Wharfedale Elysian 4 Incredible build quality and sound, but made in China.

This topic is 100% political. But I cannot discuss the reasons here. I think you should vote with your wallets. There are plenty of smaller brands with high value which get low attention on social media or the press.

It’s just weird to me how brands like B&W and Sonus Faber command a higher price, while manufacturing in China. That’s a failing of dealers to me. Dealers should guide you towards high quality, high value equipment. But it’s so much easier to move B&W, Focal and Sonus Faber product which get max coverage. The buyer is already convinced.

@kennyc Your point of view is so problematic at a micro-economic level. You may as well make everyone in the West disappear from existence because there’s cheaper labor somewhere else. This extreme cost cutting mentality needs to stop. The end result is de-industrialization, loss of skilled labor, dependence on other countries for essential products, loss of negotiation power, increasing inequality, lower living standards, lower state tax income (public services/utilities getting worse) etc…

Just take up the challenge of producing locally with long term wealth goals. Focus on quality over quantity and price. The High End Munich show proves that this is possible with the countless European manufacturers. Furthermore, these products don’t have to be priced out of reach for regular customers. There are many great offerings under $2k which outperform the KEF LS50 with local manufacturing.

@cd318 

Well, you almost said it. Outsourcing hurts innovation. Why bother researching and innovating when you can dropship? Just phone a wholesaler.

Hey, REGA is good example of UK innovation. There are many similar examples in Europe like Atoll, Exposure, Focal etc... So you’re not a marginal for buying locally manufactured goods.

"Do you really think that multinational globalist companies care about any of that?"

That’s precisely the problem. It’s extremely political. Nations should keep globalist companies in check. But it’s the other around: globalist companies are suing countries for natural resources and to freeze the minimum wage etc...

Ultimately, I believe that it’s really easy to buy high quality UK produced gear on the used market. This is especially true in France since the local population doesn’t seem to care about UK brands such as Arcam, Rega, Creek or Castle. I scored a Creek 4240 for 130€ recently and the owner told me he was trying to sell that thing for over 1 year. So I feel obliged to buy British. A comparable Atoll IN30 would sell for 400€ used.

@webking185 

The average buyer isn't as informed as you might think. Let's just say that a dozen brands like Polk, Wharfedale, Focal, Klipsch, B&W, KEF, Wilson Audio etc... get all of the coverage. You can't really circumvent that problem, there are too many brands. But it's silly to me that people are paying full retail for a pair of KEF LS50 when there are better options on the used market for way less $ or just a few hundred more on the new market. 

@kennyc Your point of view is extremely « laissez faire » liberal. Let corporations rule. Monopoly is the goal. Corporations are here to plunder all ressources and exploit people for shareholders. This is the law. 
 

it doesn’t have to be that way in a proper democracy. You could impose company size maximums, wealth caps, progressive taxation etc… Prioritize public companies over private companies. Especially when it comes to Education, Utilities, Housing and Healthcare. I am of the opinion that large private companies suck. 

@cd318 Did you regret selling the NAD 3020? It's a very celebrated amp. I wish I could find one in my area. But I got to stop collecting vintage Hi-fi amps... It's cool that if you own a NAD 3020, its value will only increase over time. 

@kennyc The reverse is true for capitalism in the US. Think about the people who have to stretch their insuline and die because a dose is $800 Vs $11 in other countries. Think about the crumbling infrastructure, the police brutality, the monopolies, the housing market, homelessness, gun violence and the Education system. The USA is shaped by lobbies and the American people are suffering immensely because of it. I swear that Europeans are paying premium insurance when the visit the USA because they’re scared about the hospital bills if something goes awry. 
 

I am not saying that China is better. I have never been there. But wouldn’t it just be more rational to travel around the world to change your perspective on things?

Furthermore, American politics were way more diverse in the early 20th century. There was a Socialist party and a Communist party. It’s very common to see Communist parties in Europe, but they hardly seem to make a dent because they don’t serve the interests of the landlords, financial institutions and corporate overlords. However, these Communist and Socialist parties have an impact in a parliamentary context where elected officials vote on laws. And you bet that the Communist parties will side with the laborers and regular working people (not just landlords, moguls and bankers). 
 

Basically, you can thank the communists for 8h shifts, paid leaves, holidays etc… They went on strike for that. 

@cd318 I am currently residing in France and we can officially say that democracy died (It was dead decades ago, but now it's crystal clear) since the President overran the assembly and the will of the people in order to set back the retirement age at 64. To be clear, this retirement setback will only save approxiamtely 10 billion euros. There are 100 more effective ways to save 10 billion euros. But I am going off tangent here...

Anyways, I have a hard time seeing conservative and right-wing politics favoring regular workers and unions... It's very much the opposite: salary freeze and high worker flexibility (a.k.a. worse working conditions). I have a very French perspective. You have to fight for your rights and go strike. Because the political class is not on your side.