+ Reply to Thread
Page 4 of 7 FirstFirst ... 23456 ... LastLast
Results 31 to 40 of 62

Thread: Chinese Clones - Good value for money or rip off?

  1. #31
    Join Date: Mar 2010

    Location: Sheffield

    Posts: 2,898
    I'm Simon.

    Default

    The Chinese are capable of making the best and worst of things, not so great yet at designing them though. A brand made for the international market is likely to beat some no mark ebay clone. I steer clear of clones purely on moral grounds. Take all the pass labs clones. Nelson makes circuits available to the diy community, as a gift, and Chinese vendors then take these none commercial use designs and sell them on open market. That risks future developments and devalues Nelson's work. Pretty shady. I won't buy that like I don't use Amazon.
    Kuzma Stabi/S 12", (LP12-bastard) DC motor and optical tacho psu, Benz LP, Paradise (phonostage). MB-Pro, Brooklyn dac and psu, Bruno Putzeys balanced pre, mod86p dual mono amps, Yamaha NS1000m

  2. #32
    Join Date: May 2010

    Location: Weymouth

    Posts: 3,463
    I'm John.

    Default

    Why would anyone want to support blatant rip-off merchants buying, potentially lethal, electronic goods. Makes no sense and harms the genuine items.
    Sent by me using an appendage



    SME Model 15/V tonearm, Lyra Dorian, EAR Phono Box.

    Luxman 509X amp.

    PMC 25 23i speakers.

    Innuos/Roon/Qobuz/I-Pad. Oppo UDP-205.

    Cables by Kimber, Yannis and Audioquest.

    Audioquest Niagara. Tube Distinctions Mains power filter. Project RCM. Zerostat.


  3. #33
    Join Date: Mar 2017

    Location: Seaford UK

    Posts: 1,861
    I'm Dennis.

    Default

    You touch on a point that I wanted to make Simon.

    Not about electronics or audio, but about Chinese engineering. On the TV or radio someone stated that the Chinese engineer either really well or really poorly.

    I have just built up a bike with the best of the world's parts, all silver and as rust proof as possible. To that end I have a pair of Chinese titanium forks and a titanium stem, and I am terrified that either of them will break and I will lose my mouth/face.

  4. #34
    Join Date: Nov 2008

    Location: belgrade serbia

    Posts: 840
    I'm gordan.

    Default

    Line Magnetic stuff is excellent.
    Gordan.
    Speakers: Oris Swing MkII
    Amps: Thomas Mayer 300b/ Hiraga La Maison de L'Audiophile 20
    Preamp: Silver AVC by eng. Ferenc Lazar
    Phono Preamp: Shishido LCR by Solaja Audio
    Decks: Garrard 301 Martin Bastin reworked/plinthed with Fidelity Research FR64fx
    Garrard 401 in eng Ferenc Lazar solid wenge plinth with SME 3012/2
    Cartridges: SPU Spirit/ Koetsu Black revisited by eng. Salai/ Miyajima Shilabe
    Step Up Transformers: Tango MCT 999/ Ortofon T-5000/ Lumiere SUT
    Digital: Shigaclone by eng. Ferenc Lazar with Lampizator Amber II
    Wires: of sufficient length

  5. #35
    Join Date: Aug 2012

    Location: Sunny Portsmouth

    Posts: 9,165
    I'm TheMostHonestPersonYouWillMeet.

    Default

    I've owned a couple of Chinese amps. The first was a Ming DA MC34 and then a Yaqin Mc-100b

    For the little outlay both amps were amazing but they did not spend very long with me

    I can't quite put my finger on why that was but neither amp quite 'gelled' with me. However both amps were amazing value and I have no idea how they can produce them for the money..
    Bev


    Mark Levinson N°390s CD Through:Atlas Elektra XLR's To: Mark Levinson N°383 To: Magneplanar .7's

  6. #36
    Join Date: Dec 2008

    Location: East Riding of Yorkshire these days

    Posts: 4,779
    I'm Shaun.

    Default

    Another point regarding the Yarland Pro 200 SE was that it was clearly advertised as hard wired and dual mono. A clearly blatant lie. It had a rather large circuit board inside and was in no way dual mono.

