Manufacturer competing against their dealers?

The manufacturer can build for an OEM and sell their own brand as well, you can't assume the two products are identical. Z-Squared likely does "design" their own wire (haven't figured out how you design wire yet, but I'll let it go) and has Audio Metallurgy manufacture their "advanced design" for them. Very common practice (manufacturing outsourcing, not designing wire). So Audio Metallugry has proven manufacturing prowess, that doesn't imply they have the same engineering talent as their customers... Z-Squared, Blue Mountain....

I can assure you the products from our customers companies are not the same products re-badged. We are the science side of the business, we produce the wire for MANY companies. We also do the design work for most of them. We simply provide a design and training to produce the cables. Each individual company is responsible for their own production/quality control. We are not working against our customers as our cables are not even close in the design sense. One thing you can be assured of though, is that we do know what we are doing.....just check all of the feedback for all of the listed companies.......

CD

This is no different than what goes on in grocery stores. I have seen products in grocery stores that have the same address as the "name brand" product sitting next to them and the ingredients being "slightly" different.
I have bought products from both "Z-Squarred" and "Audio-Metallurgy". Just like I buy name brands and store brands.
If I were in Audio-Metallury's position I would want to market my own version of interconnects to. It is a sense of pride. Why is there a new version of "El Rod" power cord??? I think it is because he wants to try new things, his Signature cords already had great reviews.
Every one has different tastes and I think that the more options that are out there, the more we will see fair pricing and top quality products.
I for one will probably buy again from both Audio-Metallurgy and Z-squarred, because I like both of their products and both sell on the auction board for reasonable prices. I am only going to buy so many products from each person, because I like to try different things.
I wish members would quit posting threads that are negative about companies who offer products at reasonable prices to Audiogon members. I for one, would have thought very seriously before even posting a thread like this. I would have given this thread some credit if there was evidence that the interconnects were same!!! I am very curious whether members will side with Audio-Metallurgy or shun them, now that a member has started their own version of the "National Equirer". "Enquiring minds want to know"!