You can't go wrong if you opt for a class "A" amp.
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Nsgarch, "at which point, of course, they will all raise their prices." For a laundry list of reasons that I won't bore you with here, that's already happened. In part because of that, their sales in the North American market have utterly collapsed. Once the Chinese pricing exceeded that of the homegrown brands, it didn't take a call to a psychic on one of those 900 numbers to figure out where sales were headed. "And in a few years from now, I'm certain there will be many Chinese brands that will become synonymous with the highest quality products." Here, I will disagree with you. It takes more than a dollar, or even a hundred, to improve quality. Rather, I believe it's a mentality that doing the hard work required in design, implementation, and QA is something they are both committed to and care about. Factor empathy for the end user somewhere into that equation, tempered with the reality of how that one supplier spoke of Michael Allen right in his presence. In my opinion, it's here they fall down, and unless there is a sea change on their part, to think improvement would just happen is wishful thinking. Again, as Michael called the shots at Jolida, he was able to instill (by force) his (our Western) value system. Why is it that five years after that article was published, the other companies still have not learned anything from it? The answers stare both them and us right in the face. As far as the entity I was aligned with, I talked to them about so many things until I was blue in the face, and in real terms, never got anywhere. I'm no sage or anything of the sort, but it's interesting to see how things have gone subsequent to my walking away. As you pointed out in your previous post, these circuits are simply North American and European designs from the 1920s - 1950s. There's zero creativity, and little beyond that required in terms of thinking, involved in the implementation of them - not that the American, German, and British companies alive during Golden Age of HiFi didn't also use them. |
Trelja -- thanks for that link. As you indicated, the article points out why most (though not all) Chinese-made products don't measure up, even though there is nothing at all wrong with their electrical (circuit) designs. What I found REALLY interesting however, that I didn't realize before, is that it doesn't actually take THAT much more money to improve parts quality and fabrication techniques to the point where some of these Chinese manufacturers (like Jolida) will be able to compete with (or even out-compete!) traditionally high quality brands from the US, Scandinavia, Switzerland and Germany. Personally, I'm very happy with my system. The only major changes in the last 20 years being a new cartridge, a return to tube amplification (MC275) for my electrostats, and finally getting the CLS's up on stands. However, if I were just beginning the process of system-building, I would have no problem considering the best regarded offerings from the Far East. And in a few years from now, I'm certain there will be many Chinese brands that will become synonymous with the highest quality products; at which point, of course, they will all raise their prices ;--)) |
As the former importer/distributor for one of the brands Nsgarch mentioned, let's just say that being up close and personal with them leaves a terrible taste in one's mouth. A most interesting read on the way things are done in China was published in Forbes several years ago http://www.forbes.com/home/free_forbes/2005/0905/088.html Obviously, Jolida is a much better model because Michael Allen calls the shots. Imagine how things go when the Westerners don't. |
Hold on a second...JoLida is based out of Maryland. They mft. in China and finish in the US (so far as I know) but that is a bit different than what was posted. FWIW - I went from a 502B to a JAS H-1 Hybrid. Very happy with the move - even after comparing the stock H-1 to the factory upgraded JoLida 502B. |
Almost all Asian electronics (unless you're talking about WAVAC or Shindo or Kondo, or something in those price and performances ranges) are poorer quality copies of well-established western designs. Even the relatively decent stuff (like Cayin, Consonance, and Jolida) is often in violation of US patents and intellectual property rights! And although it might sound good at first, the internal components (resistors, caps, PCB's, chassis, and especially tubes and IC chips) are NEVER the quality you'll find in equivalent American products. So buy American whenever you can. Especially these days!! The following should be within most people's budget, especially used: ** If you like your sound so dry it makes your ears pucker, go with ARC. My experience with their integrateds has been the exact opposite of Efner's though. ** If you want full, natural, uncolored sound, McIntosh is the very best -- especially the MC275. And don't forget Manley (a lot of audiophiles do!) ** If you want/need a bit warmer-colored sound, Conrad Johnson (used ;--) and Rogue Audio are good choices. These are all American, and in the high-moderate price range. Other American-made products that are a bit (to a lot) more more expensive would be BAT, CAT (Convergent Audio Technology), Walcott, and the excellent new hybrids, Moscode and Aesthetix Atlas. Do watch out for re-branded Chinese products -- like the Mark Levinson Red Rose products. The JAS Array is an intriguing design, with no other equivalent, but it probably won't be powerful enough for your needs and difficult to get properly serviced. . |
I have the McIntosh. What speakers are you thinking about because with that room (depending on the particular speakers) you might want to have two 275's in mono. You have a nice sized room -- big enough to place speakers on the long wall (recommended). See my system, let me know if you have any questions. BTW, it's really hard to read all-caps. It's a lot easier to read all-lower case, if you don't like using the shift key ;--) |