Ok, I just got off the phone with my friend that owns the Home Theatre shop and he is trying to get a hold of his sales rep from Sherwood. I should get an answer of all the Brand names that they actually manufacture for. He also noted that if you look at Sherwood's site they also do claim and indicate that they build them.
Here is what I found so far from their website:
...."Not only is the Sherwood brand synonymous with high performance audio worldwide, but it is an industry secret that Sherwood is the actual manufacturer of nearly one-third of the world's high performance receivers. Many of the products we build are available with brand names which may be better known than our own."
More info here that I obtained from one of "dealer only brochures" :
Sherwood Newcastle
A true diamond in the rough. In the fiercely competitive and rapidly evolving field of consumer electronics, where companies shift production sites from one low-cost country to another, Sherwood Newcastle is a leading light, and international symbol of unsurpassed quality, and one of the few companies to manufacture all the products bearing its name. The company's philosophy is that of an enduring one: Design audio gear that offers only the highest levels of performance and make it yourself
From quality perspective, there are two things that stand out about this company only the audio video insiders are aware of. First, Sherwood Newcastle is the OEM choice of leading brand names in the world. So don't be surprised to find that esoteric brand receiver that you bought was in fact made by Sherwood Newcastle under its world renowned quality control. Second, Instead of running production runs of products that will become obsolete in a year or two, Sherwood Newcastle continues to support its customers through upgrades to its existing lines. This is why Sherwood Newcastle has become the choice of receiver for the people 'who know' home theater market. Why buy something new every year, when Sherwood Newcastle continue to upgrade to new technology?
Don't let the low price tag of Sherwood Newcastle fool you, they are one of the world best!
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Other great information..read on.
An original equipment manufacturer, OEM, is a company that builds products or components that are used in products sold by another company. Sherwood claims that they are the manufacturer of "nearly one third of the world's high performance receivers". I've heard brands like Adcom, SAE, Kenwood, Marantz, Philips, Yamaha, Denon, Harman Kardon, and Krell. Harmon Kardon no longer uses Etronics. The real numbers of OEMs are a secret. This is understandable since the high-end A/V world is full of brands that are little more than their name on someone else's product for a lot more money.
One Sherwood OEM customer that isn't a secret is Outlaw Audio. They're a refreshingly open company that is frank about the fact they outsource the manufacture of all their products. Their 990 pre/pro is based on my P-965 and the Outlaw website not only says this, but outlines what they feel they've added to the product with their version. In this case the Outlaw direct sales model means their version is actually sold for less. (But I bought my P-965 used)
So, Sherwood's philosophy is still true today: "Design audio gear that offers only the highest levels of performance and make it yourself". Some people online are confused about the relationship and say Sherwood buys from Etronics (Sherwood IS Etronics). Or they say Sherwood buys from competing OEM Eastech of Taiwan (probably just mixing up Etronics and Eastech). And as a final note, apparently the Rotel development group is staffed by several ex-Inkel engineers and is also in Korea.
