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Thread: SME acquires Garrard and Loricraft

  1. #21
    Join Date: Jan 2009

    Location: Essex

    Posts: 31,848
    I'm openingabottleofwine.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Macca View Post
    Would it matter if it was the Chinese? Or the Nicaraguans for that matter?

    There's a few industries who have discovered that whilst people don't care where cheap goods are produced, if they are going to pay a premium for high end products then they want them made in the traditional place by the traditional craftsmen. No-one would pay the same for a BMW made in China instead of Germany, even if they were identical down to the last nut and bolt.

    They want German engineers to make their German car. Even though the actual engineer might be British. Or Slovakian, or whatever. I had a cousin who used to design for Audi-Porsche. Scouse as they come, but he lived and worked in Germany so that's okay. But move Porsche design and production to Merseyside and watch sales drop.

    It's all about perception, not reality.
    I know what you mean: Porsches built in Finland are considered inferior by some to those built in Stuttgart. And Leitz optics assembled in Portugal or Canada are considered to be not quite as good as those assembled in Wetzlar.

    My Sinophobia is partly born of reports of the later versions of the Quad 909 sounding poor, due to inferior Chinese-sourced components (especially the capacitors), but largely of my distaste of the appalling human rights track record of the Chinese state, their annexation of Tibet and their attitude to the use of endangered species in tradition Chinese medicine.
    Barry

  2. #22
    montesquieu Guest

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    Quote Originally Posted by Barry View Post
    I know what you mean: Porsches built in Finland are considered inferior by some to those built in Stuttgart. And Leitz optics assembled in Portugal or Canada are considered to be not quite as good as those assembled in Wetzlar.

    My Sinophobia is partly born of reports of the later versions of the Quad 909 sounding poor, due to inferior Chinese-sourced components (especially the capacitors), but largely of my distaste of the appalling human rights track record of the Chinese state, their annexation of Tibet and their attitude to the use of endangered species in tradition Chinese medicine.
    To say nothing of their increasing development of a surveillance state that far surpasses anything in the West, and their disgraceful bullying behaviour over Taiwan.

    I've spent a lot of time over the last 15 years or so in both mainland China and Taiwan and frankly, developments since Xi came to power are quite chilling. Not least in their effects on freedom of speech - you simply won't find a mainlander with any sort of political opinion openly expressed, as a report back can be career ending. We have a lot of East Asian academics through for dinner parties and the difference between the Chinese ones and the Taiwanese ones is frankly enormous - that's not down to 'culture' (much of which is shared, despite the depredations inflicted by the CCP), it's down to a state run using methods of ever-increasing repression and fear. Ten years ago it was nowhere near as bad as this.

  3. #23
    Join Date: Mar 2017

    Location: West Sūžsēaxe

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    I'm Edward.

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    Quote Originally Posted by montesquieu View Post
    To say nothing of their increasing development of a surveillance state that far surpasses anything in the West, and their disgraceful bullying behaviour over Taiwan.

    I've spent a lot of time over the last 15 years or so in both mainland China and Taiwan and frankly, developments since Xi came to power are quite chilling. Not least in their effects on freedom of speech - you simply won't find a mainlander with any sort of political opinion openly expressed, as a report back can be career ending. We have a lot of East Asian academics through for dinner parties and the difference between the Chinese ones and the Taiwanese ones is frankly enormous - that's not down to 'culture' (much of which is shared, despite the depredations inflicted by the CCP), it's down to a state run using methods of ever-increasing repression and fear. Ten years ago it was nowhere near as bad as this.
    +1

    Recently I had an in-depth discussion with two Taiwanese academics and once they realised I was open to having a honest discussion regarding mainland China they became very open as to their opinions on what was happening with Xi etc. As you say quite chilling.
    Current: [P20] Roon/Tidal > Custom PC> Chevron Paradox NDF16 > Phast Pre > Neuro. 686 > Tannoy Berkley (RFC tweaks)


  4. #24
    Join Date: Aug 2009

    Location: Staffordshire, England

    Posts: 37,776
    I'm Martin.

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    I can see the efficacy in a mass boycott of Chinese goods in order to exert political pressure on a tyrannical regime. But an individual boycott on personal, moral grounds doesn't stack up logically. To be morally consistent you would have to extend your personal boycott to products of all countries with repressive regimes. In which case putting petrol in your car is going to become quite tricky.
    Current Lash Up:

    TEAC VRDS 701T > Sony TAE1000ESD > Krell KSA50S > JM Labs Focal Electra 926.

  5. #25
    Join Date: Feb 2018

    Location: Suffolk, UK

    Posts: 55
    I'm Steve.

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    "British" - based in Britain ?

    Not necessarily owned by a British corporation. Perhaps

  6. #26
    Join Date: Jan 2009

    Location: Essex

    Posts: 31,848
    I'm openingabottleofwine.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Macca View Post
    I can see the efficacy in a mass boycott of Chinese goods in order to exert political pressure on a tyrannical regime. But an individual boycott on personal, moral grounds doesn't stack up logically. To be morally consistent you would have to extend your personal boycott to products of all countries with repressive regimes. In which case putting petrol in your car is going to become quite tricky.
    Yes I know I'm swimming upstream, but if I have a choice not to buy Chinese-made goods then I will exercise that option: I'm not expecting anyone else to follow suit.

    Clearly I can't do anything about where the petrol in my car comes from, or the fact that Quatar have a majority stake in the airports around London, or the fact that all the butchers in London where my partner lives sell halal meat. That does not mean I'm going to stop driving or use a bus, or fly out of the country. And as for the meat, well I just buy pork, ham, gammon and bacon from a supermarket when in London.
    Barry

  7. #27
    Join Date: Dec 2015

    Location: London

    Posts: 35
    I'm Tom.

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    Terry is no longer in the first flush of youth, so this kind of development is to be expected.

    I'll keep an eye out for new products with interest, but given SME prices, without much expectation of buying.

  8. #28
    Join Date: Jul 2009

    Location: Hampshire, UK

    Posts: 3,662
    I'm Adam.

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    According to the Munich rumour mill (which I only heard second-hand, so don't shoot the messenger!), a new 301 will be in production within a year and they are planning to gradually re-introduce the old classic SME arm models.
    Engineers: fixing problems you didn't know you had in ways you don't understand.

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