Energy Speakers - Made in China now?

[JaceTheAce]

I saw a post on here a while back that said Energy started manufacturing their Connoisseur and Reference Connoisseur line in China.

I will not buy any more speakers from Energy if this is the case. I am hardcore anti-outsourcing for products that should be made in the country in which they were designed/developed...

For example, would you want a high-quality BMW outsourced in China? Would you want a high-quality Toyota outsourced in China? No way.

 

[Hipnotic4]

lol so are you going to sell your energy gear now?

just because something is made somewhere else does not make it a "worse" product.

 

[JaceTheAce]

lol so are you going to sell your energy hear now?

and just because something is made somewhere else does not make it a "worse" product.

Well, I wrote an email to Energy asking them - as long as they can assure me that the quality will be the same, I'll still consider them for future purchases.

No, not going to sell my Energy's I love them too much.

 

[mike c]

i think most toyotas are made in whatever country they are sold in ... at least in thailand, and the philippines

if you don't want made in china speakers, you might need to add more $$$ to the cost of those speakers (i mean, instead of increasing the price, maybe the speaker company opted for a lower cost of production)

 

[Sheep]

I saw a post on here a while back that said Energy started manufacturing their Connoisseur and Reference Connoisseur line in China.

I will NOT buy any more speakers from Energy if this is the case. I am hardcore anti-outsourcing for products that should be made in the country in which they were designed/developed...

For example, would you want a high-quality BMW outsourced in China? Would you want a high-quality Toyota outsourced in China? No way.

Define "speakers".

Alot of companies get the enclosures made in china, but I can assure you Energy makes ALL of their crossover's and drivers.

If its the same quality, I don't care. It will make them less expensive.

 

[Duffinator]

I will NOT buy any more speakers from Energy if this is the case. I am hardcore anti-outsourcing for products that should be made in the country in which they were designed/developed...

Better get over this in a hurry. This might be a surprise for you but producers have been going with the lowest cost labor since at least WWII. There's nothing wrong with it and it's what makes a GLOBAL economy. And there's no going back. People used to make fun and complain about things "Made in Japan". Now even the Japanese use Chinese labor to remain competitive and most people are happy to buy something made in Japan. The real problem is where do we go when China's labor becomes as expensive as the rest of the major industrialized countries?

 

[patnshan]

i think most toyotas are made in whatever country they are sold in ... at least in thailand, and the philippines

if you don't want made in china speakers, you might need to add more $$$ to the cost of those speakers (i mean, instead of increasing the price, maybe the speaker company opted for a lower cost of production)

Yep. It costs a fortune to build things like this in the U.S. American workers expect a lot of things from their employers, which drive the costs through the roof. These include free healthcare (ie: UAW), >$30+ dollars an hour for unskilled labor, etc. Sorry, I am a bit jaded in this regard.

I am just trying to say that there are EXCELLENT reasons why american companies outsource to other countries. They cannot afford to build it here!

Pat

 

[JaceTheAce]

Thanks for the replies everyone. I guess if Energy is outsourcing to China they'd keep a close watch on QC just as well as if they were to continue speaker production in Canada.

I was just skeptical. But if that is what will help keep Energy speakers the "best bang for the buck" that they are, I'm sure it's probably a good business decision on their part.

 

[warpdrive]

Well, the cost savings is real....the cost to dealers went down about 25% when the production line moved to China. So would you rather pay $650 or $480 for the same speaker?

I own both a Chinese and Canadian made C-series, and they look identical. In fact, I actually had a problem with my Canadian-made one..it had a buzzing problem. The Chinese one was perfect.

 

[patnshan]

I think QC is real in China vs. here. If a worker makes too many mistakes, they are taken out of the factory and are never heard from again We can't do these extreme sorts of things here The union fights until the death for bad workers in this country.

Pat

 

[zumbo]

Asians rule. They have a real pride in their work. I have no problem with it.

I, on the other hand, am American. We are lazy.

The only American product that is worth a flip would have to come from a small company with a small amount of employees who take pride in their product. That is hard to find.

Management in large companies in America push people too hard, while they sit on their fat @$$ waiting for their bonus for doing such a good job cutting the employees pay any way possible. The employee is pi$$ed at management for being such a pain, and the product suffers.

 

[Audiosouse]

No Energy 发言人 For Me

Where product is made is very relevant. Ignorance is bliss if you don't mind paying a premium for German precision made in Mexico or designer labels made beside the Zellers brand.

Aside from ethical and moral implications of supporting culture that doesn't value human rights (never mind any other creatures), you support the destruction of our manufacturing base and hurt the very economy on which we depend. What jobs you think replace well paid labour? Would you like fries with that? As for less expensive product, notice Energy lowering prices? I buy NOTHING from China or companies that source manufacturing from it (a challenge, but not impossible).

