Where are speakers made these days?

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I listened to the 207/2 before I bought the Salon2. The rooms were rather different so it was difficult to draw absolute conclusions. I think the Revel tweeter is better. The midbass sounded plumper on the 207/2 on piano, but that could have easily been the room. The Salon2 never ceased to amaze me. I'm also not sure how much the KEF's ugliness influenced me... perhaps more than a bit.

Aesthetic is important to me as well; I won't audition any speaker I consider ugly.

Although I think the KEF 207/2 looks fine.

 

[PENG]

Aesthetic is important to me as well; I won't audition any speaker I consider ugly.

Although I think the KEF 207/2 looks fine.

I think they look great too, better than the Salon 2 but may not sound as good.

As for the 800/2/D I have no problem with sitting on axis if that's what it takes.:

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I think they look great too, better than the Salon 2 but may not sound as good.

As for the 800/2/D I have no problem with sitting on axis if that's what it takes.:

I was sitting way off-axis today - in the formal living room on my massage chair with my Xoom in hands while the music was playing in my HT room.

I'm sure most people would be overjoyed to own the 800D.

Honestly, as much as I make fun of it, I would be thrilled to have them.

 

[PENG]

I was sitting way off-axis today - in the formal living room on my massage chair with my Xoom in hands while the music was playing in my HT room.

I'm sure most people would be overjoyed to own the 800D.

Honestly, as much as I make fun of it, I would be thrilled to have them.

After reading all of your posts that you had mentioned B&W, I concluded that deep down they are really your secret dream speakers. You have been trying your very best to say things to convince yourself that they are no good to you. The "apparent" fact that they have poor off axis freq response has helped you temporarily suppressed your desire for these great looking speakers but I don't know how long you can fight it. Unfortunately you also know you have the option to sit in a sweet spot designated by those engineers at B&W; and since they have decent vertical off axis response you know you will be free to jack your HT armchair up and down with no worry. I have the feeling that sooner or later those marlan heads will find their way to your home. I think in the end this is going to be a sad, but true story. Your only hope to delay this eventuality is that perhaps ITI cannot sell them to you at the kind of discount price that you typically enjoy.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

After reading all of your posts that you had mentioned B&W, I concluded that deep down they are really your secret dream speakers. You have been trying your very best to say things to convince yourself that they are no good to you. The "apparent" fact that they have poor off axis freq response has helped you temporarily suppressed your desire for these great looking speakers but I don't know how long you can fight it. Unfortunately you also know you have the option to sit in a sweet spot designated by those engineers at B&W; and since they have decent vertical off axis response you know you will be free to jack your HT armchair up and down with no worry. I have the feeling that sooner or later those marlan heads will find their way to your home. I think in the end this is going to be a sad, but true story. Your only hope to delay this eventuality is that perhaps ITI cannot sell them to you at the kind of discount price that you typically enjoy.

That was scary real psychoanalysis, it gave me goose bumps.

ITI was in fact talking to the B&W people, but it seems ITI got so busy with his personal business that he wasn't able to follow up.

I wonder why I auditioned the 800D twice?

AJinFL said it was because I'm insane.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

OK so I looked at the back of my KEF 201/2, and it proudly boasts "MADE IN freaking ENGLAND".

Well, OK, it didn't say "freaking".

My Salon2 proudly reads "DESIGNED AND ENGINEERED IN THE USA".

When I get my Philharmonic 3, it will say "HAND-RUBBED IN VA & CROSSED OVER IN DC".

 

[PENG]

That was scary real psychoanalysis, it gave me goose bumps.

ITI was in fact talking to the B&W people, but it seems ITI got so busy with his personal business that he wasn't able to follow up.

I wonder why I auditioned the 800D twice?

AJinFL said it was because I'm insane.

Seriously, may be they did improve on the original version. The new 800D has the following specs:

Dispersion:

Within 2dB of reference response
Horizontal: over 60º arc
Vertical: over 10º arc (and they told you that was decent?)

May be AJinFL should double check their latest plots.

By the way, at 225 lbs, 80 lbs heavier than the 207/2 you may have to re-inforce your floor first to qualify.

 

[Adam]

...it will say "HAND-RUBBED IN VA & CROSSED OVER IN DC".

Hey, now. No political threads.

 

[lsiberian]

Yes, and that's why most speakers are so awful. For the money you are talking about, it is impossible to furnish quality drivers, crossovers and cabinet for that sort of money.

A decent speakers is a formidable proposition, that does not lend itself to cut corners and mass production.

I'm normally not inclined to disagree with you, but your statements are a bit sweeping. I think what you state is true in nearly every case, but if a manufacturer has excellent QA then it's certainly possible to have quality production. It won't come cheap though.

That being said what brands outside of Jordan(which I know you like) do you recommend?

