- Joined
- Oct 11, 2018
- Messages
- 3,741
- Likes
- 6,457
I don't know the set up of that company, but ANY company selling 'high end' products that are manufactured out of country for reasons of bottom line costs has to maintain strict QC, or they will drop market share. But it is a two edge sword.The Sigma line was made in China, Classe had many quality issues with products that were sourced there. Some of the later Delta products under B&W ownership were also sourced there with similar results.
For an example, look at Gibson. Toward the end of their last management cycle (pre-bankruptcy) the quality of their very expensive US made product was declining. There were horrible instances of poor workmanship. At the same time, their Epiphone Qingdao facility was producing highly consistent, good quality product at a lower to mid-level price point. The stuff coming from there as of last year is generally excellent from all I can personally tell, and from what I've read and seen. Management at that plant, BTW, is done in-house by Gibson.
Doing business in the US, in a place like New York state (McIntosh, Benchmark), has to be a huge expense. Labor laws, environmental laws, taxes, impact fees and all the rest. You don't have that same thing and to that extent in Malaysia, China, Vietnam and Mexico et al. But if a company is going to make high-end goods in those places, they had better have a big QC presence in order to make sure they are offering top tier products. People once burnt are not likely to buy the same next time. That is one reason McIntosh has been able to stay the course over 70 years. Say what you will about them, but no one ever says they are selling second hand build quality.