  7. #37
    Join Date: Jan 2013

    Location: Bristol

    Posts: 6,843
    I'm Justin.

    Default

    Doge and Cayin make good stuff.

    I prefer my Cayin preamp to the EAR 868PL I used to own. Whilst it has some strange looking parts inside in terms of unrecognisable caps it sounds fabulous.

    That said, at least it isn't full of Radio Spares components a la TDP. And it is built like a battleship. Looks like an amp, not a preamp. I have had it a long time and I doubt I will change it anytime soon.

    At TDPs price level I'd expect Jupiters and Duelands at least in critical parts. But no.

    Sorry for the dig Mr TDP but hey. I think it is a fair point.

  8. #38
    montesquieu Guest

    Default

    This discussion is prone to sweeping generalisations. A lot of high end kit from big name brands is made in China these days. A lot of high end components are made there too, or in Taiwain where many of the higher-end manufacturing capabilities still sit.

    A lot of impressions formed 20 and 15 and even 10 years ago simply don't apply any more.

    Yes you have to be wary of fakes and if it looks too good to be true then it probably is. But personally I've had some great Chinese stuff (always checking the voltage is correct, it's a no-no if it isn't) and frankly the availability of it is one of the things that has driven the revival the whole valve component scene, as it has enabled people to try things out and get a flavour before getting all spendy.

    Chinese attitudes towards IP remain suspect, but I find the Nelson Pass thing interesting. Williamson published his designs and commentary free to everybody, and look what happened - even today the majority of valve amps out there are still Williamson designs, with various degrees of innovation applied to the concept. Nelson Pass has essentially done the same thing with his lower power FET designs (not, it has to be noted, his big bucks Pass branded gear that brings in the cash, nor should that be expected), and again enthusiasts and commercial concerns alike have taken these ideas and played with them, though without the blessing that Williamson gave for commercial endeavours.

    But in the real world surely this is inevitable? If circuits for EAR and JLH and First Watt components are out there, it's a certainty that someone is going to take advantage of that.

  9. #39
    Join Date: Apr 2016

    Location: Gravesend and France

    Posts: 1,498
    I'm paul.

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Pharos View Post
    You touch on a point that I wanted to make Simon.

    Not about electronics or audio, but about Chinese engineering. On the TV or radio someone stated that the Chinese engineer either really well or really poorly.

    I have just built up a bike with the best of the world's parts, all silver and as rust proof as possible. To that end I have a pair of Chinese titanium forks and a titanium stem, and I am terrified that either of them will break and I will lose my mouth/face.
    I watched fake Britain and a fella bought carbon handlebars by a well known well regarded Italian company from eBay. The bars snapped and he was fortunate not to be seriously injured. He contacted the manufacturer who inspected them and said they were not made by them but were fake. I don't know the answer about what or where to buy, but your Chinese titanium parts are not trying to be something they are not and are probably no less dangerous than some top branded fakes.
    I once bought some titanium mountain bike handlebars from the USA, first ride I fell and bent them double, they are paper thin and I don't understand why, they are lighter than aluminum anyway so a little more thickness wouldn't make much difference. On critical components I would go for strength over lightness and keep your teeth
    Bakoon 13r Denon DP80 Stax UA-70 Shure Ultra 500 in a Martin Bastin body with jico stylus, project ds2 digital Rullit aero 8 field coils in tqwt speakers

    Office system, DIY CSS fullrange speakers with aurum cantus G2 ribbons yulong dac Sony STR6055 receiver Jvc QL-A51 direct drive turntable, Leema sub. JVC Z4S cart is in the house

    Garage system another Sony receiver, cassette deck


    System components are subject to change without warning and at the discretion of the owner.

  10. #40
    Join Date: Dec 2008

    Location: East Riding of Yorkshire these days

    Posts: 4,779
    I'm Shaun.

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by montesquieu View Post
    A lot of impressions formed 20 and 15 and even 10 years ago simply don't apply any more.
    Quite possibly true but impressions inevitably lead to a reputation and in this case a rather bad one.

+ Reply to Thread
Page 4 of 7 FirstFirst ... 23456 ... LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •