Where are speakers made these days?

[AcuDefTechGuy]

TAD/Pioneer use Far East Drivers and I think they're pretty good speakers.
JBLPro/Revel/Infinity drivers are made in China AFAIK
The Salk Pharos uses JBLPro woofers
The Salk Soundscape uses the Acoustic Elegance TD12H woofer
The AudioKinesis Planetarium uses the Acoustic Elegance TD12M midwoofer
The Seaton Catalysts use a pair of Acoustic Elegance TD12S woofers
The Vaporsound Arcus uses the Acoustic Elegance TD10M midwoofer
BG drivers are made in the USA to my knowledge. The Neo 8 is used in The philharmonic speakers, the Neo 3 and 10 in the BG Radia speakers.

Philharmonic 3: RAAL ribbon drivers made in Serbia? ScanSpeak Revelator drivers made in Denmark; BG Neo8 drivers made in USA or Germany? Cabinet made in USA; assembled in USA.

 

[Irvrobinson]

The bigger question for me is really how much money is actually placed or put into constructing a speaker and it's components. For instance if a said speaker retails for ~$1500.00 how much of that cost is parts related and how much of that is profit related?

Curious that's all...Bill...

I've told that for most consumer electronics products from nationally-marketed companies parts cost is 20-25% of MSRP. High-end consumer products are often 40-50% margin products at retail, though most high-end products are discounted (speaking for the USA). I haven't run into anyone yet that paid MSRP for Revel Salon2s.

So for your example of a speaker for $1500... I'm assuming per pair... that would mean the bill of materials would be in the $300-400 range, or $150-200 each. Bose is way below 20%, I'm guessing for a company like Funky Waves they're more in the 50% range.

 

[TLS Guy]

I've told that for most consumer electronics products from nationally-marketed companies parts cost is 20-25% of MSRP. High-end consumer products are often 40-50% margin products at retail, though most high-end products are discounted (speaking for the USA). I haven't run into anyone yet that paid MSRP for Revel Salon2s.

So for your example of a speaker for $1500... I'm assuming per pair... that would mean the bill of materials would be in the $300-400 range, or $150-200 each. Bose is way below 20%, I'm guessing for a company like Funky Waves they're more in the 50% range.

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.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

The B&W 800 Series Diamond are manufactured entirely in the UK:

B&W: Diamond Clear

 

[PENG]

The B&W 800 Series Diamond are manufactured entirely in the UK:

B&W: Diamond Clear

That's not the reason why I like the 800 series so much but it could be one of the reasons whey they sound so good and look even better, to me than many other speakers regardless of their alleged poor off axis freq response.

 

[3db]

Someone recently asked me that.

The Paradigm S8 speakers are assembled in Canada, but the cabinets are made and finished in China.

The Audio Beat - Paradigm Reference Signature S8 v3 Loudspeakers

But the Paradigm drivers are made in Canada?

PSB are made in China. Cabinets only are built in China,speakers assembeld in Canada. Drivers from Europe customed built to PSB's specifications.

DefTech are made in China.

KEF Reference, blade, Muon are made in England, but R900 & below are all made in China.

Philharmonic 1 & 2 cabinets are made in China, but assembled in USA. Philharmonic 3 are made in USA.

Linkwitz Orion are made in USA.

NHT are made in China.

On the back of my Revel Salon2, it says "Designed and engineered" by Revel in USA.

Notice it does not say "Made in" USA.

I corrected your PSB post in red font

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I corrected your PSB post in red font

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."

http://www.psbspeakers.com/articles/Stereophile-Synchrony-One-Review

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

KEF Reference: hand assembled in the UK.

Each pair of KEF Reference loudspeakers is hand assembled by just one highly skilled craftsman in Maidstone, UK.

Reference speakers are made to order and may take between 6-8 weeks to arrive to you.

KEF Reference Floorstanding Loudspeakers

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I just spoke to Jane Blonsky at Revel 818-895-3394 and confirmed that the Revel Salon 2 is in fact made in Mexico these days.

 

[Beatmatcher247]

On my PSB boxes it says engineered in Canada, made in China.

Most Polk and Pioneer speakers are manufactured and Mexico as well if anyone cares.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

On my PSB boxes it says engineered in Canada, made in China.

Most Polk and Pioneer speakers are manufactured and Mexico as well if anyone cares.

At least PSB has the guts and honesty to clearly say where it is made, unlike some companies that say "Engineered in the USA", but doesn't even have the guts to say "Made in Mexico".

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

That's not the reason why I like the 800 series so much but it could be one of the reasons whey they sound so good and look even better, to me than many other speakers regardless of their alleged poor off axis freq response.

Who knows. Maybe I'll end up buying the 800D in 5 years. But with my luck, it will then say "Made in Mexico".

 

[Irvrobinson]

Who knows. Maybe I'll end up buying the 800D in 5 years. But with my luck, it will then say "Made in Mexico".

If you like the Salon2 and the Orion I doubt you'll end up as an 800D owner. Hot highs, 40-60Hz bass bump. I've also never heard the 800D or 802D image nearly as well as the speakers you already own. One things the B&Ws do have is extraordinary fit and finish.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

If you like the Salon2 and the Orion I doubt you'll end up as an 800D owner. Hot highs, 40-60Hz bass bump. I've also never heard the 800D or 802D image nearly as well as the speakers you already own. One things the B&Ws do have is extraordinary fit and finish.

They do look pretty.

I've heard 800D, 802D, and 803D at a local dealer. They sound......well, they do look pretty.

And darn it, they are made in the UK!

You can tell I'm a little ticked off that my Salon2 are made in Mexico, unlike you US-Salon2, but I will get over it.

 

[MinusTheBear]

If you like the Salon2 and the Orion I doubt you'll end up as an 800D owner. Hot highs, 40-60Hz bass bump. I've also never heard the 800D or 802D image nearly as well as the speakers you already own. One things the B&Ws do have is extraordinary fit and finish.

What about its polar response?

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

What about its polar response?

According to B&W, their Vertical off-axis looks pretty decent, so who cares about their horizontal off-axis?

Besides, their cabinets have no resonance. Smooth as silk!

However, I'm disappointed they don't have high-gloss cherry or high-gloss rosewood; the only high-gloss they have is black.

InTheIndustry told me I should have bought the KEF 207/2!

 

[MinusTheBear]

According to B&W, their Vertical off-axis looks pretty decent, so who cares about their horizontal off-axis?

Besides, their cabinets have no resonance. Smooth as silk!

However, I'm disappointed they don't have high-gloss cherry or high-gloss rosewood; the only high-gloss they have is black.

InTheIndustry told me I should have bought the KEF 207/2!

Is that what the B&W rep said? Just to disregard the horizontal off-axis? That's really embarrassing.

 

[Irvrobinson]

What about its polar response?

I doubt they'd sound any different at the North Pole.

[Sorry, but I couldn't resist a display of bad humor.]

 

[Irvrobinson]

InTheIndustry told me I should have bought the KEF 207/2!

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.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Is that what the B&W rep said? Just to disregard the horizontal off-axis? That's really embarrassing.

In so many words.

I asked them specifically about the horizontal off-axis, and he responsed by saying that the vertical off-axis looked decent, completely ignoring my question and web links I included.