens consider me as a prophet
Is Classe AUdio no longer???
Just read this article:
https://www.strata-gee.com/letter-dealers-classe-status-mysterious/
Wonder what the hell is going on?
https://www.strata-gee.com/letter-dealers-classe-status-mysterious/
Wonder what the hell is going on?
26 responses Add your response
As per Patrick - B&W North Group, "We have stopped development on the Delta Series to ensure that the products deliver the experience people have come to expect from Classé Audio and Bowers & Wilkins. We will continue to sell Sigma Series products, and our customer service and support have not been effected". This info is sourced from following thread, https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/classe-ssp-800-time-to-move-on |
I agree 100% with erik... I'm old enough to remember a time when, "Made in Japan" was synonymous with "JUNK". Obviously, that's no longer the case since, following WWII, Japanese industrial leaders had the good sense to listen to William Deming and adopt statistical process control practices...major contributors to the excellent quality now associated with Japanese goods - including autos and electronics. Due to other influences, a similar transformation is underway in China and has been for some time. Personally, I find it foolish to treat all Chinese electronics as cheap, poor quality products produced by sweat shop labor. Examples can be found to support this stereotype but the exceptions are growing and can represent high value alternatives to Western-mftd. goods. |
I own a Hegel HD-12 which is designed in Norway and manufactured in China and an Aurender N100H server/renderer/streamer made in South Korea and have found both to be excellent products. The Aurender is among the best constructed and finished audio components I have owned (mostly American and Canadian). Spent my entire career running electronics manufacturing facilities in the US and some of those guys in Asia are kicking butt whether jafant likes it or not. Dave |
Personally, I also try to be as just as possible so I plug in numbers first to be sure. B&W, large manufacturer, isn't foolish like many audiophiles, will move their products where profit is better and the factor is LABOR COST. What B&W get is perfectly flat and straight highway with no bumps or traffic lights to bring their business there or anywhere they think they will cut cost anywhere in the world. If you think that this factor is not 20 or more times smaller (for assembly line worker) than in USA or anywhere else in the world, it's never late to learn. If you like iPhones, you can also read more info about Chinese assembly line workers. The number of defective devices manufactured is actually growing each year. I regret trading my iphone6+ for 7+ so quality ain't going to be the same either -- there will be substantially larger probability of defective unit. So what can possibly make you think that B&W will be better boss overthere? |
Reads more like a "soft closure" to me... A way of letting dealers know that there will be no new product lines forthcoming from Classe` and they will also not be producing anymore 'stock' on existing models BUT they don't what to scare dealers into thinking the brand is dead. So support is there and seemingly nothing more... for the time being? Yeah, right. |
Quality in China is no better or worse then here in USA. The Transmission for your Cadilac cars are made in China ! Had a Pass intergrated unit made in California out of the box did not work or perform properly . I now have a tube amp made in China Ming Da Kt 120 other then one bad tube in which they replaced it for free the amp has 0 issues .Not to mention it sounds better then the Pass unit. I have been to China in the cities there airports and transportation is new and updated looks and runs better there then in the USA , I would moved there " but" I can not eat Chinese food . So , So much for that. But I do like the ladies . |
I'm a dealer. First, Classe is part of the B&W group which was just acquired by a Silicon Valley firm which will understandably make some changes but to this point, nothing formal has been announced. From what we've been told, Sigma will remain as others have said but the new Delta series has been put on hold. Whether production will resume and move offshore or otherwise has not been announced. At this point, reading any further into anything is a waste of bandwidth. I'd guess BW Group hasn't made any final decisions. It's also sad that people have such a misunderstanding of offshore manufacturing. I'd guess most have no concept of the dynamics and have never been anywhere near a manufacturing facility in China or otherwise. But hey, the internet says everything made in China has been built by untrained, underpaid children who work 25 hours a day with no food, water or sleep and if it's on the internet it must be true... |
"In the good old days Classe was the best I owned." +1000 on that. I still have the DR-25 amp and DR-6 preamp I bought new in 89/90. They have been rotated in and out of my system often since, pinch hit for broken down Krells and such, and always show their musical beauty (and muscle) at every opportunity. Not a second’s trouble from either. Recently picked up a DR-9 (Dave Reich’s first AB design with a "paultry" 100w/ch @ 8ohm rating) and it is the best sounding amplifier I have tried in 20+ years with my "amp killer" Thiels. Dave |
passet0279 posts08-05-2017 10:13amQuality in China is no better or worse then here in USA. The Transmission for your Cadilac cars are made in China ! BINGO! |
I don't knowing buy products from the Communist Chinese nor from countries who have not signed international IP agreements. I don't not knowingly buy products that are made in Communist China. I know this limits me but I don't purchase cable TV either. I refuse to pay for programming and companies that undermines Western society. |
@ivanj I don't give a snap about political structure of one or another nation or land, however, I do not refuse purchasing items from ordinary China dwellers that try to make living. I also support the fact that they make some fake US gear on their territory (obviously as result of outsourcing) and sell it. I do not wage it as fault or crime of Chinese dwellers, but rather pure responsibility of manufacturer simply facing the circumstances of using slave labor to save on expenses. Astronomic quantities of purchased newly introduced Chinese made Dr Dre head cans made some of my good living nearly decade ago. |
I appreciate that opinion tooblue and thank you for the offer to help crane lift my amp to the car. May well take you up on it. ;) My take is most of the world outside North America basically falls into four categories: those that want what we have and are determined to make it happen (Asia for example), those that despise us because of their dependency on us due to their own perpetual irresponsible behavior (much of Europe), those that want to kill us (you know who they are), and those that are victimized by centuries of endless poverty and famine, bless their hearts. This does not always or even usually apply to individuals IME, only governments, political movements, etc. and the zealots that control them. Dave |
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