 

[lsiberian]

As far as the OP is concerned my fronts are American made. I cut the wood myself. they are certainly a fine example of shoddy workmanship being my first build, but they still sound better than nearly every commercial speaker I've heard.

 

[3db]

Hey, now. No political threads.

Dam, I thought he was going "porn" on us for a moment.

 

[3db]

Do you have a web link to the source of that information? And I don't mean a link to a forum.

Here is the link to the Stereophile review stating that the Synchrony is made in China:

"...the Synchrony One costs $4500/pair, which is actually less expensive when inflation is taken into account. This is made possible by the new speaker being manufactured, as are so many others these days, in China."

Stereophile Synchrony One Review - PSB Speakers

I was incorrect. All design for PSB is in Canada but manufactured in China. I thought they were assembled them here but I guess not. I googled for the last 45 minutes and came up empty. *Shrugs* That fact still woudn't detract me from upgrading to the Synchronies as they are great sounding speakers.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I was incorrect. All design for PSB is in Canada but manufactured in China. I thought they were assembled them here but I guess not. I googled for the last 45 minutes and came up empty. *Shrugs* That fact still woudn't detract me from upgrading to the Synchronies as they are great sounding speakers.

As Beatmatcher says, PSB openly, honestly, and proudly states that they are designed/engineered in Canada, and manufactured in China. They openly disclose that fact, which I admire.

It is clear that all PSB speakers measure extremely well on Soundstage/NRC, Home Theater Magazine, and Stereophile, especially the Synchrony One.

The important thing is how great the speakers sound, not where they are made.

But we certainly pay a premium for them depending on where they are made, as PENG found out about KEF Reference speakers and B&W Diamonds.

Factors that play in our decisions to purchase the speakers (no order of significance):

1) How they sound
2) How they measure
3) Brand name
4) Where they are made
5) Asthetic

 

[3db]

I'd push 4 off the list as it really doesn't influence my purchases.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Dam, I thought he was going "porn" on us for a moment.

Mind in the gutter!

I simply literally meant that my Philharmonic3 speakers are hand-rubbed/sanded to high-gloss finish by Delmond Won in Virginia and then hand-assembled by Dennis Murphy in Washington DC.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I'd push 4 off the list as it really doesn't influence my purchases.

To most of us, where they are made will not influence us.

But to some of us, it may play a huge factor.

Honestly, going back in time, if I had known that the new Salon2 are made in Mexico, instead of USA, I would have bought the KEF 207/2.

Having both the 201/2 & Salon2 in the same room & sharing the same electronics, I conclude that the 207/2 and Salon2 would sound exactly the same to my ears - they are both extremely accurate speakers.

But, heck no, I'm not going to sell my Salon2 because they sound absolutely fantastic and amazing.

I'm just saying where these speakers are made does influence some folks' buying decisions.

 

[Irvrobinson]

To most of us, where they are made will not influence us.

But to some of us, it may play a huge factor.

I understand, and agree with this position. Discussing it any further leaves the realm of audio and probably delves too deeply into politics. But I feel compelled to post so that audio-video manufacturers, especially of expensive high-end products, understand that at least some of their most prized consumers *do care* where our products are made.

 

[Adam]

I care how well my stuff is made and how well the workers are treated, and where it is made only matters to me if those areas and the point of origin can be linked together. I don't think that they can be on a country-wide basis, except in generalizations that don't really hold water, IMO. I think those can much better be determined at a company level.

 

[Rickster71]

This may be slightly off the speaker topic, though speaks a bit to where things are made, and why.

Back in my circuit board design days, I remember an instance of being on a conference call with our three unionized manufacturing locations, here in the USA.
They were getting back to our group with their respective lists as to why it would be 'impossible for them to manufacture the design we sent them.
Little did they know, I'd also sent the data to Singapore.
In the same time frame our US shops gave us their lists of impossibilities, our Singapore location finished the stack of 50 boards (prototype run) I held in my hand while on the conference call.
The work was done faster, better, and cheaper.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

This may be slightly off the speaker topic, though speaks a bit to where things are made, and why.

Back in my circuit board design days, I remember an instance of being on a conference call with our three unionized manufacturing locations, here in the USA.
They were getting back to our group with their respective lists as to why it would be 'impossible for them to manufacture the design we sent them.
Little did they know, I'd also sent the data to Singapore.
In the same time frame our US shops gave us their lists of impossibilities, our Singapore location finished the stack of 50 boards (prototype run) I held in my hand while on the conference call.
The work was done faster, better, and cheaper.

Extremely good point.

Better is better.

You have changed my position on this!

I admit I was wrong on my initial assessment.

See, I'm reasonable.

If the speakers sound great, measure great, looks great, feels great, then it is great regardless of where it is made.