Personally, two family pets were lost to tainted food and I try not to poison my child with lead (we expunged it 30 years ago). If they don't care what goes into food or affects children, you think they care about the finish of your speakers?

The competitive advantage excuse is just that as Axiom and Paradigm make some of the world's best speakers at some of the most competitive prices. And if it's so expensive to produce in North America, someone should tell the Japanese who continuously expand production here, notably the most profitable automaker.

Consumers have the ultimate power with informed choice the only requisite.

 

[Joe Schmoe]

Yep. It costs a fortune to build things like this in the U.S. American workers expect a lot of things from their employers, which drive the costs through the roof. These include free healthcare (ie: UAW), >$30+ dollars an hour for unskilled labor, etc. Sorry, I am a bit jaded in this regard.

I am just trying to say that there are EXCELLENT reasons why american companies outsource to other countries. They cannot afford to build it here!

Pat

That, of course, is the #1 objection to products made outside the US. Those paychecks and benefits are being taken away from American workers. What good are cheap products if outsourcing causes the economy to collapse and nobody can buy anything anymore?

 

[Exit]

If you want to know another word for outsourcing or downsizing try “core competencies”. Thirty of the sixty people in my department were laid off/retired because they were not considered part of our core competencies. So when you hear that word, watch out.

 

[3db]

I saw a post on here a while back that said Energy started manufacturing their Connoisseur and Reference Connoisseur line in China.

I will not buy any more speakers from Energy if this is the case. I am hardcore anti-outsourcing for products that should be made in the country in which they were designed/developed...

For example, would you want a high-quality BMW outsourced in China? Would you want a high-quality Toyota outsourced in China? No way.

You must be rapidly running out of things to buy.

 

[WmAx]

I recently came across a 2 way speaker product that was designed by a German company and outsourced to China. For well under $200, this speaker has objective measured performance and parts quality that when summed, exceed all speakers I know of that cost even twice what this speaker costs. I'm not even sure if I can find a speaker that measures similarly for 3x the amount.

So, if this speaker was made in Germany, do you think it would have the low price? I think the same speaker would cost substantially more, thus canceling it's high value. It is the same for a lot of other products.

I understand the economic implications, but it's still difficult[for me] to give up the incredible values that I have had access to in the last few years by outsourcing products to locations with very low employee labor costs.

-Chris

 

[h317]

揚聲器 ... not 发言人

No Energy 发言人 For Me

Audiosouse, I believe you wanted to say "No Energy Speakers For Me" and tried to find a Chinese translation for "Speakers". I can tell you this:

The Chinese characters that you came up with in your post title actually means "spokesperson". In Chinese, speaker or loudspeaker is 揚聲器

Just want to make sure that Energy knows what you are protesting

 

[Seth=L]

I recently came across a 2 way speaker product that was designed by a German company and outsourced to China. For well under $200, this speaker has objective measured performance and parts quality that when summed, exceed all speakers I know of that cost even twice what this speaker costs. I'm not even sure if I can find a speaker that measures similarly for 3x the amount.

So, if this speaker was made in Germany, do you think it would have the low price? I think the same speaker would cost substantially more, thus canceling it's high value. It is the same for a lot of other products.

I understand the economic implications, but it's still difficult[for me] to give up the incredible values that I have had access to in the last few years by outsourcing products to locations with very low employee labor costs.

-Chris

I know what you are speaking of.

You know how I said I was going to stop looking at audio, well I just couldn't help myself. I landed a pair of Monitor Audio PMC-702 bookshelf speakers for cheap. I'm an addict.

 

[DD66000]

Asians rule. They have a real pride in their work. I have no problem with it.

You know this how?
I don't call using lead based paint showing any pride, or painting Ti drivers to look like, and sell as, Be drivers. And they have already been caught doing that.
I know a guy, that works for IBM, who's job is to recommend to companies where the best location would be for their factories, considering their type of products.
He told me that the companies, who have moved to China, will have a higher quality peoduct, if they do in-house QC. If they don't do their QC until after its been shipped over here, the quality is way low.

Anthem, for one, still makes their products in NA, B&K were, not sure if they still are. And most of Lexicon's gear is still made here. The new low end MV-5 must be made elsewhere, as there is no markings on the back "made in USA" and has been described as a re-badged HK receiver, which are made in China.

 

[Biggiesized]

Before you all go shooting off your mouths, I hope you guys realize the difference between outsourcing manufacturing and outsourcing assembly work. A lot of goods are manufactured in China because they are indeed cheaper to make there. However, a lot of those goods will then also be exported for assembly, be it in the U.S. or elsewhere. There is nothing inherently wrong with manufacturing in China as global trade is a good thing. However we do need to correct the trade imbalance with China.